Plovdiv's Roman Amphitheatre

The Roman Amphitheatre in Plovdiv was only found in the early 1970's after a massive landslide. This led to a major archeological excavation, including the removal, over the next 10 years, of earth covering what was left hidden before the landslide.

There was evidence of damage to parts of the amphitheatre by Atilla the Hun when he attacked Plovdiv in the 5th century AD, but in general it is a magnificent structure that has stood the test of time.

It was completed under the rule of the Roman emperor Trajan, and is the largest Roman building in Bulgaria. The amphitheatre stands between the south-western slope of the Dzhambaz Tepe and the Taxim Tepe within the old town.

Built with a capacity of around 7 000 seats, each section of seating had the names of the city quarters engraved on the benches, so the citizens at the time knew where they had to sit.

Just to put things into context, Plovdiv is supposed to be contemporary with Troy and Mycenae, and older than Rome, Athens, Carthage or Constantinople.