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I don't blame you for making some extra income, but I just took RUclips Premium to be spared those pesky ads that spoil interesting vids like yours. So now the ads are part of the vids?
Well Paul, I've been watching you for a long time now and you might not be a University Proffessor but you are a proper historian, doing you research and educating those who choose to listen. It may not be Gospel, but you set up the scenario and make us question and think, which is the basis of education, so thank you from 67 year old still learning.
An observation from the US. Almost every county fairground is next to a railroad, to allow bringing exhibits in. The Roman roads served the same purpose as modern railroads, so easy access from the main road would be important..
Great video, Paul! As a NZer, I'm so envious of you folks in the UK! Your history is so old and extensive that you dig in a carpark and find Richard III! Everywhere you dig you seem to find Roman pottery shards! Even your geology is wonderfully old, giving you great fossils!
This is amazing archaeological investigative work. As a current Master's Archaeology student, the data entry, statistical and topographical comparisons are skills that have been drilled into us for years since undergraduate. We need more support and recognition from academia for researchers like you outside of universities or institutes, doing thorough and investigative work that is in no way short of what we would do at university. Hats off to another brilliant video!
Prior to early retirement (from Hampshire County Council) in 2019, I had the pleasure of working in Winchester for 17 years, at the Hampshire Record Office (just South of the meeting of those two Roman roads). Your suggested possible location for Winchester's amphitheatre is, as I'm sure you know, overflowing with Roman remains. The two Roman roads in question (now Andover Road and Worthy Lane respectively) are also pierced (North-South) by the later London and South Western Railway line as well (did they find anything?). With Barton Farm against the Cirencester road to the West, and Abbots Barton (Farm and House) hugging the road to the East, there's a lot 'going on' there. Crucially though, towards the 'apex' to the south, there is Lankhills, a Roman Cemetery which has been extensively dug/excavated (at least in 1967-1972 and 2000-2005). Mind you, the debate about the potential juxtaposition between putative amphitheatres and cemeteries raises the question; which came first? Whilst it might make sense to site a later amphitheatre away from an existing cemetery, amphitheatre builders couldn't do much about later 'developers' deciding to site their new cemetery, inconveniently adjacent to an existing place of incompatible (perhaps) 'entertainment'. Love the channel - more about Winchester please!
Having grown up in Winchester and knowing the area well, I'd say based on your theories about topography and proximity to Roman roads, the amphitheatre was very likely located near the top of what's now known as Orams Arbour, possibly utilising the rampart of the pre existing iron age hill fort to form one side of it. Historical records show a few things to support this - 1. it was used as a place of public assembly at least since Elizabethan times, suggesting it had a suitable structure or shape. 2. The likely area was leveled in 1852 or 1860s (depending what source) and the workhouse was later built on top of part of it. 3. It is still vaguely amphitheatre shaped. 4. It is close to the west and north gates of the city, on the crest of a hill with views and visible from several Roman roads entering Winchester. 5. The workhouse was originally built in a circular shape, perhaps an echo of what was there before.
If you're interested to explore this possibility, the HGT (Hampshire gardens trust) research website seems to have the most detailed history of Oram's Arbour, that's a good starting point, it's also interesting to learn about the hill fort which preceded Roman Winchester.
Cilchester has been excavated for at least 50 years because thats where the wingless eagle that inspired Eagle of The Ninth was found just after the second world war
The Winchester amphitheatre would have been close ro the western wall - in space from west hill cemetery valley to Oram's Arbor, possibly the Alison Way building complex. Could also have been between the Western wall and the railway. It would be with in a 25 hectare space west of the city walls. Given the size of mediaeval Winchester, the amphitheatre stone was probably taken for buildings in Winchester.
I love watching your videos Paul. I live a mile away from the area you are saying this amphitheatre is, would never had thought it, thanks for all your hard work looking into history in such great detail and passion 👍
Lincoln’s has not been found yet, and as it was the most important, and the second most important Roman town, in the UK, it is inconceivable that there was not one
An interesting take on Winchester's missing amphitheater that bears further exploration. One small point to consider: The site you mentioned at St. Albans (Verulanium) is actually a theatre, not an amphitheater. Two very different structures that served very different purposes. The theatre at Verulanium is located inside the city walls, immediately west of the basilica and forum--not on the outskirts of town near a major road. Archeological maps indicate that Verulanium may not have had an amphitheater. Perhaps the same holds true for Winchester.
Fascinating quest - you would certainly think that a Roman town of Winchester's importance would have had an amphitheatre, especially since other public buildings, including a forum have, I believe, been located. Have any Lidar surveys been undertaken, I wonder? Thank you for a most interesting video.
So well done! You’ve whet my appetite to know more! I would like to know of any additional findings you have. I’m hoping you or someone finds hard evidence at Winchester.
That was fascinating Paul and thanks for the work you put into the Video. I wish I knew about this Amphitheatre theory when I did my Winchester Videos last year.
Yup, though in our case it's as much about _access_ as it is civic prominence. As increasingly important as public transit is now, plenty of people still drive to the stadium from places (suburbs, exurbs, outlying towns) with crappy transit. And we went extra-crazy building inner-city freeways in the 1950s-80s, due in part to our comparatively low-density cities and the car-is-king mentality of the era. So yah, it's often made sense to put our stadiums within sight of freeways.
Okay, one thing is you cannot include St Albans in your equation because it wasn't an amphitheatre, its simply just a theatre, and as proven at Colchester and Caistor St Edmund these invariably occur inside the walls of a town. However if you're theory on the Winchester site is correct then perhaps conduct some research into whether any archaeology was found that might support this when the houses were built on that site. These amphitheatres are big and if Winchester had a stone one then maybe some of the foundations survived or the robbed out trenches were recorded. I think you need to look into this because it might have been valuable information thats been overlooked all these years and prove the existence and location for this building.
I saw St Albans as having the same functionality and therefore importance in the research. I would hope that others may be able to follow up on this video perhaps and do some deeper digging than my time allows with a video most weeks.
