It has been attributed to the same architects of the Colosseum, of which it is a little later. Some texts report its construction under Vespasian and its inauguration probably by Titus. According to some scholars, the presence of masonry built with the opus reticulatum technique would suggest that it was built under Nero, which was then removed as a result of a process of damnatio memoriae.
However, the masonry technique also includes the use of bricks; furthermore, the discovery of an epigraphic inscription that reads "Colonia Flavia Augusta / Puteolana pecunia sua (that is," the Colonia Flavia Augusta built at its own expense ") and the fact that the typology of the Puteolan amphitheater is quite similar to that of the Colosseum would give reason to a chronological location of the monument in the Flavian age. The archaeological excavations began in 1839 and ended at the end of the same century but, only in 1947, following a new excavation campaign, the monument was definitively freed from debris that had accumulated over the years.
The Flavian Amphitheater is one of the two Roman amphitheaters existing in Pozzuoli. Dating back to the second half of the 1st century AD, it was built to cope with the demographic increase of Puteoli, which had made the previous building used for public performances in the Republican age insufficient. Second only to the Colosseum and the Campano di Capua amphitheater in terms of capacity, it stands at the convergence of two main streets, the Via Domiziana and the road to Naples.
During the persecutions of Diocletian, in April 305 the Christians Gennaro, Festus, Desiderio and Sossio were condemned to be torn to pieces in the Amphitheater. The next day, however, due to the absence of the governor himself or, according to others, because he realized that the people showed sympathy towards the condemned and therefore to avoid disturbances, the execution was suspended. [Citation needed] According to tradition, however, the torture was changed due to the occurrence of a miracle, in fact, the beasts knelt in front of the four condemned, after a blessing made by Gennaro. They were then beheaded near the Solfatara together with the Puteolans Procolo, Eutiche and Aucuzio.
In memory of their stay in the amphitheater, around the XVII - XVIII, the cell where they were locked up before the execution of the condemnation ad bestias, became a chapel dedicated to the cult of the saints imprisoned there, especially to that of San Gennaro, to whom it is been titled; this is testified by two tombstones placed at its entrance. It was decorated with a majolica altar and a ceramic statue depicting the saints Gennaro and Procolo embracing.
The elliptical structure measures 149 x 116 meters. The external façade, which included three orders of superimposed arches, resting on pillars and surmounted by an attic, was originally preceded by an elliptical portico implanted on a plateau of travertine slabs whose original pillars in piperno decorated with semi-columns were later reinforced with large brick pillars.
Inside, which was accessed through the four main entrances or through twelve other secondary entrances, the arena, on the perimeter of which several hatches opened, even along the "scenic pit" ("median axis" or "middle way"), the which were closed with wooden boards during the shows, from where the beasts (tigers, lions and giraffes) entered, has the two semi-shafts of 72.22 and 42.33 meters. The cavea, divided into three tiers of tiers (ima, media and summa), allowed to hold up to 40,000 spectators.
In the basement, located about 7 meters deep, parts of the gears are still visible to lift the cages that carried ferocious beasts to the arena and probably other elements of the scenography of the shows.
However, the masonry technique also includes the use of bricks; furthermore, the discovery of an epigraphic inscription that reads "Colonia Flavia Augusta / Puteolana pecunia sua (that is," the Colonia Flavia Augusta built at its own expense ") and the fact that the typology of the Puteolan amphitheater is quite similar to that of the Colosseum would give reason to a chronological location of the monument in the Flavian age. The archaeological excavations began in 1839 and ended at the end of the same century but, only in 1947, following a new excavation campaign, the monument was definitively freed from debris that had accumulated over the years.
The Flavian Amphitheater is one of the two Roman amphitheaters existing in Pozzuoli. Dating back to the second half of the 1st century AD, it was built to cope with the demographic increase of Puteoli, which had made the previous building used for public performances in the Republican age insufficient. Second only to the Colosseum and the Campano di Capua amphitheater in terms of capacity, it stands at the convergence of two main streets, the Via Domiziana and the road to Naples.
During the persecutions of Diocletian, in April 305 the Christians Gennaro, Festus, Desiderio and Sossio were condemned to be torn to pieces in the Amphitheater. The next day, however, due to the absence of the governor himself or, according to others, because he realized that the people showed sympathy towards the condemned and therefore to avoid disturbances, the execution was suspended. [Citation needed] According to tradition, however, the torture was changed due to the occurrence of a miracle, in fact, the beasts knelt in front of the four condemned, after a blessing made by Gennaro. They were then beheaded near the Solfatara together with the Puteolans Procolo, Eutiche and Aucuzio.
In memory of their stay in the amphitheater, around the XVII - XVIII, the cell where they were locked up before the execution of the condemnation ad bestias, became a chapel dedicated to the cult of the saints imprisoned there, especially to that of San Gennaro, to whom it is been titled; this is testified by two tombstones placed at its entrance. It was decorated with a majolica altar and a ceramic statue depicting the saints Gennaro and Procolo embracing.
The elliptical structure measures 149 x 116 meters. The external façade, which included three orders of superimposed arches, resting on pillars and surmounted by an attic, was originally preceded by an elliptical portico implanted on a plateau of travertine slabs whose original pillars in piperno decorated with semi-columns were later reinforced with large brick pillars.
Inside, which was accessed through the four main entrances or through twelve other secondary entrances, the arena, on the perimeter of which several hatches opened, even along the "scenic pit" ("median axis" or "middle way"), the which were closed with wooden boards during the shows, from where the beasts (tigers, lions and giraffes) entered, has the two semi-shafts of 72.22 and 42.33 meters. The cavea, divided into three tiers of tiers (ima, media and summa), allowed to hold up to 40,000 spectators.
In the basement, located about 7 meters deep, parts of the gears are still visible to lift the cages that carried ferocious beasts to the arena and probably other elements of the scenography of the shows.
