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We use Hubble Space Telescope imaging to study the structural properties often of the most massive ($M \geq 10^{11.25}$ Msun) quiescent galaxies (QGs) inthe UKIDSS UDS at $2.5<z<3.0$. The low spatial density of these galaxiesrequired targeted WFC3 $H_{160}$ imaging, as such systems are rare in existingsurveys like CANDELS. We fit Sersic models to the 2D light profiles and findthat the median half-light radius is $R_e \sim 3$ kpc, a factor of $\sim 3$smaller than QGs with similar masses at $z \sim 0$. Complementing our samplewith similarly massive QGs at lower redshifts, we find that the median sizeevolves as $R_e \propto H(z)^{-0.85 \pm 0.12}$ (or alternatively, $R_e \propto(1+z)^{-0.90 \pm 0.12}$). This rate of evolution is slower than that for lowermass QGs. When compared to low redshift QGs, the axis ratio distribution forour high redshift massive QG sample is most consistent with those in whichspheroids are dominant. These observations point to earlier size growth amongmassive QGs that also resulted in spheroidal systems. Finally, we measuredresidual-corrected surface brightness profiles for our sample. These show thatthe Sersic parameterization is generally representative out to severaleffective radii and does not miss excess low surface brightness light. Thesizes inferred from the light profiles therefore confirm the compactness ofthese most massive high redshift QGs.

A comparison of the most massive quiescent galaxies from $z \sim 3$ to the present: slow evolution in size, and spheroid-dominated