Where gladiators fought and died
London's Roman amphitheatre
In 1988, Museum of London archaeologists unearthed the capital's only Roman amphitheatre in Guildhall Yard. Excavation continued until 1996. Now part of the arena is preserved and dramatically lit under the art gallery.
Now visible are the stone walls that lined the eastern entrance to the arena. The sand around the walls is original and shows how the ground sloped down to the arena. Parts of the wooden drains still exist that carried away rain water.
The arena was first built in AD 70 when it was made of timber. In the second century AD it was enlarged and modernised with its outer walls built of stone. It could hold an audience of 6000 spectators at a time when the population of London was between 20 and 30 000. The arena was abandoned in the 4th century.
Submitted by: Andrew Hunt, 21 January 2007