@pwhitewick No, the St Albans theatre has a completely different use and design to that of the amphitheatre in that it's a classical D shape in form. This negates it's use for gladitorial style events and in fact Colchester would throw your theory right out the window because it has a D-shaped theatre inside the walls and another outside the town at Gosbecks, plus the recent find of the Roman Circus too may indicate that some towns had amphitheatres whilst others like Colchester which was a "colonia" were treated with different public buildings to befit their status.
@@colcester functionality with respect entertainment. Whatever form that took. The theory on this video is on the location and its prominence on the landscape and routes.
@pwhitewick St Albans is low lying, inside the walled town, which along with other structures like the Forum, Basilica and a triangular temple complex, plus two Triumphal Arches across Watling Street, it would not have been the most prominent building, in fact the foundation walls suggest a relatively modest retaining wall with buttresses to hold in the earthen banked seating area with alot of the upper parts being timber. Also, St Albans is again another location with special designation, it had the status of "municipium" and was the only town in Britain to be granted this, therefore it was entitled to certain privileges that most towns didn't receive. D-shape theatres are a completely different structure to amphitheatres in many ways, their design is often more compact and there is an obvious stage area, whereas the amphitheatres are more akin to our modern stadiums, more space required and completely different range of activities took place in them, so you cannot rule out form and function. And then there is the elephant in the room - Dorchester. Here the Romans simply reused a henge monument and redesigned it to fit their needs, they didn't choose the location initially and if we were to go by you're theory then yes, it's next to a Roman Road but that again came later in the landscape and the area isn't as prominent as say Poundbury to the NW of the Roman Town where the roads from Honiton and from Yeovil would have seen it on top of the hill, so this does skew the idea a bit. Rather than let others simply follow up on your initial work, it would be better to do a bit more research when you can fit it in and do another video on this fascinating subject at a later date because if you're Winchester location is correct then you deserve recognition for helping to locate it, don't let someone else jump in and do that after all your hard work.
@@colcester To D or not to D, plays little into this theory. I have basically expanded on the work of Bomgadener who suggests the important of such structures was almost taken as rivalry between provinces. Adding to that the fact that the vast majority seem to be alongside roads (often not always the most important). Thats it. St Albans, whatever it is lies on Watling Street, right next to it. No real local geography could place it better and still be seen roadside. Dorchester is indeed curious but again, fits. A route south to the Port at Melcombe. Makes great sense. If it was on the NE Route, you'd have been very low lying almost marsh land. The location fit perfectly so why not reuse.
Hi paul i think wincester s ampitheare may of been built stone and when romans left all the people in the area started taking the the stones to build their houses so over few hundred years all the where taken away and then the land was used for farming and the ploughs destoryed any of the foundations where left behind after another couple hundred years
One of these days, I will have watched every video Paul and Rebecca have done. Then I will just have to go find some lost canal or ancient trackway of my own.
As to location dont forget about things like drainage, water supply , toilets, sun - needed or shade. these can impact siting compared to dwellings or work areas
Colchester has the river Colne to the North and East of the city blocking large buildings, while the main road led through Balkerne gate to the East with the amphitheater to the South. I believe the Balkerne Gate was to impress visitors arriving from outside the city, while the amphitheater was to impress visitors from the local settlement at Gosbecks.
Cheers Paul really interesting l live in Gloucester Glevum same thing here no evidence of the amphitheatre been found.The Roman road Ermin way/street from Cirencester enters Gloucester over a small hill maybe it's around that area called Wotton pitch.Who knows thank you for posting another interesting blog.👍👍
Take a look at the 1805 map of Gloucester by 'Cole & Roper' and you'll see an oval depression to the south at Gaudy Green (which was also the location of a royalist artillery platform during the civil war siege) + to the east there appears to be a large rectangular enclosure (circus?)
Paul, back in the late 80's early 90's the powers to be extended the M3 motorway through Twyford Downs, do you know if they found any roman settlements or artifacts during construction ??
Were there were travelling gladiatorial groups that would put on shows at each locale? I can't imagine them having professional local gladiators and would have expected their favorites to cycle through much like a rock group coming to town. Then any criminals being held for execution could be dispatched. They probably would be the only deaths of the event though.
Yup absolutely. Often the term gladiator is taken as fighting to the death, but as you imply they were often there for the entertainment. Part of the show. Whilst I have no evidence to back it, I would be very surprised if your theory wasn't the case.
Never expect to see Carmarthen mentioned on anything. Unfortunately the remains of Moridunum aren't really respected by the locals, most have no idea what it is nor seem to care. A great shame as the remains are rather stunning. This was a great video, but felt the end was a bit sudden.
@@pwhitewick That's fair, the algorithm demands and we must listen. It's looked after in that the grass is kept short etc, but the locals just vandalise the remaining structures. A little reconstructive work would go far. It's also, as you noted in this video, just on the crest of a hill in both directions along the road, I guess it truly defines the peak of entertainment. If it helps, it would have been roughly 300 metres/0.2 miles from the East Gate, you can still trace the outline of Roman Carmarthen on the map.
Hmmm. I'd have thought it would be on the south side of the city on the road to Southampton. I'd imagine there'd be a lot more trade - and traffic - coming that way.
Sorry, but I don;t understand your reference to the amphitheatre being recently discovered in Chester; I've known of it's existence since 1954, and it is adjacent to gardens showing Roman remains discovered in the city. Moreover, It's not in the highest point in Chester, but it is at the corner of the Roman wall and so would have been visible from the roads entering from the east and from the south (the river side of the city) - it would certainly have been in an elevated position for traffic rising up the hill from the river
Yes, Maumbury Rings started life as a henge in the neolithic period (which means a circular bank with a ditch around the inside) was converted to an amphitheatre by the Romans, was later used as a place of public execution in the 18th century and is still used for events today, so it's been in use for 4000 years or so!
