in Roman Antiquity, the place where the gladiators fought; so called from its being strewed with sand, in order to conceal from the view of the spectators the blood spilt in the combat. Caligula, Nero, and others, are said to have strewed the arena with a golden dust (probably cinnamon) and with borax. An interesting description of the several games of the amphitheatre is given in the Eclogues of Calpurnius. (Edited by Glaser, Gotting. 1842.)