[3] The Arena was built between 27 BC and 68 AD,[2] as the city of Pula became a regional centre of Roman rule, called Pietas Julia.

A series of underground passageways were built underneath the arena along the main axis from which animals, ludi scenes and fighters could be released; stores and shops were located under the raked seating.

The amphitheatre could be covered with velaria (large sails), protecting the spectators from sun or rain (as attested by rare construction elements).

In the Middle Ages the interior of the Arena was often used for grazing, occasional tournaments by the Knights of Malta and medieval fairs.

Today, a headstone celebrating the Venetian senator Gabriele Emo's [sh] opposition to the plan is currently visible on the second tower.

General Auguste de Marmont, as governor of the Illyrian Provinces during the First French Empire, started the restoration of the arena.

Performances have included ones by Duran Duran, Foo Fighters, Luciano Pavarotti, Đorđe Balašević, Plácido Domingo, Andrea Bocelli, Nina Badrić, Hillsong United, Patrizio Buanne, Jose Carreras, Dino Merlin, Jamiroquai, Anastacia, Eros Ramazzotti, Maksim Mrvica, Norah Jones, Zucchero, Zdravko Čolić, Alanis Morissette, Sinéad O'Connor, Elton John, Dua Lipa, Robbie Williams, 2Cellos, Sting, Michael Bolton, Seal, Il Divo, Tom Jones, Gibonni, Manu Chao, Oliver Dragojević, Leonard Cohen, Grace Jones, Moderat, David Gilmour, Avril Lavigne, Arctic Monkeys, Thompson and Frank Zivkovic.

The arena is open to the public daily, and the underground passages house exhibitions of viticulture and olive growing in Istria.

[8] Two professional ice hockey games were played there on September 14 and 16, 2012;[9] KHL Medveščak, a Zagreb-based Erste Bank Eishockey Liga club, hosted HDD Olimpija Ljubljana and the Vienna Capitals.