Amphitheatre of Serdica

Amphitheatre of Serdica

Amphitheatrum Serdicense
The second section of unearthed ruins
Shown within Bulgaria
Location	Sofia, Bulgaria.
Coordinates	42°41′50″N 23°19′42″E / 42.69722°N 23.32833°E / 42.69722; 23.32833
Type	Roman amphitheatre
History
Founded	3rd–4th century AD
Periods	Roman Empire
Site notes
Excavation dates	2004

The Amphitheatre of Serdica (Latin: Amphitheatrum Serdicense; Bulgarian: Амфитеатър на Сердика, Amfiteatar na Serdika) was an amphitheatre in the Ancient Roman city of Ulpia Serdica, now Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria. Discovered in 2004 and the subject of excavations in 2005 and 2006, the ruins of the amphitheatre lie on two adjacent sites in the centre of modern Sofia. The amphitheatre was built in the 3rd–4th century AD on top of a 2nd–3rd century theatre, which had been ravaged by the Goths. However, the amphitheatre remained in use for less than a century and was abandoned by the 5th century.

The Amphitheatre of Serdica was among the biggest in the eastern part of the Roman Empire and the largest in what is today Bulgaria. It lay outside the city walls of Serdica and hosted fights between gladiators and wild beasts, which were advertised at the entrance of the city.