Amphithéâtre romain ou Arènes

In 1837, following the request of Prosper Mérimée, then Inspector General of Historical Monuments, a list of monuments was drawn up in each department. In 1840, a first list of this kind in France was therefore established, the Fréjus Amphitheatre was part of it. It is one of the oldest in Gaul (out of thirty referenced). The Fréjus Amphitheatre, partially excavated in 1828, was completely excavated in 1960 after the Malpasset disaster.

The dating of the monument is difficult. Certainly built after the Colosseum of Rome (80), according to some general criteria: structure, design of the facade, stamped bricks, it can be dated to the end of the 1st century AD.

It is located outside the walls, leaning against the side of the hill, certainly with the aim of saving materials.

Its capacity extended to 12000 spectators, compared to 5000 today. Its external dimensions were 112,75m by 82,65m and the arena 69,37m by 39,17m, height 21m and make it an amphitheater certainly smaller than that of Nîmes but larger than that of Nice.

The facing of the monument was built in green sandstone from the Esterel massif. Traces of the quarries used can still be found today, at the place called La Baume, on the road to Bagnols in the forest. Unfortunately, the facade has completely disappeared, as have the upper steps.

The vaults of the galleries rest on two rows of bricks (several bear the mark “CASTORIS”, the name of the manufacturer) and some walls of the ambulacrum and the radiating walls still remain in sandstone.

Two large openings on the main axis and a small one on the side opened onto the arena (“arena” in Latin means “sand”).

During the excavations a cruciform pit in the center of the arena, the function of which has not been determined, was found. To protect the spectators from the sun, the "Velum", a kind of tarpaulin, attached to a series of supports, often made of wood, was deployed above the stands.

Jules Formigé, chief architect of historical monuments at the beginning of the 20th century, specifies that the columns of the Cloister of Fréjus were sawn from the white marble slabs which decorated the podium, a large wall surrounding the arena.

We also notice under the stands the entrances to the "carceres" which gave the French name "incarceration" and which served as cells for the gladiators.

The shows that took place there consisted of gladiatorial combats (munera) or hunts for

wild animals (venationes), or even fights between gladiators and animals or between animals only called (bestiari), which gave the French name "bestiaire" as well as naumachia which designate spectacles representing naval battles.

Ruins celebrated by Victor Hugo during his visit to Fréjus in 1839 – (En voyage, Volume 2). He wrote about the amphitheater: “I was on the very square where lions, gladiators and tigers writhed 2000 years ago. Now there is tall grass growing there, which a troop of skinny horses peacefully grazed around me…”

After antiquity, we observe a progressive degradation of the monument, used as a bastion, stone quarry, or even as a dump. For centuries the monument served as a quarry, which partly explains the multiple restorations or consolidations visible today.

After the restorations of the 2010th and XNUMXth centuries, a conservation and enhancement project was set up. Shows and bullfights took place, even though since XNUMX killing has been prohibited in the Fréjus arena.

After new archaeological excavations (2005 – 2008), Francesco Flavigny, chief architect of Historic Monuments, decided to stop the deterioration and restore coherence to this building and also to allow it to regain its primary function as a place of entertainment. In his words: "The aim of this project is to make the building usable again and to stop the further deterioration of the structures at the same time... We are talking about a protective envelope that will hover above the ruins but will not hide them in any way."

Fréjus Pass: €6 (Fréjus Individual Pass 4 sites, valid for 7 days). From 18 years old.
Reduced Fréjus Pass: €4 (Fréjus Individual Pass 4 sites, valid for 7 days). Children aged 12 to 17, students under 25 (upon presentation of the card), groups of more than 10 people, job seekers (upon presentation of proof), classes from schools and educational establishments outside Fréjus/Saint-Raphaël.