Roman theatre

Publication of the most important mosaic find from Mainz. Description of its saving, reconstruction and meaning. Originally part of a bath building near the Roman theater of Mainz, it perhaps commemorated an entertainment happened there once.

The figure of Nero has yet to be fully historicized, without moralistic prejudices and rehabilitative interpretations. To circumscribe the survey to the History of Theatre is not at all restrictive. The spectacular context is strategic in order to achieve a correct interpretation of the nature and life of a sui generis Caesar. From this hermeneutic perspective the essay proposes, within a contextual point of view, a critical rereading of the primary sources regarding the imperator scaenicus: from the sunny, quadriga charioteer Nero, to the apollonian citharoedus, to the tragoedus anxious on stage.

Le voci dell'oratore. Oratoria e spettacolo nell'excursus quintilianeo De pronuntiatione [I.O. XI,3], in Scena e spettacolo nell'antichità, Atti del Convegno Internazionale di Studio (Trento, 28-30 marzo 1988), Firenze 1989, pp. 253-267; L. PÉREZ GÓMEZ, Quintiliano y la semiótica del teatro, «Emerita» 58,1990, 99-111. Qualcosa anche in S. GASTALDI, Il teatro delle passioni. Pathos nella retorica antica, in Il concetto di pav qo" nella cultura antica, Atti del Convegno tenuto a Taormina dal 1 al 4 giugno 1994 = «Elenchos» 16,1995, pp. 57-82 (part. p. 81 s. con riferimento al VI libro della Institutio).

El teatro es un proceso de comunicación que tiene como objeto al ser humano en todos los sentidos; pero el individuo no sólo sirve para dar sentido al teatro, sino que es su condición de posibilidad: nace en el creador de la obra dramática; crece gracias a las personas que contribuyen a transformar la imaginación, la emoción, el pensamiento y las palabras en una realidad concreta; vive en el espectador que contempla lo que ocurre en escena. Sólo así se convierte la realidad en ficción y, al mismo tiempo, la ficción en verdad. Pero cuando suena el aplauso final, el teatro sigue su proceso vital en forma de un texto que espera a que, con el tiempo, un lector inicie un nuevo proceso de comunicación.
El teatro como texto y el teatro como espectáculo. Siempre corpóreo, siempre físico, sea en el espacio de una habitación, de una calle, de una plaza, del suelo, de un teatro… o en el pequeño espacio de un libro.
Por primera vez se reúnen y se estudian desde el punto de vista etimológico, filológico, lingüístico, dramático, cultural y literario las voces relativas al teatro romano: el dramaturgo, el actor, los artistas, el espectador, la escenografía, el edificio, el atrezo, el disfraz, los patrocinadores públicos y privados, la música y el baile presentes en el espectáculo, la expresión corporal y la gestualidad, los personajes y su universo dramático, el aplauso y el abucheo… En definitiva, este Diccionario abarca el teatro como recinto, como expresión cultural, como texto y como representación.

The theatres of Rome, Pompeii and of the provinces of the empire in the Augustan Age (and beyond) are analysed, through exempla, within a contextual framework that includes the history of mentality, the iconographic programmes and the spectacular forms. Special attention is devoted to the founding concept of repertoire, and to the performances by the pantomime actor Pilades of Cilicia and of the emperor-artist Nero.

I teatri di Roma, di Pompei e delle province dell'impero in età augustea (e oltre) vengono analizzati, mediante exempla, in un'ottica contestuale che indaga la storia della mentalità, i programmi iconografici e le forme dello spettacolo. Particolare attenzione è dedicata al concetto fondante di repertorio, nonché alle performances del pantomimo Pilade di Cilicia e dell'imperatore-artista Nerone.

Popular Spectacles in Rome  from the Late Republic to the Early Imperial Age.
The aim of the present contribute is to provide an outline of the theatralical forms in Rome during the first century BC, collecting literary texts with contemporary archaeological sources, epigraphic documents and papyri. The data are framed in the social context in which the traditional forms of theatre - tragedy and comedy - and other entertaining shows, such as pantomime and mime have developed.
Keywords
Roman theater, Tragedy, Comedy, Mimes, Pantomime, Recitals and Reperformances. Archaeological and papyrological documents.

