It is amazing how long the Roman civilisation that once existed in this area was hidden from the public consciousness in Lyon. It wasn’t until the 20th Century and a great deal of expansion of the modern city took place that many of the significant excavations were made. This amphitheatre would once have been the centre of community life in the Roman settlement in Lyon, and it is quite a treat to be able to wander around the remains of the building, imagining what went on there thousands of years ago.