During my travels across the old Roman Empire - I was always taught - that all these amphitheatres were built with a spectacular backdrop view - So if you did not like what was being peddled on stage - You always had something else to look at
When I am enjoying your videos, I am wishing they were longer. Much like wishing Time Team had more than 3 days. You certainly match the professional quality of those folks. Thank you so much
Check the 1750 Will Godson map of Winchester too - it shows the Roman city layout, walls and roads pretty much intact and labels "The Arbour - The place where the freeholders meet to choose their representatives in parliament". There must have been a good reason why an apparently empty agricultural field on top of a prominent hill, just outside the West gate of the city has been in use as an important meeting place for hundreds of years. I reckon that it has been used for that purpose ever since the city's Roman amphitheatre stood there intact.
I like a good mystery so I did some more digging about Oram's Arbour. The current Bing maps aerial photo taken during a very dry period shows a clear circular feature about 40m diameter. I also managed to track down a description of the topography before it was levelled in 1852 - an obituary in Encyclopedia Britannica for Peter Charles Francis Pigeon says "About ten o'clock in the morning, August 28 1793 he retired to a certain LITTLE VALLEY on the North East side of a place called Oram's Arbour, the same place where the county elections for Hampshire are held" [and was murdered there!]. This description seems to match the location of the circular feature and also the 1750 Will Godson map shows the fence line taking a zig zag around this feature. An archealogical dig in the 1960s on the west side found a minor roman road entering the Arbour but the area of the North East side has apparently never been studied, I think it must be either where the circular feature in the grass is or under the old workhouse.
One further factor to consider: public buildings during the time of the Roman Empire were often constructed using the funds of private benefactors. Richard Duncan-Jones in his _Structure and Scale in the Roman Economy_ discusses this in his chapter "Who paid for public building?", looking at evidence from inscriptions from archeological sites in North Africa. These reflect that public construction often depended on the local well-off to donate the funds to construct temples, fora, & other public structures -- including amphitheaters: he presents a table where as many as three-quarters of public buildings were the result of private gifts, although the average between AD 98 & 217 is 58% private funding & 42% public (i.e. local taxes). So it is entirely possible that no amphitheater as ever built at Winchester because the richest locals hated sports, & refused to donate money to build a structure for gladiator games. Thus we see here the handprint of an individual otherwise unknown to history!
It would be a bit odd though, since basically all other Roman cities tend to have them, it was a matter of local pride as well as getting people entertained. It sure is possible they were cheap and didn't build a very large an impressive one, but Romans tended to enjoy spectacles. We are also talking about a long period, so they must have held some games and other events somewhere. I think it is more likely that it was destroyed somewhere between Saxon times and today. A nice flat area with good view is a great place to build a house, church or something else on. If it was just a flat area with a minimal earthwork and wooden benches, it could easily have been destroyed during all that time. It could hardly have been something like the Colosseum and if the earthworks is gone, there isn't anything for the archaeologists to find.
Great video, made me wonder where Lincolns amphitheatre was. So did a bit of googling and found out know one knows of one ever existing. Surely there must have been one, with the size and importance of lincoln.
Interesting! Like in my hometown, the former Colonia Claudia Ara Agrippinensium (CCAA) in Germania Inferior. Today known as Köln or Cologne. A lot of roman remains but not a single trace of the amphitheatre… nothing. There must have been an amphitheatre - cologne was not a small provincial town but a showpiece project of the time.
What did the Romans do for us? Well they pioneered the "out of town entertainment complex", presumably surrounded by some of the more popular trading emporiums of the time - Markus and Spencius (thankyou Carry on Cleo), TK Maxximus (thankyou Doctor Who) and Sportacus Direct? 🤔
The Bowl, in Mattersley Estate near Winchester has always reminded me of an Amphitheatre, they used to do festivals there and it feels like an Amphitheater, you are surrounded on over 270 degrees of a bowl like hill/hollow.
I always understood that if you were referring to the Cheesefoot head bowl, the Romans did use that as an amphitheatre according to local legend. I also understand that Eisenhower addressed some of the American troops there to prior to the D Day landings. Again, please correct me if I am wrong.
Very interesting, Paul. Your hypothesis seems very plausible to me. It’s also fairly logical as amphitheatres would need good transport links to get everyone to and from them.
Your presentations are full of information and enthusiasm, thank you. One small quibble, amphitheatre is pronounced amfitheatre and not ampitheatre, from the ancient Greek words amphi + theatron (theatre).
I suspect amphitheatres were built any where there was a large pospulation that needed entertaining. Including places resourses are gathered because they will be a working population. Without ebtertainment the workers evenings might be used to plan inserrection or fight and unjure eachother. Better those energies go towards supporting teams/gladiators at the games.
I visited the dig at Marcham/Frilford neolithic and Roman religious complex back in about 2010. As far as I was aware the 'amphitheatre' was thought at the time, to be more a religious or ritual pool with an opening to the river Ock very close by.
Hi Paul, very well researched this must have taken some time to do. Excellent production and very thought provoking. Fun fact that I didn't know before visiting the Roman city of Itallica (near Seville) is that amphi means on both sides so you get a theatre on both sides. My thoughts on Winchester: I think there must have been a practical element to the choice of location for each one. Maybe some were for prominence and maybe others took advantage of natural depressions in the land. I'd make a guess that stone for an amphitheatre in Winchester would have to come from some distance away. I think it would be hard to make a stone one disappear the one in Itallica remains but at a much reduced size as the stone was taken elsewhere. So my guess for Winchester would be a natural depression. Great video, well done. All the best!!
I went to St Albans theatre recently. It was interesting to learn that the most popular type of show was puppetry because the typical English person didn't understand Latin.
There is a reason why Mr Bean is understood and enjoyed the whole world over. It is entirely visual comedy. I'm sure puppetry fulfilled the same function.
