Roman Amphitheater Arcade, El Jem, Tunisia

Arcade of antiquity

This interior snapshot brings us to an ancient, open-air arcade—but you won't need a fistful of quarters here. In architectural terms, 'arcade' refers to any long row of arches—in this case, the uppermost of three tiered arcades that partly encircle the El Jem Amphitheatre. Built in the 3rd century CE by the Romans, the Amphitheatre seated as many as 35,000 spectators, making it one of the largest arenas in the empire despite its remoteness. Its stacked arcades offered standing room for droves of gladiator fans, as well as walkways to wander and stretch the legs.