Acoustic Heritage of Roman Hispania: Experimental Characterisation of the Amphitheatre of Italica (Spain)

The architectural legacy of the Roman Empire is perhaps most viscerally experienced through its monumental performance spaces. The Romans occupied Hispania (modern-day Spain and Portugal) from 218 BC until the fifth century, constructing major architectural works that symbolised the splendour of Rome. Nineteen amphitheatres have been confirmed in Hispania, notably the Amphitheatre of Italica in Santiponce, near Seville. Built during the reign of Emperor Hadrian, it is the largest in Hispania and features the greatest capacity outside the Italian peninsula, accommodating approximately 35,000 spectators. Beyond their archaeological interest, increasing attention is being paid to the intangible values of these spaces, such as acoustics. This work provides an acoustic characterisation of the venue through field measurements using 3D impulse responses, obtained from sources strategically placed in the arena and receivers in the cavea. The parametric analysis highlights that Roman performance spaces are optimally conditioned for theatrical productions, but not for music. The study is complemented by examining the sound energy distribution of early reflections in the time–frequency domain to define the acoustic signature of the venue, which unequivocally determines its sound response. This energy distribution is primarily governed by the oval geometry of the amphitheatre and the focusing effect.