Roman TheatreRoman Theatre650B.C.-475A.D. Fall of 650B.C.-475A.D. Fall of

RomeRome(Based on unifying of (Based on unifying of

city states and change city states and change in leadership)in leadership)

Roman EmpireRoman Empire

BackgroundBackground

►Plays a Plays a retelling of Greek Playsretelling of Greek Plays►Prologue told entire story for the Prologue told entire story for the

uneducated audienceuneducated audience►Often plot explain further for audience Often plot explain further for audience

within the playwithin the play►Upper class often spread out Upper class often spread out

throughout the empire and not located throughout the empire and not located in Roman, in Roman, audience often lower class audience often lower class and barbarians.and barbarians.

Significant PeopleSignificant People►A. Pompey huge A. Pompey huge

auditorium auditorium “temple” “temple”

►B. Caeser-two B. Caeser-two theatres that theatres that revolved into a revolved into a amphitheatre amphitheatre for chariot races for chariot races and gladiatorial and gladiatorial contestscontests

PlaywrightsPlaywrights

►Plautus and TerencePlautus and TerenceComic writersComic writers

►SenecaSenecaTragic writerTragic writer

Plays appeal to the lowest Plays appeal to the lowest elements elements

PlautusPlautus

SenecaSeneca

Theatre ArchitectureTheatre Architecture

►Added to Greek-three storied Added to Greek-three storied wall filled with carvings and wall filled with carvings and statuesstatues

►Awnings over audience and Awnings over audience and later permanent wooden roofslater permanent wooden roofs

►Front curtain-trough in the Front curtain-trough in the floorfloor

Roman Comic PerformersRoman Comic Performers

Roman TheatreRoman TheatreSkene expanded to Skene expanded to decorative decorative

wall with doorswall with doors

Terms:Terms:Types of Entertainment Types of Entertainment

(purpose to keep the general (purpose to keep the general audience happy and occupied)audience happy and occupied)

►Chariot RacesChariot Races►Gladiator ContestsGladiator Contests►NaumachiaesNaumachiaes►VenationesVenationes: Animals in the : Animals in the

ArenaArena --lions, elephants, bears, deer, wild lions, elephants, bears, deer, wild

goats, dogs, snakes and camels goats, dogs, snakes and camels ..

Arena Arena

►Wood floor is Wood floor is no longer no longer present.present.

► Floor could be Floor could be removed and removed and lower area lower area flooded for flooded for sea battles!sea battles!

3 subterranean levels 3 subterranean levels

Circus MaximusCircus Maximus

Various categories of Various categories of GladiatorsGladiators

Important Terms cont.Important Terms cont.

►Claque-person paid Claque-person paid to arouse audience to arouse audience to clap and shoutto clap and shout

Significant EventsSignificant Events

►Roman’s crude drama replaced Roman’s crude drama replaced Greek plays with translations and Greek plays with translations and adaptionsadaptions

►Frowned upon by upper class and Frowned upon by upper class and Senate-so lower Senate-so lower class=entertainment (demanded class=entertainment (demanded spectacle and vulgarity)spectacle and vulgarity)

Street SceneStreet Scene

►Plays performed for Plays performed for holidays which numbered holidays which numbered up to 175up to 175

►Fall of Rome-church banned Fall of Rome-church banned theatre (dormant on theatre (dormant on continent-in India and the continent-in India and the Orient it flourishedOrient it flourished

The End!The End!