The Roman anfiteatro
[amphitheatre] is today partially visible in the very
central Piazza Stesicoro. Its external margins fall along
present-day Via Penninello, Via Neve and the church of
San Biagio.The visible part of the structure, built in
lava along the northern extremity of the Roman city,
corresponds to a section of the northern half of the
ellipse. Here we can make out the external corridor, the
first order of the façade and a system of arches and
vaults designed to support the terraces and the upper
corridor. Also distinguishable is part of the internal
corridor, which led through a series of stairways to the
cavea [terraces], part of the arena and its rear wall.  Not a great deal is known about the
division of the cavea, and the few rows of seats that are
visible seem to have been restored. As in other public
buildings of Roman Catania, a remarkable decorative
effect was achieved with the chromatic contrast between
rows of lava blocks and brick and marble inserts. The
heavy construction and imposing size (125 by 105 metres)
are still evident today. With a capacity of some 15,000
spectators the Catanese amphitheatre is the largest
structure of this type built in Sicily. Its date is
uncertain, but on the basis of the construction
techniques used it must be later than the theatre and can
therefore be attributed to the central decades of the
second century AD. Between the fifth and sixth centuries
the monument was in such a derelict state that Theodoric,
at that time 10rd of Sicily, gave the Catanese permission
to use it as a quarry. In the eleventh century some
blocks oflava were reused in the construction of the
cathedral and are still identifiable today in the
external walls of the apse. At the beginning of the
sixteenth century the fact that the amphitheatre rested
against the city walls and could potentially be used by
enemies led the senate to order the destructiori of its
higher parts. Further damage was caused by the earthquake
of 1693. Once again it was the Prince of Biscari who in
modern times began exploration of the monument. In 1904,
on the initiative of the mayor, Giuseppe De Felice, and
under the supervision of the architect Filadelfo Fichera,
the section visible today was excavated. |
