1. Roman Theatre Design
Theatre in Aspendos on Turkey's south coast, the best preserved Roman theatre in the world

2. Comedy and Tragedy Included more than dramatic plays : acrobatics
gladiators
jugglers
athletics
chariots races
naumachia (sea battles)
Boxing
animal fights

4. Roman Theatre Design
First permanent Roman theatre built 54 A.D. (100 years after the last surviving comedy)

5. Roman Theatre Design General Characteristics dressing rooms
Cavea could seat up to 25, 000
Larger then Greek Theatres
dressing rooms
in side wings,
Aditus Maximus
Scaena =skene

6. Roman Theatre Design General Characteristics Stage raised to five feet
Stages were
large –
20-40 ft deep
ft long

7. Roman Theatre

11. Roman Theatre Design General Characteristics trap doors
cooling system – air blowing over streams of water
awning over the audience to protect them from the sun

12. Roman Theatre Design Scaena “stage house” joined with audience to
form one
architectural
unit

13. Roman Theatre Design Scaena frons front/façade of the stage house
was painted and
had columns,
niches,
porticoes,
statues

14. Theatre at Orange, France

15. Roman Theatre Design Orchestra becomes half-circle
was probably used for gladiators and for the display and killing of wild animals
if entertainment permitted, people were sat here

16. Roman Theatre Design Vomitoria
corridors under the seats that lead onto the orchestra

17. Roman Theatre Design
Pulpitum
the stage
Cavea
the auditorium

18. Roman Theatre Design
Other structures included:
Circus Maximus
Ampitheatres

19. Roman Theatre Design Circus Maximus Primarily for Chariot racing
Permitted 12 chariots to race at once

20. Roman Theatre Design Ampitheatres
For gladiator contests, wild animal fights, and occasionally naumachia
Had space with elevators below to bvring up animals, etc.

21. Actors and Companies
Festival under control of local official who hired acting troupes
Troupes led by dominus
Dominus bought plays, hired actors
Actors = historiones,
Mostly male – women were in mimes

22. Roman Actors some believe actor were slaves.
“Star" performers however could achieve great fame and wealth

23. Roman Actors Style of Acting
Mostly Greek traditions – masks, doubling of roles
Six male actor, no 3 actor rule

24. Roman Actors Style of Acting
Movements likely enlarged, large parts of the play may have been sung
Actors probably specialized in one type of drama and role

25. Dramatic Criticism in Rome
Like Roman drama, Roman dramatic criticism was based on the work of others, especially Aristotle
The best-known writer of dramatic theory and criticism in the Roman world was Horace (Quintus Horatius Flaccus)
Horace
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26. Horace Chorus – set high moral tone 5 acts, 3 speaking actors
No gods unless necessary
Drama – profit and please- entertain and instruct.