Theatre of Marcellus

The Theatre of Marcellus (, ) was an ancient open-air theatre in Rome, Italy, built in the closing years of the Roman Republic. It is located in the modern rione of Sant'Angelo. In the sixteenth century, it was converted into a palazzo.

Construction and Roman period use

Space for the theatre was cleared by Julius Caesar, who was murdered before its construction could begin; the theatre was advanced enough by 17 BC that part of the celebration of the ludi saeculares took place within the theatre; it was completed in 13 BC and formally inaugurated in 12 BC by Augustus, named after his nephew Marcus Claudius Marcellus who had died in 23 BC.

thumb|left|250px|A detail of [[Italo Gismondi|Gismondi's scale model of ancient Rome at the Museum of Roman Civilization, showing the Theatre of Marcellus between the Circus Flaminius and the Forum Olitorium, the Roman vegetable market. The bridge connecting it to Tiber Island is the Pons Fabricius.]]

The theatre was 111 m in diameter and was the largest and most important theatre in Ancient Rome; it could originally hold between 11,000 and 20,000 spectators. It was an impressive example of what was to become one of the most pervasive urban architectural forms of the Roman world. The theatre was built mainly of tuff, and concrete faced with stones in the pattern known as opus reticulatum, completely sheathed in white travertine. However, it is also the earliest dateable building in Rome to make use of fired Roman brick, then a new introduction from the Greek world.

The network of arches, corridors, tunnels and ramps that gave access to the interiors of such Roman theatres were normally ornamented with a screen of engaged columns in Greek orders: Doric at the base, Ionic in the middle. It is believed that Corinthian columns were used for the upper level but this is uncertain as the theatre was reconstructed in the Middle Ages, removing the top tier of seating and the columns.

Influence

According to his son, Christopher Wren aspired to the "ancient Roman Grandeur discernible in the Theatre of Marcellus" in his design for the Sheldonian Theatre, although its design is "not... an obvious derivative of the semicircular Theatre of Marcellus" and there is no evidence that it was modelled on it.

Copies

A 1:100 scale model of the theatre is found in Room IX of the Museum of Roman Civilization in Rome.

Gallery

File:MarcellustheaterRom.jpg|The arcade wall exposed

File:Roman old building3.JPG|Along the arcades

File:Peracvestigi157539.jpg|Appearance in 1575

File:Piranesi-4038.jpg|G.B. Piranesi's etching of a Doric bay

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References

External links

High-resolution 360° Panoramas and Images of Theater of Marcellus | Art Atlas