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Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Béziers arenas, built in the first century in the Roman colony Colonia Vrbs Julia Septimanorum Baeterrae, were part of the Narbonese Gaul. Located south of the ancient city, near the theatre, they were partially leaning on the hill Saint-Jacques. Their abandonment occurred at the end of the third century, marking the end of their initial use as a place of performance. The site, occupied as early as the 5th century B.C. (trace of habitats, silos), was reinvested in the Middle Ages as a stone quarry for local constructions, including the church of Santiago.

Between the 12th century and the 1970s, the amphitheatre was used as a support for artisanal activities (potter furnaces) and dwellings, with its soil enhanced. Medieval streets, such as the Rue du Puits des Arènes, still marry today the curve of its remains. The excavations carried out from 1987 to 2005 revealed key elements: steps, vomitories, and an annular gallery of 3.78 m wide. These discoveries confirmed the 17th century architectural descriptions by Anne de Rulman and Pierre Barral.

Amphitheatre, of dimensions 108.3 × 88.6 m, could accommodate 13,700 spectators. Its two-storey facade of arcades, partially cut into the rock, was 17 m high. Built in small limestone, its structure combined material economy (reuse of the hill) and functionality (traffic galleries). No significant carved decoration was found, with the exception of rare mouldings. The remains, listed as historical monuments in 2013, are now accessible in a public garden on a part of the arena and cellara.

Recent studies have validated old assumptions about its architecture, such as the presence of vomiting at the ends of the great axis. However, the exact number of steps and the complete arrangement of access remain unknown. The monument illustrates Roman urbanization in Narbonnaise, where performing buildings played a central role in the social and political life of the cities.

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