Theater models on display

The shock at the 'Museo Della Civiltà Romana' was huge. I visited this remote museum in Rome two weeks ago. Despite tempting photos of the collection, everything on display is fake. Not just some ordinary objects, but the entire collection, room after room is of painted chalk. So: don't go! Nevertheless, some remarkable nice models of theaters, amphitheaters and other Roman buildings can be seen. Like the above theater of Aspendos (Turkey). Or the theater of Sabratha (Lybia) and the one of Marcellus (Rome) below. About Aspendos (May 21, 2009) and Marcellus (June 13, and November 7, 2009), you can find information in this blog.

Although I have never been to Lybia (who did?), wikipedia and some other sites give background information. The theater of Sabratha is situated at the outskirts of the city, beyond the Byzantine walls. It dates from the 2nd century AD. Its seatings and stage are relatively intact, as are its backstage rooms, making it one the more complete Roman theaters in the world (let us not overdrijven). It has 25 entrances and could seat approximately 5.000 visitors. Its stage backdrop is 25 meters high and constructed from 108 Corinthian columns arranged in three stories. Its backstage area, behind the scaenae frons, included two luxurious marble paneled so-called 'green rooms', at either wing and prop and dressing rooms were reached from the stage by three entrances in the backdrop: one at the center and two on either side.

The theater of Marcellus has been described in the previous message. It is a typical Roman construction, urban, without using natural slopes.