In intere epoche della storia culturale d'Occidente è stato più famoso e letto di Plauto; ha avuto molto presto la ventura di diventare un testo scolastico; le sue commedie hanno continuato a circolare anche nel Medioevo e la sua pièce d'esordio è stata tradotta da uno dei padri della modernità, Niccolò Machiavelli. Ha inventato la polemica letteraria, usando il teatro per rintuz-zare le accuse che gli venivano rivolte e difendere le sue scelte poetiche. Ha introdotto la commedia di situazione, in cui l'intera vicenda ruota intorno alle reazioni dei vari personaggi di fronte a una circostanza in apparenza inesplicabile; ha usato le convenzioni del suo genere letterario per demo-lirle, diventando così suo malgrado l'assassino della commedia, che dopo di lui non poteva né tornare indietro né proseguire oltre lungo una strada della quale sembravano esaurite pressoché tutte le possibilità. Ha regalato al futuro un verso bellissimo, Homo sum: humani nil a me alienum puto, adottato da allora in avanti come divisa di ogni umanesimo. Eppure, nonostante tutto questo Terenzio è quasi assente dal panorama delle riscritture contemporanee del teatro antico e resta assai meno conosciuto e studiato di Plauto. I saggi raccolti in questo volume ne affrontano i testi da molteplici prospettive, mettendone in luce una serie di aspetti letterari, antropologici, culturali e contribuendo a restituire spessore ad una affascinante esperienza intellettuale.

SOMMARIO 5 EDITORIALE PARTE PRIMA STUDI 9 L'area archeologica del teatro romano di Milano. Monumento e valorizzazione di Raffaella Viccei 57 La figura di Odisseo da Omero ai drammaturghi del quinto secolo a.C. di Fabio Copani 83 Mattatori e primedonne. La scena tragica e i suoi protagonisti in tre casi recenti di Martina Treu 111 La traduzione collaborativa della trilogia di Edward Bond The War Plays di Margaret Rose e Salvatore Cabras 131 Il teatro delle marionette sull'acqua del Vietnam. Parte seconda: un confronto tra tradizione e modernità. Dalle ricerche teoriche al progetto di conservazione e valorizzazione di Nguyen Quang Dat 155 RECENSIONI PARTE SECONDA TACCUINO 171 Eccellenze sulla scena: i dieci nomi emergenti del teatro italiano a cura dellla Redazione 175 La drammaturga: Angela Dematté 183 Il regista: Claudio Autelli 191 L'attrice: Francesca Ciocchetti 195 Il one man show : Giulio Cavalli 203 Il gruppo: Babilonia Teatri 211 La scenografa: Maria Spazzi 221 Il gruppo di danza: Zerogrammi 229 La performance : Pathosformel 235 Il festival: Danae 241 La contaminazione: Santasangre 249 Tra cinema e teatro, nuovi orizzonti della scena italiana. Intervista a Maurizio Porro L'area archeologica del teatro romano di Milano. Monumento e valorizzazione di Raffaella Viccei Ai visitatori e ai frequentatori degli affollati e vivaci ambienti dei piani superiori [della Camera di commercio e del palazzo della Borsa] sarà possibile scendere nei silenziosi scantinati dove quiete lampade illumineranno le venerande vestigia del teatro romano e ancora una volta la febbrile attività di Milano creerà uno dei più singolari contrasti tra il vecchio e il nuovo, fra l'antica e la modernissima vita […]. 1

Comme les cirques, stades, théâtres et odéons, l’amphithéâtre de Nîmes appartient à la catégorie des édifices de spectacle que les Romains construisent dès la période républicaine et multiplient jusqu’à la fin de l’Empire. Héritiers des modèles grecs ou innovations de l’architecture romaine, ces monuments adoptent des fonctions et des configurations différentes, livrant chacun une histoire qui leur est propre.

