ROMAN AMPHITHEATRE AT DORCHESTER. 47 



1. Beneath the grass, as we now see it, there is a perfectly 

 level solid floor, formed by cutting away the natural chalk, 

 which was left at the sides to form the walls of the arena. 



2. At the base of the walls there are at regular intervals 

 square holes, arranged in two parallel lines, evidently 

 meant for posts carrying two barriers or palisades, with a 

 pathway between them. 



3. The entrance to the arena was only 22 feet wide, instead 

 of about 40ft. as it appears now. On both sides of the 

 entrance there are pathways which would serve for the 

 spectators to reach their places. 



4. Opposite the entrance there is a square enclosure cut 

 in the natural chalk, which from its construction would be 

 well adapted for holding the wild beasts used in the "games." 



5. No trace has been discovered of tiers of seats ; but 

 opposite the centre of the arena on the short diameter there 

 is a square recess on a well-worn platform, slightly higher 

 than the floor of the arena. 



I will now give in a condensed form the description of the 

 site taken from Dr. Stukeley's work, written nearly 200 

 years ago. " The area," he says, " has been ploughed up 

 these many years, to the very skirt of the amphitheatre 

 within and without, so greedy are the country people of an 

 inch of ground. The jambs of the entrance are worn away, 

 and the plough encroaches on its verge every year. Never 

 did I see corn growing (which of itself is an agreeable sight) 

 with so much indignation as in this noble concavity, where 

 once the majesty of Rome used to shew itself." 



With regard to the general construction Dr. Stukeley 

 says : " It is to be noted that half of this work is above 

 and half below the surface of the ground, so that great part 

 of the matter was dug out of the middle ; for it is a solid 

 bed of chalk, and the rest fetched from elsewhere. Ifc is 

 not much inferior in strength to those of stone, though infinitely 

 less expensive, and for use of convenience there is very 

 little difference ; and as to beauty, as far as relates to the 

 seats, and what was visible on the inside, our work was 



