| Note |
The amphitheatre, with a seating capacity of 47,426, was built in three phases: the first was completed in the mid-second century CE, the second during the Hadrianic/Antonine era, and the third during the Severan era (Bomgardner 2001: pp. 90, 105). The sculptural reliefs were discovered at various times during the excavation and exploration of the building with none of them found in situ; none of the figural scenes are complete. There are two categories of relief decor that framed the vomitoria: figural scenes from the central parapets that faced the arena, and animal reliefs that are sculpted, nearly in the round, to form the hand-rails. The figural scenes pertained to the world of mythology, especially that of Roman origin, and include: the labours of Hercules, the hunt of the Caledonian boar, Diana and Actaeon, Mars and Rhea Silvia, and the punishment of Marsyas. Other scenes include the construction of the amphitheatre, scenes of sacrifice, the procession carrying the ferculum, and the turreted divinity. The animals portrayed on the lateral parapets are greater in number than those known from the Flavian Amphitheatre reliefs, including: felines, equines, bovines, elephants, tigers, lions, bulls, and dromedaries. |