Roman Theater

Roman History

Rome – in 753 B.C. was a town dominated by Etruria, North of Rome.In 509 B.C., the Etruscan (from Etruria) ruler was expelled, and Rome became a republic (just as Athens became a democracy).

In the 4th Century B.C., Rome expanded, and by 265 B.C. controlled the Italian peninsula, then Sicily, then several Greek territories

By 240 B.C., Greek Theatre was familiar to Romans, translated into Latin, and brought to Rome.

The beginnings of Roman theatre recorded: the first record of drama at the Ludi Romani (Roman Festival or Roman Games).

Rome became an empire after Julius Caesar, 27 B.C.

Republic – from 509-27 B.C.Empire – from 27 B.C.-476 A.D.

By 345 A.D., there were 175 festivals a year, 101 devoted to theatre.In 55 B.C., the first stone theatre was built in Rome (by Julius Caesar)

Roman Theatre

Borrowed Greek ideas and improved (?) on them

Less philosophical

Encompassed more than drama : acrobatics, gladiators, jugglers, athletics, chariots races, naumachia (sea battles), boxing, venationes (animal fights)

Entertainment tended to be grandiose, sentimental, diversionary

Actors / performers were called "histriones"

Three major influences on Roman theatre:

Greek Drama
Etruscan influences – emphasized circus-like elements
Fabula Atellana – Atellan farces (Atella was near Naples)

Short improvised farces, with stock characters, similar costumes and masks – based on domestic life or mythology – burlesqued, parodied – during the 1st century B.C., then declined
May have influenced commedia dell ‘Arte
Stock characters:
Bucco: braggart, boisterous
Pappas: foolish old man
Dossenus: swindler, drunk, hunchback
Drama flourished under the republic but declined into variety entertainment under the empire

Roman festival:

Held in honor of the gods, but much less religious than in Greece.

Ludi Romani – 6th century B.C.

Became theatrical in 364 B.C.

Held in September (the autumn)and honored Jupiter.

By 240 B.C., both comedy and tragedy were performed.

Five others: Ludi Florales (April), Plebeii (November), Apollinares (July), Megalenses (April), Cereales (no particular season).

Under the empire, these festivals afforded "bread and circuses" to the masses – many performances.

Performances at festivals probably paid for by the state a wealthy citizen, had free admission, were lengthy—including a series of plays or events, and probably had prizes awarded to those who put extra money in.

Acting troupes (perhaps several a day) put on theatre events.

Roman Plays

Forms of Roman Theatre

Roman Drama:

life of Roman Dramaer
Roman Dramaer	His life history	about
Livius Andronicus	240 – 204 B.C.	wrote, translated, or adapted comedies and tragedies, the first important works in Latin. Little is known, but he seems to have been best at tragedy
Gnaeus Naevius	270-201 B.C	excelled at comedy, but wrote bothBoth helped to "Romanize" the drama by introducing Roman allusions into the Greek originals and using Roman stories.Comedy and Tragedy followed different paths.
Gnaeus Naevius	-----	svertook after 2nd century A.D. Fabula raciniata. Spoken Usually short Sometimes elaborate casts and spectacle Serious or comic (satiric) No masks Had women Violence and sex depicted literally (Heliogabalus, ruled 218-222 A.D., ordered realistic sex) Scoffed at Christianity Needless to say, the Church did not look kindly at Mime
Mime	-----	excelled at comedy, but wrote bothBoth helped to "Romanize" the drama by introducing Roman allusions into the Greek originals and using Roman stories.Comedy and Tragedy followed different paths.

Roman Comedy

Comedy was most popular: Only two playwrights' material survives

Comedy person	His life history	about	IMAGE
Titus Maccius Plautus	(c. 254-184 B.C.)	Very popular. Pot of Gold, The Menaechmi, Braggart Warrior -- probably between 205-184 B.C. All based on Greek New Comedies, probably, none of which has survived Added Roman allusions, Latin dialog, varied poetic meters, witty jokes Some techniques: stychomythia – dialog with short lines, like a tennis match Slapstick Songs
Publius Terenius Afer [Terence]	(195 or 185-159 B.C.)	Born in Carthage, came to Rome as a boy slave, educated and freed Six plays, all of which survive The Brothers, Mother-in-Law, etc. More complex plots – combined stories from Greek originals. Character and double-plots were his forte – contrasts in human behavior Less boisterous than Plautus, less episodic, more elegant language. Used Greek characters. Less popular than Plautus.

Roman Tragedy:

None survive from the early period, and only one playwright from the later period:

Lucius Annaeus Seneca (5 or 4 B.C. – 65 A.D.)

Nine extant tragedies, five adapted from Euripides. His popularity declined, suicide in 65 A.D. Though considered to be inferior, Seneca had a strong effect on later dramatists. The Trojan Women, Media, Oedipus, Agamemnon, etc., all based on Greek originals Probably closet dramas—never presented, or even expected to be.

Characteristics of Roman Tragedy (Senecan):

five episodes / acts divided by choral odes elaborate speeches – forensic influence interest in morality – expressed in sententiae (short pithy generalizations about the human condition) violence and horror onstage, unlike Greek (Jocasta rips open her womb, for example) Characters dominated by a single passion – obsessive (such as revenge) – drives them to doom Technical devices: Soliloquies,asides, confidants interest in supernatural and human connections – was an interest in the Renaissance

Roman Dramatic Theory:

Horace (65-8 B.C.) – a theoretician – Ars Poetica (The Art of Poetry)

Little influence in his time (interest at the time was in theatre not drama), but much influence in the Renaissance Interpreted Aristotle’s Poetics, but less theoretical and more practice-oriented Mentions unities (of time, place, and action), genre separation, language use in tragedy and comedy

Roman Theatre Design – Buildings

First permanent Roman theatre built 54 A.D. (100 years after the last surviving comedy) So permanent structures, like Greece, came from periods after significant writing More that 100 permanent theatre structures by 550 A.D.

General characteristics: Built on level ground with stadium-style seating (audience raised) Skene becomesscaena – joined with audience to form one architectural unit Paradoi becomevomitorium into orchestra and audience Orchestra becomes half-circle Stage raised to five feet Stages were large – 20-40 feet deep, 100-300 feet long, could seat 10-15,000 people 3-5 doors in rear wall and at least one in the wings scaena frons – façade of the stage house – had columns, niches, porticoes, statues – painted stage was covered with a roof dressing rooms in side wings trap doors were common awning over the audience to protect them from the sun, during the empire around 78 B.C, .cooling system – air blowing over streams of water area in from of the scaena called the proskene (proscenium)