Roman theatre (structure)
Roman theatres derive from and are part of the overall evolution of earlier
Architecture
Roman theatres were built in all areas of the Empire, from Spain to the Middle East. Because of the Romans' ability to influence local architecture, we see numerous theatres around the world with uniquely Roman attributes.[1]
Similarities exist between the theatres and
These buildings were semi-circular and possessed certain inherent architectural structures, with minor differences depending on the region in which they were constructed. The scaenae frons was a high back wall of the stage floor, supported by columns. The proscaenium was a wall that supported the front edge of the stage with ornately decorated niches off to the sides. The Hellenistic influence is seen through the use of the proscenium. The Roman theatre also had a podium, which sometimes supported the columns of the scaenae frons. The theatre itself was divided into the stage (orchestra) and the seating section (cavea). The cavea was sometimes constructed on a small hill or slope in which stacked seating could be easily made in the tradition of the Greek theatres. The center of the cavea was hollowed out of a hill or slope, while the outer radian seats required structural support and solid retaining walls. This was not always the case as Romans tended to build their theatres regardless of the availability of hillsides. All theatres built within the city of Rome were completely man-made without the use of earthworks. The cavea was not roofed, rather, awnings (velarium) could be pulled overhead to provide shelter from rain or sunlight.[2] Vomitoria, passages situated below or behind a tier of seats, were made available to the audience.[3]
Some Roman theatres, constructed of wood, were torn down after the festival for which they were erected concluded. This practice was due to a moratorium on permanent theatre structures that lasted until 55 BC when the Theatre of Pompey was built with the addition of a temple to avoid the law. Some Roman theatres show signs of never having been completed in the first place.[4]
Inside Rome, few theatres have survived the centuries following their construction, providing little evidence about the specific theatres. The
Gallery
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Well preserved Roman Theatre of Aspendos
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Roman Theatre of Orange, France
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Plovdiv Roman theatre, Bulgaria
See also
- List of Roman theatres
- Theatre of ancient Rome
- Roman architecture
References
- ^ ISBN 0-300-08138-3.
- ^ a b Richard Allan Tomlinson. "Theatres (Greek and Roman), structure", The Oxford Companion to Classical Civilization. Ed. Simon Hornblower and Antony Spawforth. Oxford University Press, 1998. Oxford Reference Online. Oxford University Press. Northwestern University. 11 May 2007.
- JSTOR 507025.
- ^ , Constance Campbell. "The Uncompleted Theatres of Rome", The Johns Hopkins University Press. Theatre Journal 55.1 (2003) 67–79 10 May 2007.