Ancient theater of Alauna

The ancient theater of Alauna is a Roman-era structure located in the French commune of Valognes, in the department of Manche. The monument features a plan that deviates from the classical Roman theater design by incorporating an arena, thus accommodating a range of performances. The structure was constructed using small limestone rubble from the local area, with a diameter exceeding 72 meters (236 ft). The semicircular cavea and elliptical orchestra are served by five radiating vomitoria and two corridors along the stage wall. The decumanus maximus of the ancient settlement of Alauna passes at the top of the cavea, necessitating a change in its course. Situated at the eastern periphery of the settlement, the structure was likely erected during the latter half of the first century and subsequently abandoned by the end of the third century. Following this, the masonry was dismantled and repurposed until the modern era. The site's remains are buried at a shallow depth beneath enclosed meadows, with a portion of its enclosing wall visible within one of these hedges. The site has been the subject of multiple studies, including investigations conducted in 1695, and the mid-1840s, and as part of a comprehensive investigation program on the Alauna site in 2015 and 2020.

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