Classics Revision

Pompeii – The Theater

Pompeii had its own theater district with two theaters. The small was probably only used for poetry
recitals and music but the other, larger theatre had a capacity of 5,000 and was used for plays.
 The Romans were particularly keen on comedy, there most famous comedic playwright being
Plautus. His plays used mainly slapstick and farce.
 Most plots center on the tricks of a resourceful slave to help a young master with his love life
who is being threated by a rival or a strict father. Girl is usually of low status but turns out to
be eligible at end of the play. Stock characters may be a cook, sponger or boastful soldier
 Like in ancient Greece, actor wore masks. Comic masks had grinning mouths; male was brown,
female white.
 White costume was and old man, multi-colored for youth, yellow for prostitute, purple for rich
and red for poor
 A slave wore a short tunic and a soldier wore a cloak
 The large theater was built onto a hillside at the southern end of the town
 Seating was semi-circular
 Important men sat at the front (best seats)
 Many aisles running up the seating area so it was easy for people to get up from their seats
 Seat were not wide – each 40cm wide
 Awning was used to provide shade on hot days
 Audience sprayed with scented water during interval to keep cool
 Actors performed on stage but orchestra was in front and part of the audience. They played
between scenes and during the play to add atmosphere.
 Stage was given scenery to create setting and props were also used (e.g. doors)
 Audience was very vocal in views, hissing and booing but also cheering and clapping wildly

Pompeii – The Amphitheater

 Capacity of 15,000 (smaller than Coliseum in Rome)
 Gladiators were important to the Pompeians- special barracks where they lived and trained
 Shows were much like those put on in the Coliseum; beast hunts and gladiatorial fights
 Paid for by a sponsor who wanted to gain popularity (wealthy public figure) and in the lead-up
to the games, he would pay for advertisements to be painted on the walls so that everyone
knew who was providing the games and when.