Nimes

Long before there was New York’s Madison Square Gardens, long before there was Chicago’s Soldier Field, long before there was the Los Angeles Coliseum, and long before there was London’s Wembley Stadium there were the coliseums and arenas of the Roman Empire. The construction of many of those predates the birth of Christ, and a few remain in remarkably good shape. One of the best-preserved Roman arenas in all of Europe can be found in the city of Nimes in the south of France–a city that proudly wears the title of “the Pearl of the Roman Empire.” Located in the Languedoc region of France, the 2000-year-old coliseum is a monument to the remarkable building skills of the ancient Romans. It was erected under the watchful eye of Agrippa, son-in-law of Augustus and the foremost construction engineer of his day. He and his group of military engineers are also responsible for a number of other buildings throughout Nimes as well as nearby Pont du Gard, this country’s most prominent Roman aquaduct. On a recent visit to Nimes I spent an afternoon exploring this extraordinary arena. Along a well-worn stone walkway under a series of stone arches, I followed a tunnel that circumnavigated the arena’s lower level, often pausing to examine the immense stone pillars that supported the arches. The pillars consisted of stone blocks piled upon one another, displaying an almost perfect fit. The construction, I had to remind myself, was done without the benefit of concrete, a building material unknown 2000 years ago. I stood in awe at the ingenuity of this ancient civilization and its ability to create such splendid structures using the most rudimentary of tools. Half way around the arena I again stopped to examine one of the columns. In the seclusion of the darkened tunnel, I thought I heard a boisterous crowed of long ago cheering a victorious gladiator as he stood poised over his fallen foe. It is a moment I will not soon forget. From the tunnel I could see that the arena was divided into sections, each having its own column of stone steps that lead up the various tiers. Worn into many of the steps were smooth, concave depressions that recorded the wear and tear of the ages. Making my way up one of the columns I entered the bright sunlight of the second tier. From here I had a splendid 360-degree view of the entire arena and its row upon row of stone benches encircling the structure. Wanting to absorb everything I could of the spectacular edifice I took a seat on one of the stone benches. I hardly took note of the workmen below preparing the stadium floor for the pending weekend bullfights. Beyond the rim of the coliseum I caught a glimpse of a church tower a few blocks away, and as I gazed off into the distance my mind wandered back and caught a vision of a toga-clad crowd, cheering wildly as drivers guided their chariots around the ring below. As I made my way back to the entrance my eye was attracted to the sun-drenched upper tier, which struck me as a great place from which to take pictures. With some effort I worked my way to the very top and not only was rewarded with grand view of coliseum below but also a 360-degree view of the sprawling city of Nimes. The arena is made up of 60 pairs of arches, which continue around the circumference on two levels with an ellipse 436 feet long by 331 feet wide. The floor measures 223 feet by 124 feet. There are 34 sections of terraces, accommodating 24,000 spectators. The spectator’s sections are divided into four specific areas with an autonomous group of terraces served by its own entrances and exits, allowing the various social classes to remain separated. The arena was planned so that access to the terraces is quick and easy through corridors, with separate galleries for each section and stairs and exits adapting to the needs of all. History does not tell us whether the Nimes coliseum was ever the site of such events as the modern-day Super Bowl; nevertheless, it often played to SRO crowds who flocked to witness gladiator combat, bull fights and bear-baiting, chariot races and nautical entertainment in the ponds beneath the area ring. Long before stadium builders came up with retractable roofs, the Nimes arena had its own version. In the very hot weather a canopy of vellum was spread out over the tiers of seats; evidence can be seen on the tiers, where the holes for the canopy’s poles still are visible. In its 2000-year history the coliseum took on a mumber of different functions. In the 5th century it was turned into a fortress by the Visigoths, and subsequently the Saracens and medieval noblemen used it for the same purpose. In 1229 Nimes was annexed by the Kingdom of France after being captured by Simon de Montfort. As a result, the city fell on hard times. Consequently it was taken over by a crowd of paupers who made it a vital village in its own right. It was not until the 19th century that the arena was cleared and returned to its original purpose. Today, it is the site of famous bullfights and other events. The last addition to the arena happened in 1987, at which time a removable roof was installed above the floor of the arena, converting it into an all-season facility. The arena is just one of a number of impressive Roman sites located in Nimes,a city that boasts the largest concentration of Romanc buildings anywhere in France. Still on my “must see” list was the famous Square House (Maison CarrÈe), built in 49 BC by Agrippa in honor of Caius and Lucius, the adopted sons of Emperor Augustus. I also wanted to see the fabulous Roman gardens and fountains and baths, the Temple of Dianna and the more than half dozen other monuments and neo-Roman churches. But they would have to wait until tomorrow. The remainder of the day would be spent wandering through the pedestrian malls of old Nimes and sun-drenched squares brimming with colorful restaurants. It was at one of these restaurants, beside a quite fountain and under a palm whose branches where being fanned by a gentle breeze that the day would be concluded with a delicious Italian dinner. For me, as twilight decended on the city,…