The frieze bearing representations related to agonistic themes was located above the porta regia of the theatre of Hierapolis (Phrygia). It celebrated the exaltation of local games, called the Apolloneia Pythia. In this article we suggest new possible identifications for some of the figures which constitute the frieze. Furthermore, a stylistic analysis of the frieze leads us to conclude that a workshop of "Docimian" sculptors worked at Hierapolis. These sculptors would have been responsible not only for the decoration of the scaenae frons of the theatre,  but also for some sarcophagi found in the necropolis of the town. Finally, the study of the façade of the theatre as a whole sheds light on the multplie uses of this monument in antiquity. This allows us to understand the criteria for the selection of some iconographies, in order to transmit some messages. The decoration of the scaenae frons as a whole can be viewed as a "text" to be read on different levels. Its messages are expressed through a complicated code which combined images and written language.

e Messene theatre, built in the  rd century BC and abandoned in the late  th century AD, was used for both performances and political assemblies, according to literary and epigraphic testimony. e cavea, which is divided in eleven cunei, is supported by a strong retaining wall with arched gateways leading to the upper diazoma. No traces of the  rd century BC wooden stage remains; the  nd century BC scene building would have been rolled away on wheels and stored in a skenotheke. A ramp on the west side leads to the lower diazoma. Manumissions are inscribed on some of the stone seats. Six thrones for city dignitaries and several bases for honorary statues are set around the orchestra. A permanent stage with a proscenium of slender Ionic columns and semi-columns was constructed in the  st century AD. A colossal three-storeyed scenae frons with a low broad pulpitum, constructed in the second half of the  nd century AD, replaced the previous permanent stage; it was financed by Tiberius Claudius Saethidas Caelianus II, high priest of the Sebastoi for life and Helladarch of Achaia. e sculptural programme of the scenae frons is related to his ancestors and the Roman emperors Trajan, Hadrian, Septimius Severus, Marcus Aurelius and Lucius Verus with whom the family kept close ties. He was questor of the province Sicilia, augur and tribunus of the plebs and patron of the coloniae Abellinatum in Italy. Marble statues were erected in the niches of the scenae frons of Isis Pelagia, of Hermes and two portraits on Hermaic stelai. e Christianised inhabitants constructed their houses on the epitheatron and a built basilica nearby. e contribution on the mason marks focuses on the masons' marks used in the different phases of the theatre at ancient Messene, on each occasion only in specific parts of the structure. Different systems of counting or of making signs to facilitate construction and repair have been observed in the retaining walls, in the scene building and in the sculptural decoration of the theatre. is study aims to contribute to the understanding of the structure's architectural planning, the reconstruction of its exterior and ground plan and the dating of the individual construction phases, based on the mason's marks.

The way a Roman theatre is presently known, interpreted, sensed or reimaged is entrusted, above all, to our faculty of sight. And yet the Roman theatre was not simply a building to be seen. It was also a place full of sounds and a place in which various smells mixed together in a way that affected the performance. In the theatre, visual perception was thus activated alongside the auditory and olfactory perception of the environment. Is there today any possibility of experiencing a reenactment of the smells that spread everywhere within Roman theatres so that we can better understand this distinctive feature of these buildings during the Imperial age? What new technical means can be mobilized to enable modern audiences to smell and sense theatrical antiquity (for instance, in museums and multi-media productions)? With reference to the concrete proposal of the olfactory installation – the so called ‘olfactory plate’ – in the Multimedia and Sensory Museum of Milan Roman Theatre, and through a discussion of the reenactment and the re-interpretation of smells in performances of Latin dramatic texts, this chapter reflects on the contemporary reception of smells and other sensory perceptions by visitors to the archaeological remains of Roman theatres, as well as by audiences and performers in these spaces.

Cette pièce, attribuée à Sénèque par la tradition manuscrite, est la seule tragédie romaine à sujet historique qui ait été conservée. Elle raconte la répudiation d'Octavie (fille de l'empereur Claude, sœur de Britannicus) par Néron et les noces de Néron avec Poppée. ("Le Couronnement de Poppée" de Monteverdi en est inspiré). Une des scènes les plus fascinantes de la pièce oppose Néron à Sénèque, ce qui a fait conclure que Sénèque n'avait pu écrire la pièce et en même temps s'y mettre en scène. La postface resitue la pièce dans la pragmatique de la tragédie à Rome et tente de montrer qu'il n'y a aucune raison de ne pas attribuer la pièce à Sénèque.

