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Roman Theatre
Founded in the 8th Century
Rose into World Power in the 3rd
Century
Official start of Roman Theatre
was 240 B.C.
Pre-Greek Influences
Beginning time of the
Italian theatre was 6th
through the 4th century
The city in Italy named
Etruria was more
advanced than Rome
Etruria festivals included
music, dance, boxing,
wrestling, chariot races,
and gladiatorial contests.
Pre-Greek Influences
First Italian performances
dated back to 368 B.C.
Here, music and dance were
used to appease the gods.
Dialogue was first used as
improvisation by histriories,
(actors and/or dancers).
A ruler of Rome established
the ludi 2, the festival at
which Greek drama was
later presented in 616-579
B.C. It included chariot
races and boxing contests.
Roman Festivals
Festivals were held for
special reasons:
War Victories
Dedication of
building and
monuments
Funerals
Private individuals
Roman Festivals
The officials Festivals
Ludi Romani: In
honor of Jupiter,
(The supreme God.)
Held each
September. It
included comedy
and tragedy.
Roman Festivals
The officials Festivals
Ludi Florales: In April
in honor of Flora,
(Goddess of Flowers.)
Roman Festivals
The officials
Festivals
Ludi Cereales:
Given in honor
of Ceres, (the
goddess of
agriculture).
October
Drama Under the Romans
Most of the significant
writing happened during
204 to 75 B.C.
The Writers
Livius Andranicus:
Gnaeus Naevius:.
Quintus Ennivs
Marcus Pactivuius
Lacius Accius
Terence
Plautus - Comedy
Seneca - Tragedy
Roman Theatre Structures
The first permanent
theatre building was
constructed around 55-54
B.C.
The first theatre was
dedicated to the goddess
Venus, named the Theatre
of Pompey
Theatres had to be
connected to Roman
Temples. The stage had to
be facing the temple.
Roman Theatre Structures
Characteristics of a
Roman Theatre
Built on Ground Level
Vertical aisles divided
the auditorium, or
cavea, into sections
similar to a stadium
The stage house, or
scaena (same as Skene),
and the cavea were
formed into one unit.
Roman Theatre Structures
Characteristics of a
Roman Theatre
There was a vomitoria, or
corriders (same as
Paradoi), provided so
actors could get onto the
cavea and orchestra.
The orchestra was an exact
half-circle and was used for
sitting privileged guests,
dancing, animal fights,
gladiatorial contests,
and/or water balloons.
Roman Theatre Structures
Characteristics of a
Roman Theatre
The stage, or pulpitum, was
raised about five feet
upstage of the orchestra.
The façade, or scaena
frons, of the stage house
was decorated with
columns, niches, and
statues.
There was a roof over the
stage
Dressing rooms were
housed in a wing.
Actors and Acting
Actors were called histriones.
Histriones were always men.
Mimes, or mimus, were sometimes
women and were inferior to the
histriones.
Roscius –most famous actor
No limit to how many actors were
allowed in a company; but usually
only five or six actors were used.
Facial expressions were important
because no masks were worn.
Violence was celebrated and
encouraged on stage as opposed to
the Greeks
Styles of Acting
Tragedy – slow, stately, declamatory delivery
Comedy—more rapid and conversational
Movements likely enlarged
Actors probably specialized in one type of
drama, but did others
Encores if favorite speeches given (no attempt
at "realism")
Mimes – no masks
Greek or roman costumes
Music was largely included