David Bomgardner traces the origins and development of that most typical and evocative of Roman monuments: the amphitheatre. The story begins with an investigation of how the amphitheatre formed a central element in the social and political life of the ruling classes of ancient Rome, with detailed reference to the Colosseum. The origins of the amphitheatre are then explored, with a close examination of some of the earliest examples, focusing on the arena at Pompeii. Case studies are also made of some of the most significant amphitheatres from across the empire - ranging from Italy, Gaul and Spain to Roman north Africa. The development of the spectacles and their final fall before the pressures of the late empire, not least the opposition of the Christian church, are integral to this discussion. The final abandonment of the amphitheatres and their re-use in other guises form the postscript to the story. This accessible work, illustrated with 141 plans and photographs, incorporates sociological, psychological, historical and even ecological material into the study of this important architectural type.It should be of interest to the general reader as well as being a reference work for students and scholars of Roman history and architecture.