The Roman theatre in Arles is located very close to same Roman amphitheatre. The theatre was built at the end of I century BC, and the amphitheatre – a little later, but both structures were architectural complex, where the residents of Arelate came to have fun. The theatre could accommodate up to eight thousand people.

The theatre has survived worse than his nearest neighbor, however, archaeological finds made on the site of the former theatre, recognized as unique and kept in the museums of Arles and Paris. So, "Arlesiana Venus" (one of the statues decorating the stage and was found in 1651) is now kept in the Louvre. Also found another fragment of the statue – the head of the goddess Diana. Besides the figures of the two goddesses of the stage was decorated with a statue of the Emperor Augustus, in which this structure was built, and the altar of the God Apollo, to whom the theatre was dedicated.

The stage was surrounded by many stone columns three orders – there were about a hundred, but is now preserved only two pertaining to the Corinthian order, and called the "tower of Rutland" - in honor of the Archbishop of Arles, who lived in the IX century. Rutland may have been one of those people who affect the safety and appearance of the theater. The fact is that since the fifth century, is the site of a pagan spectacles supplied stone for the construction of other buildings and structures: the theatre was dismantled in order to build a Cathedral or a city wall. Later within the theater began to appear residential and other buildings, the same process of "settlement" occurred in the nearby amphitheatre.

Only in the first half and until the 60-ies of the XIX century the theatre began to release from later buildings, it was ordered that the mayor of Arles Baron Chartres.

Today, the stage of the Roman theatre is the venue of cultural events, including the July festival, in which participants dressed in traditional Provencal costumes and festivals of photographs and films. In addition, the theatre is protected as a world heritage site by UNESCO.