What is the Roman Theatre? Borrowing the ideas from the Greeks formed the Roman theatre but the Romans improved some of the ideas.

 

The history of the Roman theatre

There were three major influences on the Roman theatre they were

1. Greek Drama
2. Etruscan influences – emphasized circus-like elements
3. Fabula Atellana – Atellan farces (Atella was near Naples).

They encompassed more than drama: acrobatics, gladiators, jugglers, athletics, chariots races, naumachia (sea battles), boxing, venationes (animal fights)
Gladiators- people in contest in which the slaughter of humans was the entertainment for the audience.
Actors / performers were called "histriones" (histronas)
Acting troupes (perhaps several a day) put on theatre events.

FORMS OF ROMAN THEATRE
Pantomime: (207) solo dance, with music (lutes, pipes, cymbals) and a chorus.
Used masks, story-telling, mythology or historical stories, usually serious but sometimes comic
Mime: (207) overtook after 2nd century A.D. Fabula raciniata

Roman Drama – there are only about 200 years that are important
Roman Comedy-Comedy was most popular: Only two playwrights' material survives.
Roman Tragedy-None survive from the early period, and only one playwright from the later period.
Style of acting
Mostly Greek traditions – masks, doubling of roles
Tragedy – slow, stately, declamatory delivery
Comedy—more rapid and conversational
Movements likely enlarged
Actors probably specialized in one type of drama, but did others
Encores if favorite speeches given (no attempt at "realism")
Mimes – no masks
Greek or roman costumes
Much music

Theatre at the End of the Empire
6th Century A.D. – Christianity rising
Emperor Constantine (324-337 A.D.) – made Christianity legal.
Theodosius -- 393 – made any other worship illegal
By 400 A.D., many festivals abated, diminished – no gladiators by 404, and no ventiones (animal fights) by 523, but others continued
Church opposition to Theatre:
1. Association with pagan gods
2. Ridicule of church by mimes (sacrament and baptism)

In 533 A.D. The last record we have of a performance in the Roman Empire – mentioned in a letter.

Questions

1. What are Gladiators?
2. What mainly influence the Roman theatre?
3. What are 2 out of 5 forms of the Roman theatre?
4. What were the actors and performers called?
5. What other entertainment did they have besides Gladiators?