The Roman amphitheater in Rimini was built in the 2nd century AD. The construction of the amphitheater was a kind of step forward for gaining the status of a city. Traditionally for buildings of this type, the amphitheater was built on the periphery of the city in a picturesque place on the seashore. Like many other amphitheatres of the era of Ancient Rome, it had the shape of an ellipse.

The surviving ruins allow us to imagine the size of the structure. Its external dimensions were 118 by 88 meters. The amphitheater could accommodate about 10,000 spectators, who entered and exited through two main entrances connected to numerous corridors and stairs leading to the stands. In the center was an arena for gladiator fights. Its value was 76.40 by 47.40 meters.
During the decline of the Roman Empire, the amphitheater was surrounded by walls. It became a fortification to resist the increasingly threatening barbarian invasions. The facade overlooking the sea was covered with arches 63 m high. Having lost its spectacular function and ceased to fulfill a military role, the amphitheater was turned into an infirmary. Eventually, it was used as a quarry for the construction of new houses. In the Middle Ages, only a pile of ruins remained from the huge building.

The first excavations in the amphitheater were made in 1763. In 1843, thanks to the historian Luigi Tonini (1807–1874), the ruins of the ancient structure were partly presented to the public. One hundred years later, during the Second World War, the amphitheater was adapted to store rubble. A real program to restore and strengthen the architectural monument was launched in the sixties of the last century.

Today, the amphitheater hosts a variety of entertainment events.