persons, who often had chairs or cushions: this was the best place for seeing and hearing, as being nearest the _arena_; whence Juvenal says, ————————_generosior & Marcellis, Et Catulis Paulique minoribus et Fabiis & Omnibus ad podium spectantibus_.———— So Suetonius, in _Augusto_, says, the senate made an order, that the first or lowest seat at public spectacles should be left for them: probably this was broader than any other seat, with a greater space between the _podium_ and next seat, for more ease. The chair of state for the _prætor_ was on one side, and probably another opposite to it for the emperor, or his legate, which was reserved empty, for state, in their absence; or for the _editor_ of the shows, who was generally thus distinguished: and it is remarkable that a little prominence is still left in these very places. These were set in the middle of the _podium_, on each side, upon the shortest diameter, and were covered with canopies like a tabernacle. This _podium_ had, for greater safety, grates, nets, and lattice work of iron, or more costly metal, supported by pillars, and the like: beside, there were rollers of wood or ivory length-wise, which hindered the beasts from climbing up, by their turning round, as is particularly described by Calpurnius. And, moreover, in greater amphitheatres, there was a ditch full of water under it, called _euripus_, first introduced by Julius Cæsar. In the early times of these buildings, the people sat all together promiscuously; but after the emperors, the places were distinguished according to the degrees of quality, senators, knights, or common people. The knights seats were next to the senators, fourteen deep in number; so that _gradus quatuordecim_ became a phrase for the equestrian order. We may suppose these two degrees filled all the seats in our amphitheatre under the circular walk or ascent. The common people possessed the remainder, or the whole concavity above the circular walk, taking the best places as they came first: but the uppermost seats were reserved particularly for the women; and one reason of their distance was, I suppose, because the gladiators were naked. And that no routs and confusions should disturb the order of these solemnities, there were proper officers appointed, that took care none should presume to sit out of the seats suitable to his degree.