Where Spartacus Once Fought – Walking Tour of Capua’s Ancient Amphitheater

Where Spartacus Once Fought – Walking Tour of Capua’s Ancient Amphitheater

Welcome to Capua, Italy — once the second largest city in the Roman Empire and home to one of the greatest amphitheaters in the ancient world Capua was one of the most important cities in ancient Campania and was originally founded by the Etruscans around the 6th century BC. It later became a major Samnite city before coming under Roman control in 343 BC after the First Samnite War. This is the ticket office. Admission is $11.50 and also includes entry to the nearby Mithraeum. In Roman times, around the 2nd century BC, the city reached such political and economic prominence that its population was comparable to that of Rome. Capua is located about 113 miles (182 km) south of Rome. By train, it takes about 2.5 hours to get here from Rome. First, travel to Naples, then continue on to Capua, getting off at the Anfiteatro station.. Here are the foundations of the first amphitheater on this site. It was here that the legendary Spartacus trained. You can also take a train from Rome to Caserta, then continue on to here — the travel time is about the same. The train station is an 8 minute walk away from the amphitheater. Many of these tombs and foundations date back to the Samnite era. Straight ahead is the Gladiator Museum, which we will visit at the end of this tour. Capua is famously linked to Spartacus, the Thracian gladiator who led a major slave revolt (73–71 BC) against Rome. The relief up ahead shows Silvanus, the Roman god of forests and fields. He holds a sickle for harvesting and a cornucopia — the horn of plenty — symbolizing abundance. A fitting image for Capua, a city surrounded by fertile farmland. This relief shows Hercules, the legendary hero of the Twelve Labors. He holds the skin of the Nemean Lion and his mighty club — symbols of strength and victory, ideals that gladiators here once aspired to. Spartacus trained at the Ludus Magnus gladiator school here in Capua before escaping with about 70 fellow gladiators, sparking the Third Servile War. His revolt gathered tens of thousands of slaves and became one of the most significant uprisings in Roman history. Roman leaders crucified 6,000 rebel survivors along the Appian Way, the ancient road leading into Rome from the south. This is a nice place to park and get a view of the Amphitheater. After the Arena of Spartacus was demolished in the 1st century AD, the Campanian Amphitheater was built in its place. The Amphitheater of Capua, built in the 1st century AD under Augustus and expanded under Hadrian, is second in size only to the Colosseum in Rome. Unlike the Colosseum, whose outer ring still stands, this amphitheater’s exterior wall is missing. If you’ve visited the Colosseum, this space is similar to the arcade walkway where you first enter and walk around the perimeter. About 230 Roman Amphitheaters have been discovered. This amphitheater was second largest in the world, behind only the Colosseum. The word arena comes from the Latin word harena (or arena), which literally means “sand.” The central performance space — where gladiators fought and games took place — was covered in a layer of sand. The sand served a practical purpose: it absorbed blood from both animals and humans, helped prevent slipping, and made it easier to clean after events. Over time, arena came to mean the entire performance space, and eventually the whole venue itself in modern usage (sports arenas, concert arenas, etc.). The arena floor has recently been repaired, and this is the first time I have ever walked out on it. Before the restoration, these openings to the hypogeum were just long gaps in the ground, with grass covering the arena floor. Workers are dismantling the stage used for Capua’s Festa della Repubblica — Republic Day — celebrated just a few days ago. This national holiday, held every June 2nd, marks the 1946 referendum that created the Italian Republic. The arena floor measures 246 ft by 148 ft. The corresponding dimensions at the Colosseum are 279 ft by 174 ft. Like the Colosseum, the Campania Amphitheater had 80 arches around its perimeter and its façade had four levels. “Everyone find your seats. No pushing, please! “Peanuts! Get your peanuts here! Hot dogs! Get your hot dogs here! Cold beer! Ice cold beer here!” Well, maybe they weren’t selling peanuts, hot dogs, beer and popcorn, but they must have sold something to the crowd. Ouch! Hit my head. 🙂 The arena floor was originally planks of wood with sand over top. This must have been a special entrance. Maybe the gladiators entered from here. The exterior was formed by 80 Doric arcades of four stories each, but only two arches now remain The keystone of each arch was decorated with the head of a deity. Seven of these busts have been incorporated into the Palazzo Municipale of Capua, where they remain visible. Ancient Capua was so well-known that Cicero called it “Altera Roma” — “Another Rome.” In fact, I should mention that the town we are in now is actually called Santa Maria Capua Vetere. The modern town of Capua is separate town a little further down the road. Santa Maria Capua Vetere literally means “Saint Mary of Old Capua” (Capua Vetere = “Old Capua”). So this area, Santa Maria Capua Vetere, is located on the ancient Roman site. These tombs were already ancient when the Roman amphitheater was built in the 1st century AD. They show that the area was used for burials long before it became a center for public entertainment. One of two cisterns that collected water used to provide water for the running of the amphitheater including the sea battle shows and the cleaning of the underground. In the 9th century AD, Saracen raids and other threats prompted survivors to abandon the ancient city. They rebuilt their community a few miles to the north along the Volturno River for better defense — this became medieval Capua (the town called “Capua” today). I went magnet fishing off the old bridge in Capua. I got kicked out by the police before I could find anything. 🙂 Maybe I should go back at night. 🙂 Anyway, if you are buying a train ticket from Rome, make sure you enter your destination as Santa Maria Capua Vetere and not Capua. I’m not sure when they opened the arena floor to the public, but it must have been very recent. After the fall of the Roman Empire, Capua declined but later became the capital of the Lombard Principality in the Middle Ages. The structure was used as a fortress by the Lombard princes of Capua. When the locals moved to the site of modern Capua, they reused stone from the amphitheater to build their new town. It was also used as a quarry of marble and other materials for the construction of the Capua Cathedral, the campanile, and several palaces in Capua. Later, it was also spoliated for the construction of the Church of the Annunciation, but the story that the amphitheatre was spoliated for the construction of the Royal Palace of Caserta is false. Large blocks were broken up to get at the bronze and lead that held them together, and the smaller stones were used for paving the streets. Destruction and stone quarrying carried on for centuries. Only in the Bourbon period, in the mid to late 1700s, was the destruction of the amphitheater halted, when the king declared it a national monument. We are now going to go underground into the Hypogeum where we will be all alone! We’re now entering the hypogeum — the underground network beneath the arena floor. Here, gladiators and wild animals waited in darkness before being brought into the arena. The chambers and corridors once held cages, equipment, and stage props for the games. Elevators and trapdoors allowed animals and scenery to appear suddenly before the crowd. Channels and drains suggest the arena could be flooded for naval battle reenactments. The stone blocks on the walls once supported the gates for each chamber which held gladiators and animals waiting for battle. This hypogeum is one of the best preserved in the Roman world, showing remarkable engineering for its time. For those waiting down here, the sounds of the crowd above meant their moment in the arena was near. There are a total of 9 parallel corridors under the arena floor and one circling around the arena. A nearby cistern was used to flush out the underground by sending water through the channels of each main corridor. A sprinkler system also used the water to scatter scented water over the spectators in the tiered seating. I actually spent a lot of time down here. I didn’t want to leave. I just enjoyed walking around touching the walls. But, on video, I think it would have got a little boring to spend a half hour down here. 🙂 This walk was filmed on a Friday afternoon. There are usually a few people here, or maybe a single tour group, but it never crowded! The amphitheater was originally 144 feet tall, 560 feet long and 460 feet wide. The amphitheater was destroyed in 456 AD by Genseric, king of the Vandals. It was rebuilt by the Goths in 530 AD. It continued to function as an amphitheater holding gladiator games until 851 AD. Spectators seated in the lower levels could enter the amphitheater by entering straight through a gate. Spectators seated in the upper levels could enter their areas separately through the gates which contained stairs. The word cavea (Latin for enclosure) is the name given to the seating sections in a Roman amphitheater. There are steps to the upper seating area in that area where you can see sky, but I forgot to walk up there. Dang! The lowest section was called ima cavea and was reserved for the members of society with the highest status. The middle section was called media cavea and was open to the public, though mostly reserved for men. The highest section was called summa cavea and was usually open to woman and children. The site was partially excavated between 1811 and 1860. It wasn’t until the 1920’s that the amphitheater was fully dug out from the dirt that had built up over the centuries. Here are a few more of those keystones. These are bronze casts of the gladiator helmets found at Pompeii. Many of the artifacts from this site can be seen at the local museum, the Museo archeologico dell’antica Capua. The museum is about a 10 minute walk from here. More remains can be seen in the National Archaeological Museum in Naples, such as the Venus of Capua, which was discovered in the general area of the amphitheatre. If you do decide to visit the Capua Amphitheater, here are a few other sites to see in the area: 1. The Caserta Palace – Just 10 minutes by train from here is the Reggia di Caserta — a royal palace so grand it rivals Versailles. 2. Naples (Napoli) – In under an hour by train, you can be in Naples — home of world-famous pizza and treasures from Pompeii 3. Pompeii & Herculaneum – From here, it’s an easy train ride to Pompeii or Herculaneum — cities frozen in time by Vesuvius. 4. Capua (Modern City) – A short ride takes you to modern Capua — the medieval city that replaced ancient Capua. 5. Campanian Museum (Museo Campano) – Nearby in modern Capua is the Museo Campano, home to unique statues of mother goddesses from ancient Italy Thanks for watching! If you enjoyed this tour, please leave a like on this video and share it with a friend. Grazie!

