It was built with the private funds of Gaius Quinctius Valgus and Marcus Porcius (a relative of Cato the Younger).

The space was constructed shortly after Pompeii's induction as a Roman colony, and an inscription on the amphitheatre honouring the donors, Gaius Quinctius Valgus and Marcus Porcius, cites one of their motives, being, "to demonstrate the honour of the colony," perhaps indicating the amphitheatre's role in establishing Roman influence in Pompeii.

The design of the lower entrances for higher-class citizens, who would have been seated closest to the pit, have been noted for their facility in curating unique viewership experiences—viewers would be struck by both the beams of light flooding the dark tunnel and the roar of the crowd as they entered the amphitheatre, creating a highly stimulating and dramatic experience.

[8] The only internal features of the amphitheatre at Pompeii were a corridor that cut into the base of cavea, the tiered semicircular seating space.

Aside from being a historical landmark and an object of archaeological study, the amphitheatre has been used for concerts and other public events in modern times.

David Gilmour, the band's guitarist, returned to perform two concerts at the amphitheatre in July 2016 as part of his Rattle That Lock Tour.

The pyramidal structure was designed to resemble Mount Vesuvius, and housed the installation "Pompeii and Europe from 1748 to 1943", which displayed casts of 20 victims of the eruption and photographs of the excavations.