As many readers will know, I have spent the last few years bringing the history of Chedworth Roman Villa in the Cotswolds to life. I was therefore excited to visit the remains of a massive Roman amphitheatre in nearby Cirencester.
Artist's impression of the Cirencester Amphitheatre (via the English Heritage interpretation board)
Cirencester, known as Corinium almost two thousand years ago, was the second largest town in Roman Britain after Londinium (London). Various sources estimate the population to have been around 12 000 people. Given the relatively close proximity of Chedworth Roman Villa to the town, it is highly likely that the owners would have attended Gladiatorial events and other activities at the amphitheatre. One of the theories is that the villa was owned by a very wealthy government official or businessperson based in Corinium, making regular attendance at the amphitheatre more likely.
An illustrated map showing the location of the amphitheatre (left) and Chedworth Roman Villa (right)
Walking around what remains of the groundworks of the...