Step inside the Campanian Amphitheater in Capua, Italy — once the second largest amphitheater in the Roman Empire after the Colosseum in Rome.

In this immersive walking tour, we’ll explore the arena floor, underground hypogeum, Samnite-era painted tombs, and the surrounding archaeological park — with almost no other visitors in sight. You’ll also see the Gladiator Museum, which displays weapons, armor, and artifacts from the site’s history.

📍 Location: Santa Maria Capua Vetere, Campania, Italy
📅 Filmed on: Friday, June 6th, 2025 at 1:50 PM
🌡 Weather: 27°C | 81°F

🗺️ *Map of the Walk* https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=1PithwBJ-7mA4g6claq1rSwjptrVUp0g&usp=sharing 🗺️

🔻𝗩𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗼 𝗧𝗶𝗺𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗟𝗶𝗻𝗸𝘀🔻
0:00 Intro and Map
2:20 Ticket Office
3:18 Spartacus Amphitheater Foundation
5:05 Amphitheater Exterior
8:56 *Arena Floor*
15:59 Exterior Walk Around
18:10 Samnite Era Tombs
19:24 Exterior Walk Around
25:04 *Hypogeum– Underground Passages*
35:58 Exterior Walk Around
39:25 Gladiator Museum
44:05 Exiting the Site

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