Hi Paul, think i agree- topography and prominence on routes/views is likely. For chester, this would have worked three ways IMO. It was on the corner of the fort- meaning you could see it from the south bound route (margary 6a) and the east bound route (7a, very likely 6aa also). But- crucially the river also - with an alignment possibly being able to be seen out west (then sea) but on your approach from inland from some way also. It would have been an impressive and imposing sight for rival tribe groups or travelling fans approaching the city
As a government, if in doubt about what to do, just offer to build or renovate a football stadium... or an amphitheatre... Less cynically, it's clear that us humans have always enjoyed a good spectacle, and have probably always complained about the entry price and cost of the food too... "12 denarii for a beer and a roasted dormouse?? They must think I'm the emperor or something..." Times haven't really changed.
I always thought they were 'Amfi -Theatres'. I think someone called Pillip might agree? I don't mind Ampi Theater. There's no mistaking what that means (just like the "amfi" version is pretty clear, too.). I think I'd object to "AmPiBians", though. That just sounds awkward to me. It's tolerable to be corrected about ampitheater (I think I'm going to drop the h, though) but I don't much like ampibians. Although the sound plops nicely, so is maybe a bit froggier.
There must be many such amphitheatres in Britain, including one in York certainly. Any major city & most forts & fortresses must have had one as part of the Roman suite of necessities to make the place Roman. Similarly, there must be more Circus tracks to be found besides that at Camulodunum, & one at London is suspected between St Paul's & the river. The York amphitheatre is most likely just outside the fortress wall in the east, probably in the area of the former York Castle. Perhaps the street name 'Stonebow' may be a clue, if it is of any antiquity. Certainly such a structure cannot have been far from the Fortress, & this area seems most suitable. Lincoln must also have had such a building from the period when it was an active Legionary Fortress, & later, marking it as a veteran Colonia.
A very interesting video - I need to send it to all my friends that live in Winchester - also one is a fan of Paul because she says he has a very cute bottom!
The site of the amphitheatre at Trimontium, believed to be the most northerly in Britain, is easily found. The Romans ingeniously utilised a natural hollow, leading down to the River Tweed.
Hi Paul, in the where's Winchester's amphitheatre video, you refer to Chester's newly found aphitheatre several time. Chester's was discovered bfore I was born and I'm 59, what are you referring to?
Very good question. I think I messed up there and I'm not sure how! I thought I had read a report which suggested there was some recent excavations. I took this as newly found.
Great video Paul. Two questions, why was Chichester highlighted in red on your spreadsheet? And I couldn't work out where you thought the Amphitheatre was (moved too quickly)
Thank you for the walking tour as always. You make it easy to understand. Always look forward to them. Hello to Rebecca, and see you on the next. Cheers Paul! 🇬🇧👍🙂🇺🇸
Thank you. Interesting analysis. Does the same process work for amphitheatres elsewhere in Europe? That is, if you looked for the amphitheatres in Spain would they be near the main road on a relative prominence? A cursory glance at Spain suggests you may be on to something, well done.
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I don't blame you for making some extra income, but I just took RUclips Premium to be spared those pesky ads that spoil interesting vids like yours. So now the ads are part of the vids?
@@joostvanlinge263I'm really not sure if you are happy or sad for us. 🤷♂️
Well Paul, I've been watching you for a long time now and you might not be a University Proffessor but you are a proper historian, doing you research and educating those who choose to listen. It may not be Gospel, but you set up the scenario and make us question and think, which is the basis of education, so thank you from 67 year old still learning.
An observation from the US. Almost every county fairground is next to a railroad, to allow bringing exhibits in. The Roman roads served the same purpose as modern railroads, so easy access from the main road would be important..
Great video, Paul!
As a NZer, I'm so envious of you folks in the UK!
Your history is so old and extensive that you dig in a carpark and find Richard III!
Everywhere you dig you seem to find Roman pottery shards!
Even your geology is wonderfully old, giving you great fossils!
Prova a venire in Italia
This is amazing archaeological investigative work. As a current Master's Archaeology student, the data entry, statistical and topographical comparisons are skills that have been drilled into us for years since undergraduate. We need more support and recognition from academia for researchers like you outside of universities or institutes, doing thorough and investigative work that is in no way short of what we would do at university. Hats off to another brilliant video!
That's very kind. Thank you. 😊
The amphitheatre that went missing??Wasn't in Liverpool was it???😅
@@shaundavenport621 Harsh... but fair!
@@pwhitewick 🤣👍
Have there ever been any genuinely massive stones or structures that are head scratchers because of their size and weight like 100 tons+
4:49 cool video edit, I've never seen this done before, bravo!
Took my brain a while!!!
Prior to early retirement (from Hampshire County Council) in 2019, I had the pleasure of working in Winchester for 17 years, at the Hampshire Record Office (just South of the meeting of those two Roman roads). Your suggested possible location for Winchester's amphitheatre is, as I'm sure you know, overflowing with Roman remains. The two Roman roads in question (now Andover Road and Worthy Lane respectively) are also pierced (North-South) by the later London and South Western Railway line as well (did they find anything?). With Barton Farm against the Cirencester road to the West, and Abbots Barton (Farm and House) hugging the road to the East, there's a lot 'going on' there. Crucially though, towards the 'apex' to the south, there is Lankhills, a Roman Cemetery which has been extensively dug/excavated (at least in 1967-1972 and 2000-2005). Mind you, the debate about the potential juxtaposition between putative amphitheatres and cemeteries raises the question; which came first? Whilst it might make sense to site a later amphitheatre away from an existing cemetery, amphitheatre builders couldn't do much about later 'developers' deciding to site their new cemetery, inconveniently adjacent to an existing place of incompatible (perhaps) 'entertainment'. Love the channel - more about Winchester please!
Having grown up in Winchester and knowing the area well, I'd say based on your theories about topography and proximity to Roman roads, the amphitheatre was very likely located near the top of what's now known as Orams Arbour, possibly utilising the rampart of the pre existing iron age hill fort to form one side of it. Historical records show a few things to support this - 1. it was used as a place of public assembly at least since Elizabethan times, suggesting it had a suitable structure or shape. 2. The likely area was leveled in 1852 or 1860s (depending what source) and the workhouse was later built on top of part of it. 3. It is still vaguely amphitheatre shaped. 4. It is close to the west and north gates of the city, on the crest of a hill with views and visible from several Roman roads entering Winchester. 5. The workhouse was originally built in a circular shape, perhaps an echo of what was there before.
