Page:Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography Volume II.djvu/865

 ROMA. viously to this period, plays were performed in wooden theatres, erected for the occasion. Some of these temporary buildings were constnicted with extravagant magnificence, 'especially that of M. Aemilius Scaurus in b. c. 59, a description of which is given by Pliny (xxxvi. 24. s. 7). An attempt, to which we have before alluded, was indeed made by the censor Cassius, b. c. 154, to erect a stone theatre near the Lupercal, which was defeated by the rigid morality of Scipio Nasica (Veil. Pat. i. 15; Val. Max. ii. 4. § 2; Liv. Epit. xlviii.; Oros. iv. 21). A good deal of this old Roman feeling remained in the time of Pompey; and in order to overcome, or rather to evade it, he dedicated a temple to Venus VicTRix on the summit of his theatre, to which the rows of seats appeared to form an ascent (Tac. Ann. xiv. 20; Tert. de Spect. 10; Plin. viii. 7). Gellius places the dedication of the theatre in the third consulship of Pompey, which is at variance with the other authorities (A". A. x. 1). We have sjioken uf its situation in a preceding section, and siiall refer the reader who desires any further in- formation on this head to Canina (^Fndicaz. p. 368, seq.). wiio has bestowed much labnur in investigating the remains of this building. There is great dis- crepancy in the accounts of the number of specta- tors which this theatre was capable of accommo- dating. According to Pliny, in whose ilSS. there are no variations, it held 40,000 persons (xxxvi. 24. 8. 7); and the account of Tacitus of the visit of the German ambassadors seems to indicate a large number (" Intravere Pompeii theatrum, quo magni- tudinem populi viserent," Ann. xiii. 54). Yet one of the codices of the Notitia assigns to it only 22,888 seats, and the Curiostim still fewer, or 17.580. It was called theatrum lapideum, or mai-- mureiim, i'rom the material of which it was built; which, however, did not suffice to protect it from the ravages of fire. The scena was destroyed in the reign of Tiberius, and rededicated by Claudius (Tac. Ann. iii. 72; Dion Cass. Ix. 6). The theatre was liurnt in the fire under Titus, and again in the reign of Philip: but it must have been restored on both occasions, as it is mentioned by Ammianus ]Iar- cellinus among the objects most worthy of notice in his account of the visit of Constantius II. (xvi. 10). We learn from the Catalogus Impe,ratorimi, that it had been repaired by Diocletian and Maximian: and it was also the object of the care of Theodoric (Cassiod. Var. iv. 51). The Theatkf, of Balbu.s, dedicated in b.c. 12 (Suet. Aug. 29; Dion Cass. liv. 25), was a building of much less importance, and but few accounts have been preserved of it; yet it must have lasted till a late period, as it is recorded in the Notitia. According to the Curiosum it accommodated 1 1,600 persons; whilst the MSS. of the Notitia mention 11,510 and 8088. The Theatku.m IIarcelli was begun by Caesar (Dion Cass, xliii. 49), and dedicated by Augustus, B. c. 12, to the memory of his nephew, Marcellus. {Mon. Ancyr.; Suet. Atig. 29; Dion Cass. liv. 26.) We have already mentioned its situation in the Forum Olitorium ; and very considerable remains <jt it are still to be seen in the Piazza Montanara. Its arches are now occupied by dirty workshops. It does not seem to have enjoyed so much celebrity as Pompey's theatre. According to the Curiosum it was capable of accommodating 20,000 spectators. The scena was restored by Ve.s^pasian (Suet. Vesp. 19); and Lampiidius mentions ROMA. 845 Sevenis contemplated a renovation of the theatre {Alex. 44.) THEATRE OF MARCELLUi5. These were the tliree Roman theatres, properly so called (Ov. Tr.m. 12.24.):— " Proque tribus resonant terna theatra foris." Some of the MSS. of the Notitia mention four theatres, including, of course, the Odeum, which was a roofed theatre, intended for musical per- formances. According to the most trustworthy accounts, it was built by Domitian, to be used in the musical contests of the Capitoline games which he instituted (Suet. Dom. 4 ; Cassiod. Chron. p. 197, Rone.) ; and when Dion Cassius (Ixix. 4) ascribes it to Trajan, we may perhaps assume that it was finished or perfected by him. Nero appears to have first introduced musical contests (Tac. Ann. xiv. 20), but the theatre in which they were lield was probably a temporary one. The Odeum was capable of holding 10,000 or 12,000 persons. It is mentioned by Ammianus Marcelliiius (xvi. 10). The Amphitheatre of Statilius Taurus was the first permanent building of that kind erected at Rome. After the chariot races, the gladiatorial com- bats were the most fiivourite spectacle of the Romans; yet it was long before any peculi.ar building was appropriated to them. We have already related that the first gladiators were exhibited in the Forum Boarium in m.c.264; and subsequently these combats took place either in the circus or in the Forum Roinauum : yet neither of these places was well that' Alexander I adapted for such an exhibition. The former was