The Roman Amphitheatre in Britain

This is the first study of all the Roman amphitheatres in Britain, and it draws on very recent excavations at Chester, London and Silchester. Tony Wilmott describes every amphitheatre, amphitheatre-type structure and mixed theatre/amphitheatre structure in the province. He discusses the different types - rural, military and urban - and explores whether such differences are significant in terms of the uses to which the buildings were put. He then focuses on the participants in the arena spectacles - the gladiators and the animals. New evidence on the identity and behaviour of spectators is discussed. Accompanying illustrations come from inscriptions, paintings, mosaics and artefacts.