Theatre at Leptis Magna

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Theatre at Leptis Magna
AD 1-2
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Background information

• Leptis Magna is located on the coast of
  Tripolitania, North Africa. The city was
  established in the time of Augustus. What years
  was Augustus ruling?
• Archelogical evidence of the city shows that
  before it was a Roman province, it was a
  Phonecian (Punic) trading harbour.
• This strongly influenced the citys art and
  architecture, and gave it a unique flavour.
• By the end of the 2nd century BC, Leptis Magna
  was one of the wealthiest provincial cities in
  the Roman Empire.

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Theatres

• Read the pages entitled The Theatre in your
  workbooks
• This piece is named the
• Theatre at Lepcis Magnaor
• Theatre at Leptis Magna
• Both are correct

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Vocabulary

• Cavea semi-circular seating area
• Scaena frons stage backdrop
• Velarium sunshade
• Vomitorium vaulted passages
• Skene stage building
• Proscaenium front stage area
• Orchestra half circle centre of theatre
• Pulpitum stage
• Tribunalia official boxes for magistrates
• Praecinctiones horizontal walkways that divide
  up each tier of seating
• Postscaenium group of rooms behind the scaenae
  frons where actors could prepare
• See p. 28 of Paul Artus - draw/sketch into your
  workbooks label annotate the parts

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Details for your workbooks

• Location On the Mediterranean coastline, in
  Libya, North Africa. The Roman province,
  Tripolitania
• Architectural type Theatre (functional)
• Purpose Entertainment venue
• Dates of construction AD1-2, built by Annobal
  Rufus (wealthy citizen of Leptis Magna) His
  name has both Carthaginian (Punic) Roman
  elements, showing the ethnic mix of the city. He
  also built a market in Leptis Magna in 9-8BC.

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Changes made to the theatre after its
construction

• Soon after construction Tribunalia or official
  boxes were built over the side entrance. A
  colonnade at the top of the seating area was
  built.
• AD 35-6 a temple to Ceres-Augustus was built on
  the upper walkway of the area (when Tiberius was
  emperor)
• AD43 (time of emperor Claudius) the temple of
  the deified emperors (Di Augusti) built in AD43
  built behind the scene building
• AD91 A city had an octangular altar put at the
  front of the bottom shallow step in AD91 by
  Tiberius Claudius Sextius
• Mid-2nd century AD Under the emperor Antoninus
  Pius, the orginal grey limestone columns on the
  scanae frons were replaced by marble

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features

• Exterior decoration is plain. There are
  monumental masonry blocks with a ring of engaged
  pilasters
• 5 arched openings provide access to the internal
  corridors and staircases
• The middle and upper tier of the seating (cavea)
  are the only visible parts
• Cavea (90m in diameter) is designed in the
  typical semi-circular shape favoured by the
  Romans.
• Leading members of Leptis Magna society entered
  through their own entrances, either side of the
  theatre, sat right at the front on ornate
  marble thrones (called bisellia), these thrones
  had legs carved as lions paws.
• These aristocrats were separated from the rest of
  the audience by a low marble throne.
• Marble alter to an unknown male god was placed on
  the steps, along the theatres central axis
• At the very top of the seating (cavea) behind the
  upper tier, a colonnade of corinthian columns, in
  the centre of it is the temple to Ceres Augusta
  (which dates from the time of

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• Religious practices of the Romans
• Theatre was seen as a religious practice going
  to the theatre was honouring the god of the
  theatre, Dionysus. Often at the beginning of
  performances a prayer libation would be made to
  Dionysus. Aspects of this theatre which reflected
  the religious practices of the Romans include the
  statues in the niches behind the stage.
• There is a temple to Ceres -Augusta located at
  the top of the Cavea.
• There is a bust of Hercules and Dionysus, the
  patron deities of the city.

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Imperial propaganda

• A Temple dedicated to deified emperors was built
  within the theatre precinct, located behind the
  stage buildings.
• Title Augusta attached to the name of the
  goddess Ceres
• Use of Roman features of decoration
• Use of limestone
• This all showed that even the furthermost areas
  of the empire, the emperor exerted control, and
  how great Rome was showed that Lepcis Magna was
  a great and civilised city.

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Homework

• Complete your sketch of the theatre its
  features
• Complete previous exam questions in your Paul
  Artus book, p.29