If you're interested to explore this possibility, the HGT (Hampshire gardens trust) research website seems to have the most detailed history of Oram's Arbour, that's a good starting point, it's also interesting to learn about the hill fort which preceded Roman Winchester.
Cilchester has been excavated for at least 50 years because thats where the wingless eagle that inspired Eagle of The Ninth was found just after the second world war
The Winchester amphitheatre would have been close ro the western wall - in space from west hill cemetery valley to Oram's Arbor, possibly the Alison Way building complex. Could also have been between the Western wall and the railway. It would be with in a 25 hectare space west of the city walls.
Given the size of mediaeval Winchester, the amphitheatre stone was probably taken for buildings in Winchester.
I love watching your videos Paul. I live a mile away from the area you are saying this amphitheatre is, would never had thought it, thanks for all your hard work looking into history in such great detail and passion 👍
Lincoln’s has not been found yet, and as it was the most important, and the second most important Roman town, in the UK, it is inconceivable that there was not one
Concur!
@@pwhitewickalso York’s amphitheatre? It would be amazing to locate that one.
I wish they’d rebuild the Vespasian Amphitheater. I saw people have a melt down over them fixing a few pyramid stones though.
An interesting take on Winchester's missing amphitheater that bears further exploration. One small point to consider: The site you mentioned at St. Albans (Verulanium) is actually a theatre, not an amphitheater. Two very different structures that served very different purposes. The theatre at Verulanium is located inside the city walls, immediately west of the basilica and forum--not on the outskirts of town near a major road. Archeological maps indicate that Verulanium may not have had an amphitheater. Perhaps the same holds true for Winchester.
Fascinating quest - you would certainly think that a Roman town of Winchester's importance would have had an amphitheatre, especially since other public buildings, including a forum have, I believe, been located. Have any Lidar surveys been undertaken, I wonder? Thank you for a most interesting video.
So well done! You’ve whet my appetite to know more! I would like to know of any additional findings you have. I’m hoping you or someone finds hard evidence at Winchester.
Very interesting Paul I have shared on my FB History group-Thank you
0:50 lol so British 🤣
That was fascinating Paul and thanks for the work you put into the Video. I wish I knew about this Amphitheatre theory when I did my Winchester Videos last year.
Right, Park Road let's get digging! 🥳
Makes sense. American stadiums always seem to be right on interstate highways.
Yup, though in our case it's as much about _access_ as it is civic prominence. As increasingly important as public transit is now, plenty of people still drive to the stadium from places (suburbs, exurbs, outlying towns) with crappy transit. And we went extra-crazy building inner-city freeways in the 1950s-80s, due in part to our comparatively low-density cities and the car-is-king mentality of the era. So yah, it's often made sense to put our stadiums within sight of freeways.
Okay, one thing is you cannot include St Albans in your equation because it wasn't an amphitheatre, its simply just a theatre, and as proven at Colchester and Caistor St Edmund these invariably occur inside the walls of a town.
However if you're theory on the Winchester site is correct then perhaps conduct some research into whether any archaeology was found that might support this when the houses were built on that site. These amphitheatres are big and if Winchester had a stone one then maybe some of the foundations survived or the robbed out trenches were recorded. I think you need to look into this because it might have been valuable information thats been overlooked all these years and prove the existence and location for this building.
I saw St Albans as having the same functionality and therefore importance in the research. I would hope that others may be able to follow up on this video perhaps and do some deeper digging than my time allows with a video most weeks.
@pwhitewick No, the St Albans theatre has a completely different use and design to that of the amphitheatre in that it's a classical D shape in form. This negates it's use for gladitorial style events and in fact Colchester would throw your theory right out the window because it has a D-shaped theatre inside the walls and another outside the town at Gosbecks, plus the recent find of the Roman Circus too may indicate that some towns had amphitheatres whilst others like Colchester which was a "colonia" were treated with different public buildings to befit their status.
@@colcester functionality with respect entertainment. Whatever form that took. The theory on this video is on the location and its prominence on the landscape and routes.
@pwhitewick St Albans is low lying, inside the walled town, which along with other structures like the Forum, Basilica and a triangular temple complex, plus two Triumphal Arches across Watling Street, it would not have been the most prominent building, in fact the foundation walls suggest a relatively modest retaining wall with buttresses to hold in the earthen banked seating area with alot of the upper parts being timber.
Also, St Albans is again another location with special designation, it had the status of "municipium" and was the only town in Britain to be granted this, therefore it was entitled to certain privileges that most towns didn't receive.
D-shape theatres are a completely different structure to amphitheatres in many ways, their design is often more compact and there is an obvious stage area, whereas the amphitheatres are more akin to our modern stadiums, more space required and completely different range of activities took place in them, so you cannot rule out form and function.
And then there is the elephant in the room - Dorchester. Here the Romans simply reused a henge monument and redesigned it to fit their needs, they didn't choose the location initially and if we were to go by you're theory then yes, it's next to a Roman Road but that again came later in the landscape and the area isn't as prominent as say Poundbury to the NW of the Roman Town where the roads from Honiton and from Yeovil would have seen it on top of the hill, so this does skew the idea a bit.
Rather than let others simply follow up on your initial work, it would be better to do a bit more research when you can fit it in and do another video on this fascinating subject at a later date because if you're Winchester location is correct then you deserve recognition for helping to locate it, don't let someone else jump in and do that after all your hard work.
