Roman Theatre of Autun
About
Builders raised this theatre on the eastern edge of Augustodunum in the decades after 70 CE, giving it a 148-meter diameter that made it the largest theatre in Roman Gaul. Three semicircular tiers of seating, cut by radiating staircases, once held as many as 20,000 spectators for comedy, tragedy, and civic assembly. When Trajan died in 117 CE the theatre had already been staging performances for roughly two generations.
What happened here
Seating is the message: the front rows are reserved by law for the town council, and everyone can see who is sitting where. The building is a half-circle against a tall stone backdrop that also serves as a permanent set, and the acoustics are good enough that an actor can be heard without effort. The programme is mime and pantomime more than the old tragedies — bawdy, topical, sometimes politically sharp enough that performers get exiled. Audiences are loud, partisan, and quite prepared to shout a piece down. Awnings and perfumed water sprays are laid on when the sponsor is generous. Shows are attached to religious festivals and paid for by a magistrate who wants the credit, and his name is on the seating.
Sources
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Roman Maps shows the empire frozen at 11 August 117 CE, the day Trajan died — its moment of greatest territorial extent. Explore the full map →