Carnuntum (4): The Military Amphitheatre

 

 

 

The military amphitheatre is located west of Bad Deutsch-Altenburg.

When you leave the village, the ancient building is on the right hand side of the road.

 

 

Two gladiators on display in the small exhibition next to the ticket office.

Between them you can see the umpire (rudarius), who is watching them.
In his hand he holds a wand of office (rudus).

 

 

A gladiator helmet on display in the small exhibition.

 

 

The military amphitheatre is relatively large: the outside dimensions are 72 x 44 meters.

But the auditorium is relatively small: there was room for only 8,000 spectators.
The civilian amphitheatre, located a few kilometers to the west,
could seat 12-13,000 spectators.

 

 

In the centre the arena;

on the right a short section of the auditorium has been rebuilt.

 

 

The arena and the auditorium.

 

 

A small section of the auditorium has been rebuilt.

The modern reconstruction, which is used for Roman festivals in the summer,

shows you how tall the building was in antiquity.

 

 

The arena and the eastern gate.

 

 

The arena and the western gate.

 

 

The arena and the remains of the auditorium.

In the background you can see the ticket office.

 

 

This picture is taken from the reconstructed auditorium.

 

 

The arena seen from the reconstructed auditorium.

 

 



The arena and the remains of the auditorium.

In the background the ticket office and the small exhibition.

 

 

The eastern gate seen from the modern auditorium.

 

 

North is (almost) up in this picture of the amphitheatre seen from the air,

which was taken before the small section of the auditorium was built.

The ticket office is visible on the left side. The modern road,

which runs between Bad Deutsch-Altenburg and Petronell-Carnuntum,

is visible in the bottom right corner.

 

 

South is up in this picture of the amphitheatre seen from the air.

The modern road is visible in the background.

If you go to the left, you will get to Bad Deutsch-Altenburg (east).

If you go to the right, you will get to Petronell-Carnuntum (west).

 

* * * *

For more information about Carnuntum and other Roman sites along the Danube, please turn to Roman Monuments on the Middle Danube from Vindobona to Aquincum, edited by Margaréta Musilová and Vladimir Turcan (Foundation for Cultural Heritage Preservation, 2011).

 

* * *