Hunt is on for York’s hidden Roman amphitheatre

Leading archaeologists, including Time Team’s Stewart Ainsworth, will gather in the city’s Museum Gardens next month to hunt for clues which may reveal the hidden location of a Roman amphitheatre.

The gardens and nearby Kings Manor were chosen as the most likely site in the city for the amphitheatre after schoolchildren, community groups and university teams pitched their thoughts at an event last year.

Their theory will be thoroughly tested as part of this year’s Eboracum Roman Festival, from June 1-4, using traditional methods and the latest technology, with Stewart being joined by experts from City of York Council, the University of York and Lanpro Archaeology and Heritage.

Mr Ainsworth said: “A city of York’s importance during the Roman period would have had an amphitheatre. As well as a venue for often violent entertainment it was also a symbol of imperial power.

"It would have probably been positioned near the river to show those arriving to the city its importance and strength.”