Theatrum Beneventanum
About
Hadrian inaugurated this theatre in 126 CE, nine years after Trajan's death, on ground that held no such building in 117 CE. Its finished cavea spanned 90 meters and sat up to 15,000 spectators, rivaling any stage in southern Italy. Caracalla enlarged it further between 200 and 210 CE, an expansion recorded on a stone at the stage entrance. Buried for centuries, it was rediscovered in 1890 and reopened to the public in 1957.
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
Nearby
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 →