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Public Entertainment Buildings Public Entertainment Buildings An Investigation of the Spatial Distribution of Theatres, Amphitheatres, and Circuses in the Area of the Western Roman Empire Author: Christian Stelius Supervisor: Henrik Gerding Master’s thesis in Classical Archaeology and Ancient History Spring 2016 Department of Archaeology and Ancient History Lund University P a g e | 1 Abstract This thesis has investigated the spatial distribution of entertainment buildings in the area of the Western Roman Empire. This was done by first collecting data on all known entertainment buildings and plotting it in ArcGIS. The spatial distribution was then described and a number of different approaches was used to analyze the data. Factors that were analyzed includes: where the different types of entertainment buildings were popular was established, how the number of entertainment buildings compare to the level of urbanization in different areas, the differences in the size of the buildings in different areas, when the buildings were constructed, and if the construction of entertainment buildings were connected to the change in civic status of towns. I find that there are large inter-regional differences in both the number of buildings for public spectacles and the popularity of different building types. P a g e | 2 Contents Abstract ...................................................................................................................................... 1 Introduction ................................................................................................................................ 4 Purpose ................................................................................................................................... 4 Method .................................................................................................................................... 5 Historical background ............................................................................................................. 6 Previous research .................................................................................................................... 9 Material .................................................................................................................................... 13 Limitations ............................................................................................................................ 14 Definitions of building types ................................................................................................ 15 Representativity .................................................................................................................... 18 Dating ................................................................................................................................... 20 Analysis .................................................................................................................................... 20 Total number of buildings .................................................................................................... 20 Spatial distribution ................................................................................................................ 25 Local variation ...................................................................................................................... 33 Towns with multiple buildings ............................................................................................. 38 Urbanization ......................................................................................................................... 40 Size variation ........................................................................................................................ 43 Spread through time .............................................................................................................. 47 Change in civic status ........................................................................................................... 54 Peer-polity interaction .......................................................................................................... 56 Conclusions .............................................................................................................................. 57 Observations ......................................................................................................................... 57 Explanations ......................................................................................................................... 58 Catalogue .................................................................................................................................. 60 P a g e | 3 Theatres ................................................................................................................................ 60 Amphitheatres ....................................................................................................................... 76 Circuses ................................................................................................................................ 88 Gallo-Roman buildings ......................................................................................................... 90 List of Abbreviations ................................................................................................................ 93 Table of Figures ....................................................................................................................... 93 Bibliography ............................................................................................................................. 94 Ancient Sources ........................................................................................................................ 98 P a g e | 4 Introduction Public spectacles were an important pastime in Rome, and in the Empire as a whole. Ancient spectacles are often featured in popular culture today, and they are one of the aspects of ancient Roman culture that has fascinated modern people the most. Scholars have also been very interested in these spectacles, but the games themselves have often taken the spotlight and the buildings have had to take a step back. When mentioning Roman spectacles most people immediately think of bloody gladiatorial combat and poorly armored men fighting beasts. While that definitely was one type of Roman game, there were also other types. The chariot races of the circus, where four teams competed for victory, were very popular among the masses, and the dramas performed in the theatre were also part of the full spectrum of spectacles provided for the public in the Roman Empire. Purpose The goal of this thesis is to analyze the spatial distribution of public Roman entertainment buildings in the Western Empire. These buildings can be divided into three main categories: theatres, amphitheatres and circuses. There is also a fourth category of entertainment buildings which is spatially limited to the north western provinces of Gaul, Germania, and Britannia. It will here be referred to as Gallo-Roman buildings.1 While others have discussed all these building types before, most studies have focused on the architectural development. Spatial distribution has to various degrees been discussed but the three different types have never really been discussed in relation to each other, the focus of most studies have been on one of these three types and only sporadically has other types been mentioned in those studies. In this study I want to discuss the spatial relation of the different building types. My research questions are: ● What does the spatial distribution pattern of theatres, amphitheatres, and circuses look like in the area of the Western Empire? ● Why are they distributed in that way? 1 See page 15 for an explanation of this category. P a g e | 5 Method I will start with establishing where these buildings actually were located and how they are spatially related to each other, and then I will discuss potential reasons for the spatial distribution. We can for example see that there are many circuses in Spain but relatively few amphitheatres; if the people on the Iberian Peninsula had the resources to build circuses why did they not build amphitheatres as they did in other areas? I began this study by compiling a catalogue of all the known relevant buildings. For practical reasons and time restrictions I could not myself investigate all these buildings but have had to rely on other catalogues that already were put together. Since new information arises all the time and some of the catalogues have been out a fair few years by now I have tried to complement them where needed. When my catalogues were done I plotted the buildings in ArcMap, a GIS software, so that I could produce the maps and information I needed. When all that was done I started with the analysis. First I discuss the total number of each type. Then I describe the spatial distribution of the buildings to see what patterns could be established. Possible explanations for said patterns are then discussed. The interregional differences in the total number of entertainment buildings are investigated, and so is the local variation in the number of theatres, amphitheatres, and circuses. Then I add variables to further the depth of the investigation. I investigate how the number of entertainment buildings relate to the level of urbanization in different provinces, and I establish different patterns
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