Transcript Roman Theatre

Roman Theatre
Romans built theatres throughout their republic/empire.
Amman, Jordan
Aspendos, Anatolia (Turkey)
Bosra, Syria
Bosra, Syria
Ephesus (Turkey)
Leptis Magna, Libya
(coast of North Africa)
Merida, Spain
Plovdiv, Bulgaria
As shown here, this theatre is still
used for performances.
Côte d’Azur, France
Sagunto, Spain
“It is semicircular in shape
and can seat 8,000
spectators. The Roman
theatre was built within a
dip in the land, which is
why its open air concerts
have wonderful acoustics.
Recently, rehabilitation
work has been done to
provide a look of unity to
the stage and the steps,
making conditions
adequate for theatre and
cultural events.”
http://www.spain.info/TourSpain/Art
e%20y%20Cultura/Monumentos/
In January 2008, the highest
court in Spain ruled that the
restoration of the Sagunto
theatre “violates Spain’s Law
of Historic Patrimony which
forbids the reconstruction of
historic structures except to
assure their stability and
maintenance” and the
changes must be removed.
http://archrecord.construction.com/news/daily/
archives/080128spain.asp
In addition to theatres patterned on the Greek model,
Romans built round structures, the best known of which
is the Colosseum in Rome.
Historians disagree about whether these circular buildings
were used for theatre, in addition to feats of strength.
Colosseum top view
The lower level, under
the floor, was used to
house animals, and
perhaps gladiators,
prior to their battles.
Colosseum
Some historians believe that aqueducts piped water
in to flood the Colosseum for miniature sea battles.
This is how the Colosseum might have looked when it was completed
in the 1st century CE (AD). Note the statues in the arches.
II.
Roman Theatre
A. Festivals called ludi (games) were
entertainment for the masses
1. Gladiators
2. Theatre
3. Miniature sea battles (perhaps)
B. Performance spaces were built all over the
empire.
1. Arches supported theatres built on flat land
2. Theatres held up to 10,000 people, the
Colosseum in Rome held 40,000 to 50,000.
C. Types of plays
Types of plays
1. Tragedy and comedy adapted from the
Greeks
[public performance abandoned by 100 BCE]
2. Farce
a. Subject: cheating, fighting, gluttony,
and sex
b. Stock characters
glutton]
[drunkard, swindler, fool,
3. Mime
a. Crude
b. Ridiculed morals & eventually
Christian sacraments
4. Pantomime
a. Plots from mythology & history
b. Performed by a single actor/dancer
c. Story sung by chorus
Actors
D. Actors
1. Slaves, freedmen, foreigners
2. Women in farces & mimes
Miscellaneous
E. Misc
1. Christians excommunicated for attending
theatre by 300s CE (AD)
2. Theatres were closed or abandoned in 500s
[as Roman Empire fell apart]
Contrast Greek & Roman Theatre
How the the purposes of theatrical performance
differ?
How did this effect the types of performance?
In which culture was the actual language of the
performance important?
How did the way actors were regarded by the
respective cultures differ?