The theater was built originally in the time of Augustus (late first century B.C.) and is very similar in scale to the better-preserved theater at Orange (see Orange). The theater at Arles, however, was completely freestanding, unlike the Orange structure which is built against a hillside for support. Construction of the semicircular seating area (cavea) is similar to that of an amphitheater with the rows of seats supported on radiating vaulted passages. Between 11,000 and 12,000 spectators could be seated. The building is not well preserved: in the fifth century the theater was used as a quarry for building stone for churches, in the ninth century it was converted into a fortress, and finally it was built over with houses. It was rediscovered in the 17th century and excavated in the early 19th. Some restoration work is still going on. Originally the exterior had a three-story arcaded facade, but only a small section of the first story facade remains in situ, along with two Corinthian columns from the original stage building facade (or scaenae frons).
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