@@colcester To D or not to D, plays little into this theory. I have basically expanded on the work of Bomgadener who suggests the important of such structures was almost taken as rivalry between provinces. Adding to that the fact that the vast majority seem to be alongside roads (often not always the most important). Thats it. St Albans, whatever it is lies on Watling Street, right next to it. No real local geography could place it better and still be seen roadside. Dorchester is indeed curious but again, fits. A route south to the Port at Melcombe. Makes great sense. If it was on the NE Route, you'd have been very low lying almost marsh land. The location fit perfectly so why not reuse.
Frilford = Roman Field of Dreams, si aedificaveris venient!*
*(if you build it, they will come!)
Hi paul i think wincester s ampitheare may of been built stone and when romans left all the people in the area started taking the the stones to build their houses so over few hundred years all the where taken away and then the land was used for farming and the ploughs destoryed any of the foundations where left behind after another couple hundred years
12 Months in the making all in 15 Mins & 13 seconds - W😮W - Also @ 12:26 - I used to be a member of Akeman Venture Scout Unit!!! 😊🚂🚂🚂
We always believed Winchester amphitheatre to be cheesefoot head which is a natural hill 🤫
Always passed that and wondered. But it's just waaaaay too big to be functional
Ah - You've solved it. It was in the general area of Weeke and the locals nicked it.
One of these days, I will have watched every video Paul and Rebecca have done. Then I will just have to go find some lost canal or ancient trackway of my own.
As to location dont forget about things like drainage, water supply , toilets, sun - needed or shade. these can impact siting compared to dwellings or work areas
Most interesting! - very spooky when I was thinking of the amphitheatre at Charterhouse and you go and start talking about it 😁
Colchester has the river Colne to the North and East of the city blocking large buildings, while the main road led through Balkerne gate to the East with the amphitheater to the South. I believe the Balkerne Gate was to impress visitors arriving from outside the city, while the amphitheater was to impress visitors from the local settlement at Gosbecks.
Great stuff Paul , have you jay plans of doing anything up north ? Merseyside/ Lancs / Cheshire ways mate
Cheers Paul really interesting l live in Gloucester Glevum same thing here no evidence of the amphitheatre been found.The Roman road Ermin way/street from Cirencester enters Gloucester over a small hill maybe it's around that area called Wotton pitch.Who knows thank you for posting another interesting blog.👍👍
Take a look at the 1805 map of Gloucester by 'Cole & Roper' and you'll see an oval depression to the south at Gaudy Green (which was also the location of a royalist artillery platform during the civil war siege)
+ to the east there appears to be a large rectangular enclosure (circus?)
Paul, back in the late 80's early 90's the powers to be extended the M3 motorway through Twyford Downs, do you know if they found any roman settlements or artifacts during construction ??
Were there were travelling gladiatorial groups that would put on shows at each locale? I can't imagine them having professional local gladiators and would have expected their favorites to cycle through much like a rock group coming to town. Then any criminals being held for execution could be dispatched. They probably would be the only deaths of the event though.
Yup absolutely. Often the term gladiator is taken as fighting to the death, but as you imply they were often there for the entertainment. Part of the show. Whilst I have no evidence to back it, I would be very surprised if your theory wasn't the case.
Resource centers would be population centers, right? Maybe not with many permanent structures, but it took a lot of people to mine on a large scale.
Amphitheatre the Telly back in the Day
Very interesting video and some of the editing in this was brilliant.
Thank you very much!
I am fiddling "Swinging on a Gate" on my Violin.
Hello from rocky mid-coast of Maine, US. Sunday, May 19, 2024.
Never expect to see Carmarthen mentioned on anything.
Unfortunately the remains of Moridunum aren't really respected by the locals, most have no idea what it is nor seem to care. A great shame as the remains are rather stunning.
This was a great video, but felt the end was a bit sudden.
I've been a few times but never seen it! As you imply not held in great esteem by councils etc perhaps? Sadly endings need to be short for the RUclips
@@pwhitewick That's fair, the algorithm demands and we must listen.
It's looked after in that the grass is kept short etc, but the locals just vandalise the remaining structures.
A little reconstructive work would go far.
It's also, as you noted in this video, just on the crest of a hill in both directions along the road, I guess it truly defines the peak of entertainment.
If it helps, it would have been roughly 300 metres/0.2 miles from the East Gate, you can still trace the outline of Roman Carmarthen on the map.
Hmmm. I'd have thought it would be on the south side of the city on the road to Southampton. I'd imagine there'd be a lot more trade - and traffic - coming that way.
Possibly yes. I've based this mainly on the Antonine Itinerary
Excellent video.👍
Thank you very much!
Would like to see you do one about the Amphitheatre in Cirencester.
There was a few clips in there.
@@pwhitewick LOL! I noticed that right after my comment!
@@pwhitewick My mother went to school in Cirencester back in the 30's. She said Roman tile would be dug up in the school garden all the time.
Feel a bit offended about you not knowing Frilford, local to me 😂. Great work and very interesting as always.
Now all we need is Time Team to dig it.
Sorry, but I don;t understand your reference to the amphitheatre being recently discovered in Chester; I've known of it's existence since 1954, and it is adjacent to gardens showing Roman remains discovered in the city. Moreover, It's not in the highest point in Chester, but it is at the corner of the Roman wall and so would have been visible from the roads entering from the east and from the south (the river side of the city) - it would certainly have been in an elevated position for traffic rising up the hill from the river
Amphitheater -> stones -> cathedral -> foundation stones ?
Oddly Winchester doesnt really have a football team to speak of either
Noooope. Spent many tears watching non league there.
@@pwhitewick Hampshire Cricket OK though, does the county play a match in the city once a year ?
Interesting but a very sudden ending.
Maumbury Rings was one in Dorchester?
Yup.
Yes, Maumbury Rings started life as a henge in the neolithic period (which means a circular bank with a ditch around the inside) was converted to an amphitheatre by the Romans, was later used as a place of public execution in the 18th century and is still used for events today, so it's been in use for 4000 years or so!
@@richardmorgan9273 Very interesting. Thanks!
I assume that the stones might have been reused from the amphitheatre.
If there were stones at all. I'd need to read the report again.
