The shape of the amphitheatre in Pompeii. Survey, drawing and analysis

This paper introduces a research about the shape of the amphitheatre in the ancient city of Pompeii. Identifying the geometrical drawing underlying of the architectural form of the Amphitheatre of Pompeii is complex, although it is one of the best-preserved amphitheatres. The large dimensions of the architecture, the wide selection of materials and construction techniques of Roman architecture present therein, a particularly complex and interesting plant morphologically, spatially and typologically, make it an emblematic case study to explore and testing some hypotheses about elliptical or oval plan shape. The analysis about its architectural shape have been performed by 3D laser scanner data and their post-processing results. The aim of this paper is understand, learn and investigate the complex geometry of the auditorium, the direction of the stairs crossing and reaching the different parts of the theatre space, such as the shape of the corridor below the auditorium itself, the auditorium’s slope in relation to the visibility inside the different parts of the theatre, the trend of the tiers according to the problems of cutting of stones and other materials used for the construction, as well as the spatial configuration of the surfaces that describe the space.