ANTIQUE ENTERTAINMENT

Until recently, I didn't have much documentation about Roman or Greek Theaters or actual plays. Probably, I was inattentive, but in Berlin I found two great volumes. 'The Art of Ancient Greek Theater' by Mary Louise Hart, associate curator in the Dept. of Antiquities at the Getty Museum and a German copy of 'Teatri Greci e Romani' or 'Antike Theater' , by Umberto Pappalardo. I was happy to find more information of the statue of an actor disguised as Papposilenos, the oldest member of the band of satyrs who raised Dionysos. I saw the statue last year in the Palazzo Massimo all Terme in Rome.  The Papposilenos served as the chorus leader in the satyr play because in a sense he was the least vulgar. To some extend, Hart explained, he mitigated the obscenity and crudity of the other players as he paraphrased the heroic themes proper to tragedy. The Roman statue dates from  the 2nd century AD and was found in 1957 on the beach of...

Yesterday, I arrived in Rome and visited the circus of Maxentius. It is the best preserved circus in Rome, and an attractive scenic site. It was excavated by Antonio Nibby in 1825 for the Torlonia family, and restored in the 1960s and 1970s. The stadium measures 513m by 91m and was probably capable of holding some 10.000 spectators. The main entrance was on the west side with the 12 carceres or stalls for the chariots and quadriagae, and, on the other side, two square towers with curved facades. Two arches, one of which has been restored, connected the towers to the long sides of the circus and provided side entrances. I n the construction of the tiers of seats, amphorae were used to lighten the vaults and these can still clearly be seen. In the centre of the left side is the conspicuous emporer's box, which was connected by a portico to his palace on the hill beside. At the far end was a triumphal arch where a fragment of a dedicatory inscription to Romulus, son of Maxentius, w...

Although it has nothing to do with theaters, amphitheaters or hypodromes, the great aqueducts of the Roman empire are impressive. Watch the video of the Aqua Claudia in all its glory. Click here !

I saw this wonderful statue in the Vatican Museum. Fascinating, among all the other dirty, but marble shit. It seems once struck by lightning and buried on the spot; a Roman custom. Probably part of the theater of Pompeius. End 1st, start 2nd century AD.

The theater of Pompey is the first permanent theater in Rome. The construction was planned and financed by the general and consul Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus (106-48 BC). It was situated on southern part of the Campus Marius. The structure was the first in Rome to be free-standing, not set into a hillside. It was built with concrete foundations from the ground up, with access corridors under the seating. The stone/masonry edifice with a stage 300 feet wide comprised a large leisure complex where gardens were enclosed with collonade, galleries for rare artworks, and a curia (Senate meeting hall). The semi-circular seating area's facade consisted of three arcades with columns. Although almost no remains are visible, the theater will always be connected with Julius Caesar, who was killed in the building. More detailed information can be found here .

This great sculpture of (most likely) Marcellus was on display at 'Imperium' at Haltern am See, as part of the exhibitions of 2000 years 'Varusschlag'. It is found at the second floor of a house in Pompei, in 'Casa del Citarista'. Originally, it must have been painted, while the eyes still bear its traces. During the years it was speculated that the sculpture was an image of Brutus Minor, Agrippa Postumus, Drusus, Germanicus or a representative of the Pompeian gens Popidii. Due to its resemblance of a portrait of Marcellus at the Musei Capitolini, scientist finally agreed on Marcellus; also while Marcellus was the patronus of Pompei. The Theater of Marcellus, was named after Marcus Marcellus, Augustus's nephew and who died five years before its completion. Space for the theatre was cleared by Julius Caesar, who was murdered before it could be begun; the theater was so far advanced by 17 BC that part of the celebration of the 'ludi saeculares' took ...

Regarding the theaters of Rome, only the remains of the one of Marcellus are of significant importance to attract visitors: when 'theaters' are the aim. But also the theater of Balbus and the theater of Pompey left their traces. Subterranean or in the museum.  The above model is on display in the Museo della Civitata Romana. It was the smallest theater, and I think it is the one in the upper right corner of the picture. The one with the 'appendix' was the theater of Pompeius (Pompey). The appendix, the temple of Venus Victrix. More information (wiki) you can find here ! Pictures I have taken at Museo Crypta Balbi? Click