It is now ten years since the first discovery of the Roman amphitheatre in London, and under ordinary circumstances it might be expected that final publication of this important monument would now be imminent. However, what is perhaps not realized is that excavation was still taking place until late in 1996. It has been a massive project, generating more than 20,000 contexts and, although a preliminary assessment has been completed, it will clearly be some time before a final publication is possible. In view of the long time-scale of the project, therefore, it has been suggested that a provisional statement on the amphitheatre should be disseminated, partly, of course, with the intention of generating interest among, or receiving feedback from, other archaeologists and historians. To some extent it is also necessary to establish the limits of the project to counter some of the slightly misleading information and speculation that has already appeared in a number of other sources. It should, however, be remembered that the interpretations offered below are only provisional.