ROMAN THEATRE

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ROMAN THEATRE

• OR
• Its all Greek to Me

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The City of Rome

• Thought to be founded in 8th Century BC
• Agrarian assumes prominence in 3rd Century BC as
  major Mediterranean trading center
• Good at assimilating cultural elements of other
  regions and countries
• Contact with Greek colonies allows importing of
  Greek drama.

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The City of Rome

• Before regular drama is introduced, other
  theatrical entertainments are established, such
  as chariot racing, boxing, gladiatorial
  contests---borrowed from the Etruscans
• _at_346 B.C.musical and dancing performances
  imported from Etruria
• 240 B.C.--- First regular comedy and tragedy
  presented Livius Andronicus, a Greek playwright
  from southern Italy

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Roman Festivals

• Plays were performed at ludi (festivals)
• At first, drama was only given at the ludi
  Romani,, or Roman Games
• As number of festivals increased, so did
  occasions for presenting plays
• Most ludi were official religious celebrations,
  but some were special occasions

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Roman Festivalsby 2nd Century B.C. , plays were
given mostly at four festivals

• Ludi Romani in September
• Ludi Plebeii in November
• Ludi Apollinares in July
• Ludi Megalenses in April

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Roman Festivals

• State-financed festivals , such as religious
  celebrations, had to be perfectly carried out to
  be effective in pleasing the gods.
• Mistakes required repetition of entire festival.

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Roman Festivals

• By 78 B.C., 48 days devoted to dramatic
  entertainments at religious festivals
• By 354 A.D., 175 public festival days, 101 of
  which were devoted to theatrical spectacles

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Roman Playwrights

• PLAUTUS (Titus Maccius Plautus)-
  224-184 B.C.
• Comic playwright, 21 plays extant
• Earliest Roman playwright whose works still exist
• Famous works Amphitryon, The Braggart Warrior,
  The Twin Meneaechmi

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Roman Playwrights

• TERENCE (Publius Terentius Afer)-
  195-159 B.C.
• A native of North Africa, brought to Rome as a
  slave, later freed, became friend of many great
  men of his day
• Comic playwright wrote six plays, all extant
• Famous works The Eunuch, The Mother in Law, The
  Brothers

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Roman Playwrights

• SENECA (Lucius Annaeus Seneca)- 4
  B.C.- 65 A.D. Philosopher and satirist, one of
  Neros principal advisors
• Tragic playwright nine plays extant
• Works emphasize rhetorical oration, moral
  conclusions, violent action, magic and death
• Not a professional dramatist

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Roman Theatres

• Similar to Greek amphitheatres in form, with the
  scaenae frons (meaning front scene, the Roman
  equivalent of the skene) attached at the ends
  to the auditorium , and a raised stage across the
  front just behind the orchestra.
• _at_ 75 B.C. --First permanent Roman-style theatre
  is built in Pompeii.
• First in Rome built _at_ 55 B.C.

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A Roman Theatre

• Reconstruction of Roman Theatre at Ostia

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Roman Theatres

• Built on level ground. Audience seating is fully
  constructed and part of complete building
• Stage house becomes partially covered with a roof
  for protection and acoustics
• Scaenae frons has at least three doors on back
  wall and at least one at each end. Two to three
  stories high, might have balconies and windows.
  Highly decorated

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Roman Theatres

• Scaenae Frons in a Roman Theatre in Syria

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Roman Theatres

• A Roman Theatre in Rhone, France

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Roman Theatres

• Free Admission
• Non-reserved seating
• Festival programs were lengthy
• Audiences were unruly
• No special scenery Roman plays often take place
  on a street because of the construction of the
  stage
• Male actors
• Wearing of masks and catherni
• Creation of stock characters in Atellan farce

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Roman Theatres

• Terra Cotta figure of a comic Roman character

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Roman Theatres

• Ivory figurine of a Roman Tragic Actor, seen in
  large mask and high-soled boots (catherni)
• Pegs on bottom of feet are to connect figurine to
  a base, now missing

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Other Roman Entertainment

• Gladiatorial contests sometimes held in the
  orchestras and on the stages of theatres
• The circus- a round or oval stadium-like
  structure, such as the Colosseum in Rome
• Some circuses could be flooded for sea battles
  (naumachia)

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Other Roman Entertainment

• The Colosseum in Rome is a form of circus

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Decline of Roman Theatre

• Immorality and decadence of Roman Theatre
  alienated early Christians
• Emperor Constantine (ruled 312-337 A.D.) made
  Christianity semiofficial religion of Rome---
  pagan Roman Theatre declines
• Performances still popular until invasion of
  northern tribes, sacking of Rome twice by 467
  B.C.
• Last recorded performance, 533 A.D.

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Decline of Roman Theatre

• This Roman Theatre in Pompeii has barracks behind
  it to house the combatants in gladiatorial
  contests held here.