Staging Martyrdom in the Roman Amphitheater of Gortyna in Crete

This article addresses how narratives of Christian martyrdom can influence archaeological interpretations, using evidence for the earliest ecclesiastical foundations in the amphitheater of Gortyna as a test case. The analysis focuses on evidence for the structural transformation of Gortyna's amphitheater from its earliest consecration to the present day and weighs this architectural sequence against the hagiographical accounts of the Ten Martyrs of Crete. The specific case study seeks to establish the earliest architectural expression of their veneration and, in doing so, presents different readings of the material. It is hoped that the combined approach presented here, drawing on both textual and architectural evidence, will provide a more nuanced framework for viewing the earliest Christian architecture in Gortyna's amphitheater.