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The name amphitheatre (alternatively amphitheater) refers to a level, open space surrounded by an oval area that gradually ascends. The area may be a man-made structure or a natural geographic formation, but it is suited for seating people on the sloping area for the viewing of spectator sports, games, concerts, displays, rallies, or theatrical performances. An amphitheatre can be classified as either an ancient amphitheatre, a contemporary amphitheatre, or a natural amphitheatre.
An ancient amphitheatre was a public building of the Classical period (being particularly associated with ancient Rome or ancient Greece). In the Roman Empire, Roman amphitheatres were round or oval in shape, forming a complete circle or ellipse, and were used for spectator sports, games and displays. This is in contrast to a Greek classical theatre, which was semi-circular and used for theatrical performances. An amphitheatre also differed from a Roman circus or Greek hippodrome, both of which were used for chariot racing and horse racing and were shaped more like a very long, narrow horse shoe.
The best-known amphitheatre in the world is the Colosseum in Rome, which is more correctly termed the Flavian amphitheatre (Amphitheatrum Flavium), after the Flavian dynasty who had it built. An amphitheatre in a community became a prized symbol of Roman citizenship in the outlying areas of Italy. In the small town of Larino, in the Molise, a man who had made his fortune in far away Rome financed the construction of an oval amphitheatre that could house ten thousand spectators. In fact, the amphitheatre in Larino predates the Colosseum. The remains of some 230 amphitheatres have been located in widely scattered areas of the Roman Empire.<br /> See also: List of Roman amphitheatres.
A contemporary amphitheatre is a curved, acoustically vibrant performance space, particularly one located outdoors. Contemporary amphitheatres often include standing structures, sometimes curved or "bowl" shaped, both behind the stage and behind the audience, creating an area which echoes or amplifies sound, making the amphitheatre ideal for musical or theatrical performances. Most are semi-circular in shape, and so should not properly be called amphitheatres. Notable modern amphitheatres include the Gibson Amphitheatre and the Hollywood Bowl; the largest amphitheatre in North America is the Hyundai Pavilion in Devore, California, with a seating capacity of 65,000.<br> See also: List of contemporary amphitheatres. <br>
A natural amphitheatre is a performance space located in a spot where a steep mountain or a particular rock formation naturally amplifies or echoes sound, making it ideal for musical and theatrical performances. The term amphitheatre can also be used to describe naturally occurring formations which would be ideal for this purpose, even if no theatre has been constructed there. Notable natural amphitheatres include the Drakensberg amphitheatre in Drakensberg, South Africa, and the Echo amphitheatre, Cedar Breaks National Monument, and Red Rocks Amphitheatre, all of which are in the United States.
<gallery> Image:Colosseum-profile-english.png|Profile of the Colosseum Image:Lightmatter_colosseum.jpg|A view of the Colosseum at night. It has over 80 entrances. Image:Colosseum from behind.jpg|The inner layers of the Colosseum, showing the construction of the outer layers. Image:Colosseum-interior.01.JPG|An interior of the Colosseum. Image:Amfitheater.jpg|The amphitheatre of Arles (Arelate). Image:Verona_Arena_inside_view.jpg|Inside of Verona Arena with scenery for an opera performance, summer 1994 Image:eljem2.jpg|El Djem: the amphitheatre of Thysdrus Image:The Arena, Pula.jpg|The Arena in Pula Image:Amph1.jpg|A corporate amphitheatre, used for presentations and meetings Image:Gibson amphitheatre pano.jpg|Gibson Amphitheatre, a large indoor concert venue Image:Casino-Stadion Hohe Warte.jpg|The Hohe Warte Stadium in Vienna, an example of a "natural stadium" </gallery>