The Roman Theatre of Arles is a 1st-century Roman theatre, built during the reign of

Caesar Augustus Caesar Augustus (born Gaius Octavius; 23 September 63 BC – 19 August AD 14), also known as Octavian, was the first Roman emperor; he reigned from 27 BC until his death in AD 14. He is known for being the founder of the Roman Pri ...

. It is located next to the

Arles Amphitheatre The Arles Amphitheatre (French: ') is a Roman amphitheatre in the southern French town of Arles. Two-tiered, it is probably the most prominent tourist attraction in the city which thrived in Ancient Rome. The towers jutting out from the top are m ...

in the city of

Arles Arles (, , ; oc, label= Provençal, Arle ; Classical la, Arelate) is a coastal city and commune in the South of France, a subprefecture in the Bouches-du-Rhône department of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region, in the former province of ...

Provence Provence (, , , , ; oc, Provença or ''Prouvènço'' , ) is a geographical region and historical province of southeastern France, which extends from the left bank of the lower Rhône to the west to the Italian border to the east; it is bor ...

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...

. Along with the other Roman and medieval buildings in Arles, the theatre was listed on the

UNESCO The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) aimed at promoting world peace and security through international cooperation in education, arts, sciences and culture. It ...

World Heritage List A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the UNESCO, United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). World Heritage Sites are designated by UNES ...

as part of the

Arles, Roman and Romanesque Monuments Arles, Roman and Romanesque Monuments (French: ''Arles, monuments romains et romans'') is an area containing a collection of monuments in the city centre of Arles, France, that has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1981. The offici ...

site for their testimony to the ancient history of the city. In Roman times, the theatre had 33 rows of steps and could seat 8000 people. It is as large as the Roman Theatre of Orange, although much less well-preserved. Arles Roman theater pillar ruins

During the

Middle Ages In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire a ...

, the theatre was used as a quarry, with the stone pillaged to build the city wall and other buildings. Today, only the stage area, orchestra section, seating rows, and two columns survive. The ''

Venus of Arles The ''Venus of Arles'' is a sculpture of Venus at the Musée du Louvre. It is in Hymettus marble and dates to the end of the 1st century BC. It may be a copy of the Aphrodite of Thespiae by Praxiteles, ordered by the courtesan Phryne. In the ...

'', a famous Roman statue made of marble, was found in pieces at the Roman theatre in 1651.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Theatre antique d'Arles Buildings and structures in Arles Roman sites in France

Roman Arles

See also

References