amphitheatrum Latin · revision 33544

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=c. 84–c. 25 BC, Vitruvius}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * Classical: [am.pʰɪ.tʰeˈaː.trũː]^(Wiktionary)

+ * Ecclesiastical: [am.fi.teˈaː.trum]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''amphitheātrum''' ''n'' (genitive amphitheātrī); second declension^(Wiktionary)

+ Petronius has the popular nominative ''amphitheater'', also found in an inscription.^(OLD 2012)^(TLL)

+ Inscriptions also have ''amphiteatrum'', ''ampitheatrum'' and similar spellings.^(OLD 2012)^(TLL)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[bor|grc|ἀμφιθέατρον|tr=amphithéatron]],^(OLD 2012)^(Saalfeld 1874)^(Wiktionary) from [[m|grc|ἀμφί|tr=amphí|t=on both sides]] and [[m|grc|θέατρον|tr=théatron|t=theatre]].^(Wiktionary)^(Köbler 2010) The TLL notes that the building and its name were both invented at Rome.^(TLL)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The TLL's earliest examples are in Vitruvius, who names towns that have no gymnasia or amphitheatres,^(TLL)^(Köbler 2010) and in Augustus' account of his deeds, where wild-beast hunts were given in the Forum or in amphitheatres.^(TLL)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The OLD defines it as a double theatre, oval or round, with the arena in the middle.^(OLD 2012) Lewis & Short describe it as a building whose rising rows of seats gave everyone a clear view, used for wild-beast fights, sea battles and above all gladiatorial shows, first of wood and later of stone.^(Lewis & Short 1879) Seneca saw a lion in the amphitheatre, Pliny the Elder writes of Nero's amphitheatres, and Tacitus of an amphitheatre begun at Fidenae.^(TLL)

+

+ Cassiodorus explains the name as two theatres, two places for viewing, joined into one,^(TLL) and Isidore describes the building.^(TLL) Church Latin keeps the word.^(Stelten 1995)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 84–c. 25 BC – Vitruvius, of towns without amphitheatres.^(TLL)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * before 66 AD – Petronius, with the popular form ''amphitheater''.^(OLD 2012)^(TLL)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 23/24–79 AD – Pliny the Elder, of Nero's amphitheatres.^(TLL)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * c. 485–c. 580 AD – Cassiodorus explains the name as two theatres joined.^(TLL)^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # An [[m|en|amphitheatre]], an oval or round building with tiers of seats around a central [[m|en|arena]].^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[amphitheatralis]]

+ * [[amphitheatricus]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[theātrum]]

+ * [[en|amphitheater]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}