Page 104 - A Walk to Caesarea / Joseph Patrich
P. 104
90 Archaeological Review
Fig. 88
The Herodian hippo-stadium,
proposed reconstruction of
the dignitaries’ platform
Fig. 89 The racing arena was some 300 m long and 50.5 m wide, while its elevation was
2.20 m above sea level. The U-shaped seating blocks were built on a north-south
Reconstruction of a scene axis parallel to the seashore, a location fitting Josephus’ description. The seats
with vegetation and running (cavea) comprised 12 rows and could seat 10,000 spectators. They were divided
animals painted on the into 18 sections (12 have been preserved), which were set on top of a podium wall
podium of the seats. From 1.1 m above the level of the arena. The arched entrance gate was in the south,
the phase of the contraction beneath the curved part of the seats (sphendone), and it was 3 m wide. From a
of the arena and converting surviving inscription, we learn that a statue of Emperor Hadrian was apparently
the hippo-stadium into an set above the gate at the initiative of soldiers serving in the administration of the
amphitheater governor. The seats did not extend the entire length of the arena: they stopped at
a distance of c. 65 m from the starting gates (carceres). The length of the seating
blocks was c. 175 m – long enough to encompass a stadium.
A wide, high trench separated the eastern part of the stadium from the kurkar
ridge and its continuation northward. This barred direct access to the upper gallery
level from the east. During Nero’s time the trench was filled with soil and a double
colonnaded portico was built over the fill.
Some 115 m north of the southern arched gate, beneath the eastern gallery,
stretched a passageway (vomitorium), which ran from side to side along the entire
width of the gallery. This passage split left and right into two inclined vaults and led,
after two successive 90° turns, to the platform for the dignitaries (loggia; pulvinar).
This platform was usually situated opposite the finish line of the chariot races, a line
marked in lime across the right side of the arena (Fig. 88).
The face of the podium wall, which was c. 1.2 m tall,
was plastered and decorated with frescoes that were
refreshed from time to time. One of the plaster layers, in
the section preserved south of the dignitaries platform,
describes a scene with vegetation and running wild
animals (Fig. 89). Among the animals, it is possible to
identify the deer, fox, wild boar, and tiger as well as the
