History Of Roman Theater

On this page we consider the theatre of

ancient Greece, the history of theatre
as it migrated from Greece to Rome.

 The Romans borrowed extensively

from Greek theatre. Although Roman
theatre may not be held in the same
high esteem as that of the Greeks,

 We have inherited much from the

influence of the Roman Theatre,
including the word "play" itself,
which derives from a literal
translation of the Latin wordludus,
which means recreation or play

Roman Theater Form

Roman theatre took two forms:
Fabula Palliata
Fabula Togata.

Fabula Palliata
Fabula Palliatawere primarily
translations of Greek plays into Latin,
although the term is also applied to
the original works of Roman
playwrights based upon Greek plays.

Fabula Togata.
Fabula Togata. TheFabula
Togatawere of native origin, and
were based on more broadly farcical
situations and humor of a physical
nature. An author of some of the
better examples of this type of
drama is Plautus (c.250-184 B.C.)

 The first permanent theater in the

city of Rome was the Theater of
Pompey, dedicated in 55B.C.by
Julius Caesar's rival, Pompey the
Great.

 Encompassed more than drama :

acrobatics, gladiators, jugglers,
athletics, chariots
races,naumachia(sea battles),
boxing, venationes (animal fights)

 Entertainment tended to be
grandiose, sentimental, diversionary

 Actors / performers were called

"histriones"

 Held in honor of the gods, but much

less religious than in Greece.

 Became theatrical in 364 B.C.

Held in September (the autumn)and
honored Jupiter.

 Five others: Ludi Florales (April),

Plebeii (November), Apollinares
(July), Megalenses (April), Cereales
(no particular season).

 Performances at festivals probably

paid for by the state a wealthy
citizen, had free admission, were
lengthyincluding a series of plays
or events, and probably had prizes
awarded to those who put extra
money in.

ROMAN WRITERS
Livius Andronicus 240 204 B.C.
wrote, translated, or adapted
comedies and tragedies, the first
important works in Latin. Little is
known, but he seems to have been
best at tragedy.

 Gnaeus Naevius 270-201 B.C.

excelled at comedy, but wrote both

 Both helped to "Romanize" the

drama by introducing Roman
allusions into the Greek originals and
using Roman stories.

Other forms of Roman

Theatre:
Pantomime:
solo dance, with music (lutes, pipes,
cymbals) and a chorus.
Used masks, story-telling, mythology
or historical stories, usually serious
but sometimes comic

 Mime:
overtook after 2ndcentury A.D. Fabula raciniata.
Spoken
Usually short
Sometimes elaborate casts and spectacle
Serious or comic (satiric)
No masks
Had women
Violence and sex depicted literally (Heliogabalus,
ruled 218-222 A.D., ordered realistic sex)
Scoffed at Christianity

RomanComedy
Comedywas most popular: Only two playwrights' material survives
Titus Maccius Plautus(c. 254-184 B.C.) 21 extant plays, 130 +
total.
Very popular.
Pot of Gold, The Menaechmi, Braggart Warrior-- probably
between 205-184 B.C.
All based on Greek New Comedies, probably, none of which has
survived
Added Roman allusions, Latin dialog, varied poetic meters, witty
jokes
Some techniques:stychomythia dialog with short lines, like a
tennis match.
Slapstick
Songs

 Publius Terenius Afer [Terence](195 or 185-159 B.C.)

Born in Carthage, came to Rome as a boy slave,
educated and freed
Six plays, all of which survive
The Brothers, Mother-in-Law, etc.
More complex plots combined stories from Greek
originals.
Character and double-plots were his forte contrasts in
human behavior
Less boisterous than Plautus, less episodic, more elegant
language.
Used Greek characters.
Less popular than Plautus.

 Characteristics of Roman Comedy:

Chorus was abandoned
No act or scene divisions
Songs (Plautus average of three
songs, 2/3 of the lines with music;
Terence no songs, but music with
half of the dialog)
Everyday domestic affairs
Action placed in the street

RomanTragedy:
Lucius Annaeus Seneca(5 or 4 B.C. 65 A.D.)
Nine extant tragedies, five adapted from
Euripides.
His popularity declined, suicide in 65 A.D.
Though considered to be inferior, Seneca had a
strong effect on later dramatists.
The Trojan Women, Media, Oedipus,
Agamemnon, etc., all based on Greek originals
Probablycloset dramasnever presented, or
even expected to be.

 Characteristics of Roman Tragedy (Senecan):

five episodes / acts divided by choral odes
elaborate speeches forensic influence
interest in morality expressed insententiae(short
pithy generalizations about the human condition)
violence and horror onstage, unlike Greek (Jocasta rips
open her womb, for example)
Characters dominated by a single passion obsessive
(such as revenge) drives them to doom
Technical devices:
Soliloquies,asides, confidants
interest in supernatural and human connections was
an interest in the Renaissance