I hope Rebecca can join up with you again, someday..
"1. We are not historians. " - YES YOU ARE.
The best
Hi paul
you should be the presenter on time team.. you can easily be the next-gen robinson ...
Again, this is what the internet is for.
Thank you.
During my travels across the old Roman Empire - I was always taught - that all these amphitheatres were built with a spectacular backdrop view - So if you did not like what was being peddled on stage - You always had something else to look at
Well... I think you probably aren't far wrong there!!
When I am enjoying your videos, I am wishing they were longer. Much like wishing Time Team had more than 3 days. You certainly match the professional quality of those folks. Thank you so much
Check the 1750 Will Godson map of Winchester too - it shows the Roman city layout, walls and roads pretty much intact and labels "The Arbour - The place where the freeholders meet to choose their representatives in parliament". There must have been a good reason why an apparently empty agricultural field on top of a prominent hill, just outside the West gate of the city has been in use as an important meeting place for hundreds of years. I reckon that it has been used for that purpose ever since the city's Roman amphitheatre stood there intact.
I like a good mystery so I did some more digging about Oram's Arbour. The current Bing maps aerial photo taken during a very dry period shows a clear circular feature about 40m diameter. I also managed to track down a description of the topography before it was levelled in 1852 - an obituary in Encyclopedia Britannica for Peter Charles Francis Pigeon says "About ten o'clock in the morning, August 28 1793 he retired to a certain LITTLE VALLEY on the North East side of a place called Oram's Arbour, the same place where the county elections for Hampshire are held" [and was murdered there!]. This description seems to match the location of the circular feature and also the 1750 Will Godson map shows the fence line taking a zig zag around this feature. An archealogical dig in the 1960s on the west side found a minor roman road entering the Arbour but the area of the North East side has apparently never been studied, I think it must be either where the circular feature in the grass is or under the old workhouse.
I really like these heavily researched videos. It's obviously done out of deep passion for the subject, not just to make a video.
Been watching you for years, and your uploads just keep getting better!
I appreciate that!
Golly, you put a LOT of work and thought into yoyr videos. Really appreciate what you do and thank you as always. 😊😊😊
One further factor to consider: public buildings during the time of the Roman Empire were often constructed using the funds of private benefactors. Richard Duncan-Jones in his _Structure and Scale in the Roman Economy_ discusses this in his chapter "Who paid for public building?", looking at evidence from inscriptions from archeological sites in North Africa. These reflect that public construction often depended on the local well-off to donate the funds to construct temples, fora, & other public structures -- including amphitheaters: he presents a table where as many as three-quarters of public buildings were the result of private gifts, although the average between AD 98 & 217 is 58% private funding & 42% public (i.e. local taxes).
So it is entirely possible that no amphitheater as ever built at Winchester because the richest locals hated sports, & refused to donate money to build a structure for gladiator games. Thus we see here the handprint of an individual otherwise unknown to history!
It would be a bit odd though, since basically all other Roman cities tend to have them, it was a matter of local pride as well as getting people entertained.
It sure is possible they were cheap and didn't build a very large an impressive one, but Romans tended to enjoy spectacles. We are also talking about a long period, so they must have held some games and other events somewhere.
I think it is more likely that it was destroyed somewhere between Saxon times and today. A nice flat area with good view is a great place to build a house, church or something else on. If it was just a flat area with a minimal earthwork and wooden benches, it could easily have been destroyed during all that time.
It could hardly have been something like the Colosseum and if the earthworks is gone, there isn't anything for the archaeologists to find.
Great video, made me wonder where Lincolns amphitheatre was. So did a bit of googling and found out know one knows of one ever existing. Surely there must have been one, with the size and importance of lincoln.
Interesting! Like in my hometown, the former Colonia Claudia Ara Agrippinensium (CCAA) in Germania Inferior. Today known as Köln or Cologne. A lot of roman remains but not a single trace of the amphitheatre… nothing. There must have been an amphitheatre - cologne was not a small provincial town but a showpiece project of the time.
I've been to Cologne. I've even been to the House of 4711.
My dad’s family was from there.
What did the Romans do for us? Well they pioneered the "out of town entertainment complex", presumably surrounded by some of the more popular trading emporiums of the time - Markus and Spencius (thankyou Carry on Cleo), TK Maxximus (thankyou Doctor Who) and Sportacus Direct? 🤔
The Bowl, in Mattersley Estate near Winchester has always reminded me of an Amphitheatre, they used to do festivals there and it feels like an Amphitheater, you are surrounded on over 270 degrees of a bowl like hill/hollow.
I always understood that if you were referring to the Cheesefoot head bowl, the Romans did use that as an amphitheatre according to local legend.
I also understand that Eisenhower addressed some of the American troops there to prior to the D Day landings.
Again, please correct me if I am wrong.
Boomtown festival is usually held there, I've never been yet but all being well I'll be stewarding there this year.
@@simonbudden662 too far from Winchester
@@peteregan3862 good point as I had heard about this I thought I would mention.
So, Winchester has most likely expanded in size over the years and covered the location of any probable amphitheatre?
Potentially yes.
Brilliant work. Once again, your enthusiasm and dedication to the subject shines through. Some of the very best content on RUclips.
Very interesting, Paul. Your hypothesis seems very plausible to me. It’s also fairly logical as amphitheatres would need good transport links to get everyone to and from them.
How about we all send this to Time Team, so they can go find it?
Your presentations are full of information and enthusiasm, thank you. One small quibble, amphitheatre is pronounced amfitheatre and not ampitheatre, from the ancient Greek words amphi + theatron (theatre).
great video yet again Paul, enjoyed it as always, really well done and thank you for your hard work 😊
I suspect amphitheatres were built any where there was a large pospulation that needed entertaining. Including places resourses are gathered because they will be a working population.
Without ebtertainment the workers evenings might be used to plan inserrection or fight and unjure eachother. Better those energies go towards supporting teams/gladiators at the games.
