3rd-4th century The Roman Empire experienced political instability and waves of migration.
5th century Honorius, the Western Roman Emperor, forbid gladiatorial combats in 404.
6th century The Arena was transformed into a fortress by the Visigoths.
8th century The city of Nîmes was taken over by Charles Martel. The amphitheater became the residence of the Carolingian counts.
9th-12th century The counts of Toulouse acquire the viscountcy of Nîmes.
12th-14th century Nîmes was part of the royal domain. Representatives of the King settled in the château in the Arena.
14th century The viscount of Nîmes and his knights left the Arena. Local inhabitants moved into the amphitheater.
14th century A neighborhood with habitations and two churches developed inside the monument.
16th century After the visit of Francis I, the constructions in the corridor on the first level were demolished.
17th century 600 people were living in the amphitheater in 1620.
As the Maison Carrée, the amphitheater was preserved because it has been continually occupied since the end of the Roman Empire.
The successive occupations caused some of the damage done to the Roman monument, but they saved it from being abandoned.
They prevented it from being used as a stone quarry as was the case for the amphitheater in Béziers.