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L’ Anfiteatro Romano di Rimini
The ruins of this Roman Amphitheatre date to the II century A.D. and when the actual seafront would have been much closer than it is today. Not surprisingly, even coins minted during Hadrian's reign were found embedded in the structure's walls.1
The elliptical arena measured 73x44m and it was believed that up to 12,000 spectators could have crammed into this space with walls rising to 17m high. Considering that the Colosseum’s arena in Rome was not much bigger these impressive features therefore indicate that this Roman Amphitheatre was yet another confirmation of Rimini's strategic importance within the Roman Empire, along with other public works such as the Arco d'Agosto and Ponte Tiberio.2
The Amphitheatre was only discovered here in 1800 as a convent and various other buildings had subsequently been erected on the site.
It’s currently in a state of advanced ruin which has probably more to do with the fact that at various stages throughout its decline it was further deprived of essential building materials, none more so than immediately after World War II as Rimini sought to rebuild itself after extensive bombing by the Allies.
References
1 http://www.visit-rimini.com/roman_amphitheatre.htm
2 As above.
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