Roman Amphitheatre Augusta Treverorum (Treves)

The Amphitheater in Trier (Augusta Treverorum) is a Roman amphitheater that, after its completion around 100 AD, offered space for 18,000 visitors.

Beneath the arena was a cellar, which is still preserved today. Here there were lifts to bring the performers onto the stage. It was therefore not possible to flood the arena with water. The amphitheater was part of the Roman city wall and is located below the Petrisberg. One of the reasons why the amphitheater was built on the Petrisberg was that due to the slopes of the Petrisberg, only one half had to be filled with earth for spectator stands. It is oriented to the north and has a north and a south exit. Animals or performers could be quickly brought in via a hidden lift in the middle of the arena.

After the theater was built around 100 AD, it quickly became part of the daily life of many citizens of the city of Trier. There, local dignitaries, imperial officials, and in late antiquity also some personally present emperors offered the citizens bread and circuses: animal hunts (venationes) and gladiatorial fights decided over life and death, executions took place, and important announcements were proclaimed. The amphitheater also had - as an unusual special feature - another function: it served as the eastern city gate of Trier. After the end of the Western Roman Empire (5th century), it was used as a quarry in the Middle Ages, like many other buildings in Trier.

It was used until the 5th century.