Popular Spectacles in Rome  from the Late Republic to the Early Imperial Age.
The aim of the present contribute is to provide an outline of the theatralical forms in Rome during the first century BC, collecting literary texts with contemporary archaeological sources, epigraphic documents and papyri. The data are framed in the social context in which the traditional forms of theatre - tragedy and comedy - and other entertaining shows, such as pantomime and mime have developed.

Seneca's Medea tragedy alters Euripides' version both in depicting Medea's murders onstage, but also in splitting the two children's killings into two separate events. This article provides a diachronic and phenomenological close reading of the Medea character's choice to murder her second child in Seneca's tragedy, the ways in which Seneca's adaptation plays with audience expectations, the manuscript tradition of this play, and the character traits revealed by Seneca's choice to interrupt his Medea's crimes.

This paper examines Latin epitaphs which particularly focus on the career of mime actresses. These epitaphs have a personal attachment to the mimes and give us an opportunity to look at their lives in a different direction. While most of the literary sources shed a negative view on these actresses it is important to discuss aspects unspoken of them. Here, I discuss the epitaphs related to Claudia (CIL 6.10106 II) Arete (CIL 6.10107) and Ecloga (CIL 6.10110) focusing on the importance of the terms archimima, heredes, primus and diurnus, and how these terms become significant to their careers. Secondly, I examine the importance of the patron and the early age of death of these actresses.
    Claudia and Arete are the only two known archimimae in epitaphs who are acclaimed with the phrase, archimima sui temporis prima. For one thing, the title archimima is a challenging term to decipher. Archimima is known as the “protagonist” of the show (Panayotakis 2006), “head comedienne” (Traina 2001) and also, she might “have seen to the plot-line or the script” and “approved” of the scene (Panayotakis 2006). Although there is hardly any evidence on Roman female mimographers, as Fantham defines these “largely improvisational” performances’ plot is devised by the archimimus/a along with assigning the cast specific dialogues to improvise (Fantham 1989). Case’s chapter on “Women Pioneers” deals with the mimes as a starting point in history where women were involved in devising a plot and claiming the mimes as “the first women playwrights” (Case 2008).
    Arete’s epitaph indicates her career as a wealthy archimima. The epitaph states that she set up this tomb for her parents, the members of the Fabian family, herself and a few others. These fourteen named people are believed to be freed persons belonging to her or it could be a list of actors that worked for her (Starks 2004). The term diurnus (daily) is an “uncommon” term and appears specially with archimimus/a and it might signify that they were paid for holding this position (Maxwell 1992). Heredes (heirs) give the idea that the dead mime actress’s legend will be carried on by them. Both Claudia and Arete had heirs, implying “their pride of ownership and occupation” (Starks 2004). Arete states about her property and her will and she wants her property to be shared among the named persons only, further indicating their bond within the troupe. 
    Ecloga’s epitaph shows that whoever set up her epitaph wanted to make the world remember her as the mime of King Juba of Mauretania. Thus, her identity is aligned with a royal political leader of her time. Another recurrent factor in the epitaphs of the female actresses is their early age of death. Ecloga has died at the age of 18 and other actresses such as Eucharis and Hellas at 14 and Luria Privata at 19 (CIL 12.1214, CIL 12.1916, CIL 6.10111 II). When did they start their careers in life to be praised in their teens? This further shows the plight of these mimes who had a very short childhood or none.
    If a woman appearing on stage was considered a low condition, then why would an epitaph set up by her parents or relatives want people to remember that she was a mime? It shows that for them, it wasn’t a disgrace but an achievement in life (Hov 2015). These epitaphs manifest the power, the authority they had in the society. Claudia or Arete remain in history because they had enough wealth to commission a tomb for themselves. There must be so many untold stories due to their poverty and their social status. Many of the ancient writers remembered them either due to their association with politicians or for their scandalous behaviors. Thus, objectifying the mime actresses made people forget that they also led a life far more complex and powerful as opposed to being a mere object of pleasure for men.

