When I first heard about the Roman Theatre in Cartagena, I'll admit I was a bit confused by the name – it's actually called "Anfiteatro Romano" locally, though it's technically a theatre rather than an amphitheatre. This ancient venue, built between 5 and 1 BCE under Augustus's rule, sat buried under centuries of urban life until archaeologists began digging in 1988.

What strikes me most about this place is how it emerged from complete obscurity. For over 1,500 years, nobody knew it existed. After a fire in the 5th century, people built a market on top of it, then a Byzantine commercial district, and eventually the old cathedral of Santa María la Vieja. By the 20th century, it had become one of Cartagena's most rundown neighborhoods.

The excavation story reads like archaeological detective work. They started digging to build a crafts center and instead found Carthago Nova's lost theatre. It took until 2003 to fully uncover the structure, which originally held 6,000 spectators. The Romans chose this spot cleverly – close enough to the port to impress arriving visitors, but built into the hillside facing north to avoid the harsh easterly winds common in the Murcia region.

Rafael Moneo's restoration approach fascinates me. Rather than trying to recreate a perfect Roman theatre, he designed a museum route that winds upward from sea level through exhibition spaces, culminating in the dramatic reveal of the ancient stone seats carved into the hillside. The old cathedral remains partially superimposed over the theatre, creating this remarkable layering of different historical periods.

The building materials tell their own story. Most of the theatre was constructed from local Tabaire sandstone – easy to carve but vulnerable to salt air and time. You can see how the coastal climate has worn away details over the centuries, though the overall structure remains impressively intact.

Walking through today, you're experiencing something unique: a major archaeological site that's completely integrated into a living city center. The contrast between ancient Roman engineering and modern Cartagena creates an atmosphere you won't find in more isolated ruins. If you want deeper historical context during your visit, an audio guide helps piece together the complex timeline of construction, abandonment, and rediscovery that makes this theatre such a compelling window into Mediterranean urban history.