Download THEATRE

• Introduction
• Structure
• Differences between Roman and Greek
theatre
• Plays
• The theatre of Marcellus
In ancient Rome, plays and entertainment
were an integral and important part of public
life. The theatre was one of the places where the
Romans met to spend their free time.
The roman theatre was semicircular in shape and it
was constituted by three parts:
• the orchestra, with the seats reserved to the
senators;
• the scene, where the actors performed;
• the cavea, which consisted of broad steps.
Unlike the Greek theatres, the Roman theatres didn’t
need a slope to rest upon, they were generally built on
their own foundations. The first Roman theatres were
made of wood as it was prohibited to use stone. The
theatre of Pompey was the first one made of stone (55
BC)
During a play Roman actors used masks. There
were no women actors. Generally they did not
use a chorus.
Their favorite types of plays were comedies and
pantomimes.
The theatre of Marcellus is one of the most
ancient buildings for Roman entertainments
and it is still partially preserved.