Ancient Roman Theatre Cultural Periods and Events Theatrical Developments Persons Roman Kingdom Atellan & Greek influences Pompey Etruscan Rule Ludi Romani added plays Julius Caesar Roman Republic Ludi Florales included mime Mark Antony & Cleopatra Sabine invasion mime became pornographic Augustus (Octavian) Plebian Council reorganized ideals about not mixing comedy & Hadrian Tribal Assembly tragedy, 5 acts, 3 actors, moral Simon bar Kokhba Second & Third Punic Wars chorus, to profit & please Marcus Aurelius Third Servile War theatre buildings & arenas invented Commodus Jerusalem conquered arenas built across empire Elagabalus (Heliogabalus) Gaul conquered emperors as gladiators Diocletian crossing of the Rubicon slave & star actors/gladiators Justinian II Caesar assassinated loss of audience to the games Theodosius Roman Empire decline of theatre with Christian Plautus Great Fire of Rome condemnation, yet plays preserved in Jupiter & Mercury Vesuvius eruption the Byzantine (Eastern) Empire Terence Pantheon rebuilt Seneca bar Kokhba revolt Nero Pax Romana Horace Christians martyred Venus in temple watching toleration for Christians Christians sacrificed in arena Council of Nicaea gladiators (female) & hunters Constantine's two capitals referee with rudis Roman Empire as Christian stagehands as larvae, Mercury, Rome sacked Pluto, or Charon Western Empire collapsed musicians & clowns Byzantium conquered spectators with missilia senators, knights, & editor Commodus as Hercules dominus Perf. Types & Play Titles Performance Places & Spaces Perf. Objects & Practices Atellan farce Circus Maximus scaena Roman New Comedy temporary wooden theatres scaenae frons tragedy Theatre of Pompey (with religious periaktoi mime shrine attached) auleum pantomime pulpitum siparium Amphitryon & Menaechmi orchestra velarium Phormio cavea with awning for shade elaborate scenery & exotic beasts Thyestes vomitoria (arena exits) trumpets & water organ wild animal hunts (venationes) arena as “amphitheatre” wooden balls for prizes animal tricks Flavian Colosseum viewers in purple or white togas crucifixions Pozzuoli arena secutor & retiarius burnings at the stake cells, passages, & elevators murmillo, thraex, & hoplomachus executions ad bestias Fucine Lake gallus & samnite gladiator fights & battles dimachaerus, laquearius, sea battles (naumachiae) cestus, eques, & essedarius chariot & horse races linen head-masks stock characters .