"Roman Holiday" in Nimes -- The Arena

 

It doesn't take long to experience the Roman past in Nimes. Once you leave the train station and walk 10 minutes down the Avenue Feuchères, you encounter the magnificent Arena, one of the best preserved amphitheatres in the world. 

The oval-shaped stadium was built around 70 C.E. during the reign of Augustus and shortly after the Coliseum in Rome. It is still in use today with gladiator re-enactments, concerts, operas, bullfighting, and various other public events and exhibitions. 

Its perfect symmetry measures 436.4 feet long and 331.4 feet wide, with the interior arena measuring 223 feet by 124.7 feet. Its exterior façade comprises two levels with 60 arches. All of the arcades were originally on the ground floor with entrances or exits that prevented bottlenecks among the crowds. 

 

a modern-day event at the Arena

In Roman times, the arena could hold 24,000 spectators who were spread over 34 rows of terraces divided into four separate areas or maeniana. Each was accessed via a gallery and hundreds of stairwells and passages called "vomitories". Several galleries were located beneath the arena, and were accessed by trap doors and a hoist-lift system.

 

 

High school students had a class field trip at the Arena on this day. Some exhibited their athletic prowess to themselves and others.
 

 Visitors are able to visit the floor of the arena and get a gladiator's perspective as part of their tour. The tour costs 13 Euros and includes a visit to the Magne Tower (in the Jardin de la Fontaine) as well as the Maison Carré, a 10-minute walk from the Arena.

The citizens of Nemausus (its Roman name) would sit in the Arena according to their social status to watch the games played there ranging from animal hunts with lions, tigers, and elephants to the famous gladiator matches. Executions would also take place at the Arena with those condemned to death thrown to the animals.

Beginning in the third century C.E., barbarian invasions and epidemics began the slow decline of the Roman Empire and its traditions. In the 6th century, the Visigoths who had supplanted the Romans in Gaule, transformed the Arena from a sports stadium to a castle fortress where the town’s inhabitants could take refuge in the event of attack. A large moat also surrounded the Arena to help keep enemy forces out.

The Arena would go on to play an even more elaborate role in the 12th century when it became the seat of the Viscount of Nimes' chateau with a small residential neighborhood surrounding it. In the 18th century, around 150 houses remained inside the Nimes Arena until 1786 when they were demolished to revert to its original Roman grandeur.

Architecture of the Arena

Construction consisted of an elaborate structure resting on a succession of thick walls and vaults.

 

 

 

This cross-section view of the arena presents the system of galleries, stairwells, and passages called "vomitories", which gave people access to four separate areas of terraces.

 

 

At the top of the arena, pre-drilled stones were positions to overhang so that poles could be hung over the arena. A huge canvas was attached to these poles to provide the spectators protection against the sun and bad weather.

 

Preservation of the Arena

The amphitheater in Nimes has had ongoing preservation projects since antiquity. In 2009, France launched a massive reconstruction project on the building scheduled to last until 2034. Stonemasons, ironworkers, architects, materials engineers, archeologists, scholars and researchers began work on the 54-million-Euro project while tours continue to host 30,000 people each year. On special occasions the restauration work accommodates festivals and Roman-style games. The real objective of the restauration is to combat water damage to the city. The Romans had constructed the amphitheater with the same intention, and they built canals, retention basins, and sewers to serve as a giant funnel to direct and control water both underground and above so that it wouldn’t stagnate. 

 

Before and after effects of restoration

 

Restoring the interior and exterior of a 2,000-year-old monument involves cleaning the surface of the stone, repairing degraded or missing parts, and, where appropriate, replacing weathered blocks with custom cut stones. The restoration includes the façades, the summit of the arena (the upper levels), the public gallery, the promenade and the terraces on the upper tiers. It is a matter of "eliminating water" from this building while consolidating the galleries and staircases with waterproofing, installing tie rods, creating gutters for water, etc. The restoration of the terraces and the integration of scenic accessories, lighting, railings and handrails all contribute to an improved environment for welcoming the public to the monument. (Nimes Office of Tourism)

The 25-year preservation project is due to be finished by 2030. Work areas are closed off to protect workers and the 30,000 visitors who come to the Arena annually.  The objective is to restore the building's original beauty and preserve the harmony of its architectural lines. Fifteen of the 60 sections are already restored.

Restoring the Nimes amphitheatre requires very specific know-how. Seven specialist trades are working together on this site. From stone cutting to locksmithing, and including masonry, sculpture and lead work, the companies chosen are all specialized in restoring old buildings, and the project unites fellow craftsmen and women who are passionate about old stonework. Driven by the desire to work for the preservation of French heritage and concerned with maintaining the collective memory, these "artisans of history" are working to preserve the ancient builders' work with respect for the old techniques of construction as well as use of contemporary techniques. (Nimes Office of Tourism)

Successive surveys all show that since ancient times, several factors, including destruction of the intermediate stands and filling of the discharge drains have exposed the amphitheatre to the destructive effects of bad weather. In order to consolidate and repair each of the sections, the teams examine and diagnose each stone, one by one. They then seal points where water penetrates and replace any affected stones as necessary. (Nimes Office of Tourism)

 

In this restauration project, each stone block is analyzed, color-coded, and evaluated for its solidity and stability. Patching and doweling are done only when necessary. Even graffiti is preserved and studied. All of this work is aimed at making the building as authentic as possible in an effort to conserve its historical integrity. Each stone also reveals secrets that tell the story of how the Romans built the amphitheater. Although the stones have moved very little over the past 1500 years, the last 60 years have seen accelerated degradation, one major reason for the restauration project. (Nimes Office of Tourism)

 

 

Sources:

https://www.arenes-nimes.com/en/discovering-site/amphitheatre 

Jean-François Paillard, pp. 55-57 and Déborah Bertier, pp. 59-63 in GeoHistoire, June-July 2020

Nimes Office of Tourism