The Roman amphitheater

Apr 13, 2016
2 min read

We decided to explore the waterfront area in Cartagena on Saturday, and came across the museum dedicated to the Roman amphitheater that was built here by the Romans between 5 and 1 BC. The Romans conquered what is now Spain beginning in 218 BC, and ending in 19 BC when Caesar Augustus won the Cantabrian Wars. Cartagena has always been a strategic sea port. The amphitheater was part of the Roman culture that was imported..along with language, art, medicine, etc. You can just barely see the top of the Catholic church that was built over the site a thousand years later..it's visible just under the crane boom and has a palm frond partially obscuring it.

This is the entry to the museum..very classy..understated.

The amphitheater was buried under centuries of debris and rubble from other buildings that were built over the top of it. A market was built over the the site after a fire caused by the Vandals ruined it in the 3rd century, and then apartments were built over that. You can see parts of some of the apartments still standing. You can also see the ruins of the Catholic church that was built at the very top, and it still stands. The models of the amphitheater show how it was originally laid out. The Romans were not kind rulers, but they did bring their culture wherever they went. It is very cool to think I was standing in a theater built for the entertainment of the citizens of Cartagena before Christ was born.

Here are some of the artifacts that were uncovered in the excavation of the amphitheater.

This is a closer shot of the church that was built at the very top.

Below is a monument built in the center of the harbor area that is dedicated to the Spanish marines that gave their last full measure during the the Spanish/American war in Cuba in 1898. It makes one pause to think that other countries honor their fallen heros that our country caused to fall! I have great respect for all soldiers..I just wish we didn't need them!

Here are some pictures of the harbor...beautiful.

"My" boat is not in evidence.

Here are some pictures of the beautiful City Hall

Figures in a souvenir shop...not KKK...there is a sign that says so..these are religious icons. We actually saw people dressed like this for the Easter parade in Barcelona. The getup is worn by penitents to mask their identity while they demonstrate their repentance.