A great show in the amphitheatre
The heart of the event is a show staged in the Arènes, with more than 500 re-enactors, riders, stunt performers and sets. In 2026, from 24 to 26 April, the show was called "Spartacus, the slave who defied Rome". It was performed on the Friday at 5.30 pm, then on the Saturday and Sunday at 3.30 pm, and lasted about an hour and a half.
The city on Roman time
The activities spill out beyond the amphitheatre. In 2026, the programme took over the place Gabriel-Péri, the Jardins de la Fontaine and the area around the Maison Carrée, among other places. A Gallo-Roman village was set up on the esplanade Charles-de-Gaulle, with more than 40 exhibitors and demonstrations of pottery, metalwork and falconry, as well as wooden games.
For all audiences
The programme included history talks, ancient dances, gladiator demonstrations and workshops, a night-time parade and ceremony, guided tours, family activities and an ancient market. The event is organised by the City of Nîmes in partnership with Edeis, which has managed the Arènes since 2021.
An original setting
The setting is the event’s great strength. The Arènes, built between around 90 and 120, held up to 20,000 spectators. Their 60 arches on two levels and much of their seating are original: you watch re-enacted gladiator fights in a building designed for exactly this kind of show.
- 2026 edition
- 24 to 26 April
- 2026 show
- "Spartacus, the slave who defied Rome"
- Re-enactors
- more than 500
- Gallo-Roman village
- esplanade Charles-de-Gaulle
- Organisers
- City of Nîmes and Edeis