Roman Entertainment
The Romans enjoyed watching gladiator fights, sports, chariot races and plays.
Theatre, Amphitheatre or Circus
Theatres, amphitheatres and circuses each had a certain purpose and design.
An amphitheatre was circular and there were seats going around the performance area. By contrast, theatres had a semi-circular shape. The Roman Theatre of Orange, France A circus was an open air race track where chariot races would take place.
Amphitheatres hosted events such as gladiator fights and wild beast hunts; theatres hosted plays.
The ‘Arena of Nimes’ Amphitheatre, France The Roman Theatre
Porticus Post ScaenamThere were usually This area was wherethree entrances to the audience wentthe stage. Vomitorium during breaks. Pulpitum×+ ×+ ×+ TheScaenae area where Frons (sky-ny- The pulpitum was theAditus stage people enteredfronz and) in front of the scaenaeMaximus frons (ah-di- Thisexited was the elaborate Orchestrawhere the actors perform.tuss) the theatre. ×+ permanent backdrop of the ×+This was where This was the stage which×+ often the main chorus entrance to Proscaeniumcontained columns. performed. the orchestra. (pra-SEEN-ee-um) ×+ ×+ This was theCavea front part of the stageThis which was joined the the pulpitumsemi-circular to the orchestra. seating area, which was raised in tiers. ×+ Next
Photo courtesy of bobrayner(@flickr.com) - granted under creative commons licence – attribution Making Links
Some words used in Roman theatres are also used in modern theatres. Find out what each word means by clicking on the button to reveal each answer.
Scaenae Proscaeniu m
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The words ‘scene’ and The proscenium arch is the ‘scenery’ come from frame around the opening of this word. the stage area in today’s theatres. Making Links
Some words used in Roman theatres are also used in modern theatres. Find out what each word means by clicking on the button to reveal each answer.
Pulpitum Orchestra
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The word ‘pulpit’ comes The orchestra pit is on the from this word which is a floor in front of the stage in a small stage from which modern theatre, in front of someone speaks. the audience. The orchestra performed in the same place in a Roman theatre. Roman Actors
During the Roman period, actors were male – actresses were very rare and they could only act in certain performances. By the end of the Roman Empire, actresses were more common in theatres.
Actors worked in companies. In a company, there would be five male actors, a playwright, a flute player and a manager (who could also be the playwright). There A mosaic in Naples, Italy showing may have been some extra people to help Roman actors with props and costumes.
Actors wore cloth masks and different coloured wigs (black for young characters, white or grey for older characters and red for servants or slaves).
Photo courtesy of Tyler Bell(@flickr.com) - granted under creative commons licence – attribution Roman Plays
Usually, Roman plays were either comedies, tragedies, mimes or pantomimes.
Click on the boxes below to find out more about these genres.
Comedy Tragedy
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A comedy was a funny play A tragedy was a very about an absurd situation. dramatic play where something terrible happens. Roman Plays
Usually, Roman plays were either comedies, tragedies, mimes or pantomimes.
Click on the boxes below to find out more about these genres.
Mime Pantomime
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Mime were short scenes A pantomime usually involved a performed by two or three single performer telling a actors. They included narrative with dance and music. impersonations and funny They were not always liked as sketches that the they could be too loud, raucous Romans loved. and exaggerated. What about the Audience?
Theatre performances were free, so If the audience did not like a rich nobles would pay for the play to play, they would show their be staged. displeasure by shouting their opinions or by throwing food, The actors mimed and used grand sticks and even stones at gestures as often the audience talked the actors! during the performance. Are Roman Theatres Still Used Today? Many Roman theatres have survived until today.
This Roman theatre in Plovdiv, Bulgaria was built around AD90. It is still used today for entertainment and provides a direct link to past civilisations.