Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The amphitheatre of Saintes, locally called the arenas, was built between the reigns of Augustus (27 BC–14 BC) and Claude (41–54 BC), in the capital of Santons, Mediolanum Santonum. Its implantation exploits a natural valley to limit masonry, combining full structures (resembles) and hollows (voûts). Ranked in 1840, it illustrates Julio-Claudian architecture in Gaul, with a 126 m long cellara and a 65 m arena, designed for 15,000 spectators.

After its abandonment in the fourth century, the amphitheatre served as a quarry for the enclosure of Saintes and will house habitat in the eighth century. Rediscovered in the 18th century, it was cleared in 1877 and restored, returning to its function as a place of performance. Excavations in 1906 and floods in 1982 revealed its vulnerability, while a restoration programme (2021–2024) aims to preserve its remains, threatened by the floods of the Charente.

The building combines innovative techniques for the period: stone steps near the arena, radiant stairs, and a drainage system via a central sewer. The gate of the living (east) and the door of the dead (west, today walled) structure the accesses. A medieval fountain, the Holy Eustelle (12th century), bears witness to its subsequent appropriation. Its remains, among the most intact of Aquitaine Gaul, combine ancient heritage and medieval adaptations.

Architecturally, the amphitheatre of Saintes is distinguished by its hybridization: the north and south flanks lean on the valley, while the east facade, facing towards the Charente, rests on vaults with two levels of arcades. The materials — small limestone rubbles for walls, large blocks for stands — reflect local resources. Its present state, partially reconstituted, makes it possible to understand its original use as a place of public games and gatherings.

Today, the site remains exposed to climatic hazards, despite enhanced protections. Recent archaeological excavations (2024) shed light on its evolution in the third–fourth centuries, as evidenced by a wooden gutter dating back to this period. Its early ranking (1840) and its persistence in the urban landscape make it a symbol of Gallo-Roman heritage in New Aquitaine.

Future

Going down into the arena, it is easy to imagine the cry of 15,000 spectators.
We must land on the stands, approach the dark Gate of the Dead and exit the arena, such as the victorious fighters, by the luminous "Porte des Vivants".

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