In the framework of the study of Christian buildings in the ruins of amphitheaters, theaters, stadiums and Roman circuses, becomes appropriate to develop some reflections mainly aimed helping to explain the symbolic dimension acquired by the ludic background in which a far from negligible part of the Christian martyrdoms took place, as outlined on the preserved sources. Although this ludic substrate is not the only factor to be considered, it’s the one
that allowed the hagiographers composing stories – some with more historical veracity than others – with architectural settings charged with symbolism, where the victory of the martyrs as “athletes of Christ” was equated to the victory in secular games. All this greatly contributes to explain the subsequent relationship between Christian building and playful architecture occurred from the late 4th and early 5th centuries, and detected in the late antique and early medieval topography of some Roman cities. However, this issue has gone relatively unnoticed for Archeology, and when the two key elements – building and church – appear, with few exceptions, they are considered separately in case of being subjected to some kind of study.

During the excavations that led to the discovery of the Roman Theater of Sessa Aurunca in Campania, a Roman fresco was found in excellent condition of conservation. This fresco represents the Genius Theatri. It is a unique of its kind, since representations of this type are very rare and those that have come down from antiquity are carved in marble as in the case of a relief from the Roman Theater of Capua.

Presses universitaires de Franche-Comté Cet ouvrage réunit dix contributions de chercheurs sur les réponses qu'on donne aujourd'hui à la question des origines rituelles de la comédie ancienne et de son articulation avec l'histoire des idées politiques. Il fait ainsi l'inventaire, trente ans après la parution de l'ouvrage Le Carnaval et la politique de Jean-Claude Carrière, des acquis que la recherche actuelle en retient. À partir du cas exemplaire de la comédie ancienne, il produit une nouvelle somme sur une question beaucoup plus vaste, celle de l'opposition entre l'interprétation ritualiste et l'interprétation politique des sociétés anciennes. Les auteurs dont les contributions sont ici réunies sont des hellénistes et des latinistes spécialistes du théâtre antique. Ils viennent de France, d'Italie, du Royaume-Uni et des États-Unis.

Πρακτικά συνεδρίου: International Congress Art & Humanities Scientific Conference in Florence, The magic of the Renaissance, 26-27 Οκτωβρίου 2020, Φλωρεντία, Νοέμβριος 2020, σσ. 81-90.   

Our study forms part of a wider project seeking to cover a void within interdisciplinary research in drama studies: its focus is specifically the study of the history of visual arts and the Italian theatre of the Renaissance in juxtaposition with the ancient Greek theatre. Our study proceeds on the basis of an attentive engagement with comparative evidence as regards the methodology of acting and the use of theatrical masks up to the beginnings of the 18th century. It intends to cover a certain gap within the scientific study, in Greece, of the research area of the history of Italian art as well as the history of Italian theatre, while simultaneously focusing on the connection between, on the one hand, the theatrical genre of commedia dell'arte and, on the other hand, ancient Greek and Roman art. This interdisciplinary research project aspires at bringing to light evidence concerning the ancient Greek, Roman and modern Italian cultures. We intend to present as fully as possible the historical and cultural map of each period as regards both acting and the use of theatrical masks. The novelty of this research project lies in the fact that it aims at projecting a new scientific subfield, within the area of visual arts and theatre, as well as the art of acting, which is mostly untouched by both drama studies and historiography.

An exploration of the ways in which Republican tragedy might be considered 'Roman', of the implications of an imported 'national' literature, and the introduction of some new approaches. Approaches adopted include: comparison with recent assessments of how 'Athenian' Attic tragedy was, especially plays written for tyrants and others reperformed outside Athens; Republican tragedy as part of, but distinct from, the diaspora of tragedy throughout the Greek world; postcolonial, transnational, and Weltliteratur approaches; focus on issues of translation (employing notions of domestication and foreignization), aetiology, identity, and performance.

La découverte inattendue du théâtre gallo-romain de Lousonna-Vidy a mis en évidence des particularités notables, soulignant tout son intérêt. Elles permettent de soulever nombre de problématiques nouvelles comme l’influence d’une forme de monument importée sur la tradition locale du spectacle. C’est également l’occasion d’évoquer des thèmes non résolus de façon satisfaisante : la typologie des théâtres, les liens entre la forme du monument et les spectacles qui peuvent y être présentés. Abordés ici superficiellement, ils stimulent la poursuite de l’étude sur les monuments de spectacles.