Now you need to expand your theory outside of Britannia and check out the ampitheatres in Gaul. Road trip to France!
Love that plan!
What about investigating the whereabouts of the York amphitheatre?
I visited the dig at Marcham/Frilford neolithic and Roman religious complex back in about 2010. As far as I was aware the 'amphitheatre' was thought at the time, to be more a religious or ritual pool with an opening to the river Ock very close by.
Ah thats interesting. I think there was more work done in 2014?
Hi Paul, very well researched this must have taken some time to do. Excellent production and very thought provoking.
Fun fact that I didn't know before visiting the Roman city of Itallica (near Seville) is that amphi means on both sides so you get a theatre on both sides.
My thoughts on Winchester:
I think there must have been a practical element to the choice of location for each one. Maybe some were for prominence and maybe others took advantage of natural depressions in the land. I'd make a guess that stone for an amphitheatre in Winchester would have to come from some distance away. I think it would be hard to make a stone one disappear the one in Itallica remains but at a much reduced size as the stone was taken elsewhere. So my guess for Winchester would be a natural depression.
Great video, well done. All the best!!
I went to St Albans theatre recently.
It was interesting to learn that the most popular type of show was puppetry because the typical English person didn't understand Latin.
There is a reason why Mr Bean is understood and enjoyed the whole world over. It is entirely visual comedy. I'm sure puppetry fulfilled the same function.
Best thing since Time Team ended. Thank you.
Time Team is back on RUclips!! It's only a few digs so far, but it's happening!!!
Incidentally, I would LOVE to see Paul and Rebecca do something with Time Team. It would be such a natural collaboration!
To be fair, Time Team has been back for 2 years now on YT, they've just uploaded another new dig.
We would clearly love that
Hi Paul, think i agree- topography and prominence on routes/views is likely. For chester, this would have worked three ways IMO. It was on the corner of the fort- meaning you could see it from the south bound route (margary 6a) and the east bound route (7a, very likely 6aa also). But- crucially the river also - with an alignment possibly being able to be seen out west (then sea) but on your approach from inland from some way also.
It would have been an impressive and imposing sight for rival tribe groups or travelling fans approaching the city
As a government, if in doubt about what to do, just offer to build or renovate a football stadium... or an amphitheatre...
Less cynically, it's clear that us humans have always enjoyed a good spectacle, and have probably always complained about the entry price and cost of the food too...
"12 denarii for a beer and a roasted dormouse?? They must think I'm the emperor or something..."
Times haven't really changed.
IIRC some local magnate usually build public buildings for their own and or the emperors aggrandisement. "I Julius Patronus build this".
I always thought they were 'Amfi -Theatres'. I think someone called Pillip might agree? I don't mind Ampi Theater. There's no mistaking what that means (just like the "amfi" version is pretty clear, too.).
I think I'd object to "AmPiBians", though. That just sounds awkward to me. It's tolerable to be corrected about ampitheater
(I think I'm going to drop the h, though) but I don't much like ampibians. Although the sound plops nicely, so is maybe a bit froggier.
There must be many such amphitheatres in Britain, including one in York certainly. Any major city & most forts & fortresses must have had one as part of the Roman suite of necessities to make the place Roman. Similarly, there must be more Circus tracks to be found besides that at Camulodunum, & one at London is suspected between St Paul's & the river. The York amphitheatre is most likely just outside the fortress wall in the east, probably in the area of the former York Castle. Perhaps the street name 'Stonebow' may be a clue, if it is of any antiquity. Certainly such a structure cannot have been far from the Fortress, & this area seems most suitable. Lincoln must also have had such a building from the period when it was an active Legionary Fortress, & later, marking it as a veteran Colonia.
Wow! the filming, the editing - the Questions- the Research !
I like the way you approach questions. Thank you for the work and sharing.
Great work - really enjoyed this!❤
A very interesting video - I need to send it to all my friends that live in Winchester - also one is a fan of Paul because she says he has a very cute bottom!
In English the ph is pronounced f the word is amfeetheatre.
Paul, your passion for your work puts you on the same level as any “academic”. 😊
The site of the amphitheatre at Trimontium, believed to be the most northerly in Britain, is easily found. The Romans ingeniously utilised a natural hollow, leading down to the River Tweed.
Superb investigation on amphitheaters, I learnt a lot
Thank youuuuu
Hi Paul, in the where's Winchester's amphitheatre video, you refer to Chester's newly found aphitheatre several time. Chester's was discovered bfore I was born and I'm 59, what are you referring to?
Very good question. I think I messed up there and I'm not sure how! I thought I had read a report which suggested there was some recent excavations. I took this as newly found.
Great video Paul. Two questions, why was Chichester highlighted in red on your spreadsheet? And I couldn't work out where you thought the Amphitheatre was (moved too quickly)
Good question!... I think its because I highlighted a few that I could get to if needed.
Interesting video :) do you know anything about the speculated Roman amphitheatre in Exeter?
Nope.... pray tell more
@@pwhitewickthere was evidence of a possible Roman amphitheatre on Dane’s Hill.
@@pwhitewickThe remains of Exeter's Roman amphitheatre on Dane's Hill are evidence of a long history of theatrical performances in the city.
Fascinating. thanks for the hard work. Good luck with finding the lost amphitheater of Winchester.
Thank you for the walking tour as always. You make it easy to understand. Always look forward to them. Hello to Rebecca, and see you on the next. Cheers Paul! 🇬🇧👍🙂🇺🇸
Your smashing these videos lately paul, another absolute blinder, well done 👏👏👏
Thanks 👍
Why has everyone suddenly decided to mispronounce it as ampitheatre?
Why has everyone decided to take to the keyboard to air everything in their head.
Thank you. Interesting analysis. Does the same process work for amphitheatres elsewhere in Europe? That is, if you looked for the amphitheatres in Spain would they be near the main road on a relative prominence? A cursory glance at Spain suggests you may be on to something, well done.
Good question. This is larejly my theory, but based on nothing other than UK sites