Roman Theatre of Vienne
About
Carved directly into the slope of a hill overlooking the Rhone, this theatre seated around 13,000 people, making it one of the largest in Gaul after Autun. Its curved seating bank spans some 130 meters across, terraced tier after tier up the hillside. It had been open for entertainment, oratory, and civic gatherings for roughly seventy years by the time Trajan died in 117 CE.
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 →