Roman Theatre

Stock character

A character in a drama or fiction that represents a type and that is recognizable as belonging to a certain genre.The Attelan Play was the earliers form of the native Italian farce that features masked stock charecters. Their names originated form the Oscan dialect from the Campanian region of southern Italy. Although there is no record of these farces after the 1st centurey AD many of the stock charecters reappered 16th-century Italian commedia dell'artereflect the influence of the Atellan plays. Young noblemen often took the parts of the stock charecters.

Ludi Romani

A festival dedicated to the god Jupiter (Roman version of Zeus) which was the first major Roman festival to incorporate theatre. This is were the drama was first introduced. The festival also included, sacrifices, sporting events, and chariot races. It was started by Lucius Tarquinius Priscus when he conquered Apiole. Originally It was a 10 day festival running September 4th through the 18th. After the death of Julius Ceasar to honor him they added another day to the festival. So after Ceasars death the festival ran 11 days so, September 4th through the 19th.

Maccus

A foolish clown of a man who acts as the buffoon from the Atellan Farce. Later on became a comedy duet.

Maccus Plautus

A great roman comic dramatist whose name means clown. The meters he used were the iambic six foot line and the trochaic foot line. Confined himself to one area: Translation and adaptation of greek comedy. He was thought to be a stage hand, actor or carpenter but he later gave these up to become a soldier. He wrote a total of 130 plays only 21 survived. All of the plays were based of greek originals. His prologues had information that was needed to understand the opening of the complicated plot or the explanation of the outcome of the play. Plays presented were one plot with one problem and one set of characters. He relied on earlier native farces as well a casting traditional characters. He was the playwright for the menaechimi.

The Roman Empire

An empire established by Augustus in 27 BC and divided into the Western Roman Empire and the Eastern or Byzantine Empire. An empire that, at its height, around 200 C.E., spanned the Mediterranean world and most of Europe. They were ruled by an emperor and they eventually oversaw the rise and spread of Christianity. With Julius Caesar they did not performs drams it was more spectacles.

Naumachia

Ancient roman world is referred to both the staging of a mock naval battle as mass entertainment and the basin or building in which it took place was flooded for the event. Prisoners would be on either team and you would have to win against your opener for your freedom. First given by Julius Ceasar and was bloodier then a gladiator match. As technology was introduced they became more frequent. We get the word "Nautical" from this word.

Terrence

Born either in 185 BC or 195 BC. As a slave, he was sold to Lucanus who educated and taught him. He wrote a total of 6 comedy's which we still have today. Terrence wrote The Eunuch; his plays were fabulae palliatae (plays in a Greek cloak); huge impact; the play had a prologue in the playwright's own voice (invented that); a Roman playwright, a slave, a man from Carthage; people that were in the theatre were slaves; all plays are extant; well documented; 6 comedies; 600+ manuscripts from Middle Ages and Renaissance; his work was known as pure Latin and used by priests/teachers.He was apart of the Scipionic Circle which was a a group that discussed philosophy literature and poetry. Scribes often learned Latin by copying his plays. Ralph Roister Doister and Gammer Gurtons Needeles are thought to parody terraces plays. he is known for his very witty plays.

Circus Maximus

Brief History: A Roman outdoor arena in which public games, such as chariot races, were held. Located in the valley between the Aventine and Palentine Hills. The largest stadium of its time in Rome and the Roman Empire. That could seat over 150,000 spectators. It has been turned into a park after it was modeled for other circus arenas over Rome. There was specific setting for nobility, royalty and the common people. Because of its location by the river and it originally being made out of wood they were constantly replacing and rebuilding due to rot. They eventually replaced it with stone structures. Gated starting stalls were placed at one end of the track that allowed chariots to be pulled. There were locations to buy refreshments at the stadium. Poor Construction: There were also many fires in the shops below the stadium, one of which destroyed much of the city. This led to its reconstruction in stone. A section collapsed and killed 13,000 people. The stadium included several shrines for the gods. These are the structures we use today, and the structure has not changed based on its original design.

Colosseum

Brief History: A large arena in Rome where gladiator contests and other games and sporting events were held. In 80 AD the colosseum opened and was known as the Flavian Amphitheater. The theatre opened with 100 days of games, which included gladiator fights and other ancient entertainment. Construction: It measures 620 feet by 513 and was one one the largest amphitheater in the Roman world. The colosseum unlike others was built free stands as apposed to being built into a hillside. The floor was made of wood and sand, wood to hinge the trapdoors and the sand to sweep away blood.Titus mentioned for the coliseum to be built. It has three stories of arched entryways that is supported by semi circular columns. Sat around 50,000 spectators at once. These are the structures we use today, and the structure has not changed based on its original design. At one point they added an owning to block the sun.

Etrurian Entertainment

Brief History: The Etruscans. Arriving in Italy around 800BC, the Etruscans were skilled craftsmen, metal workers, seafarers and merchants who traded with the Greeks and later the Romans, who assimilated them. The Etruscans occupied the region to the north of Rome, between the Arno and Tiber Rivers to the west of the Apennine Mountains. The Romans were first a subject people of the Etruscans and later their conquerors. They promoted trade, the development of metallurgy, and better agriculture in and around Rome. Influence: The Etruscans, being heavily influenced by the Greeks, also introduced the Greek alphabet, thus introducing Greek influence into Roman culture. As well as having a heavy influence architecture engineering. Overall, the Romans owed a great deal to the Etruscans. They held gladiator battles, chariot races and boxing matches. Thus when the Roman Empire peaked they obsorbed the entertainment of the Etrurians.

Roman Republic

Existed from 509 BC to 27 BC, during which Rome was largely governed by the aristocratic Roman Senate. The end of the they saw the beginning of theatre construction. The time of Rome when they were considered to have the best military systems, intricate architecture and engineering.

Ventiones

Is a battle between a human and animal for entertainment or sport. The men used for this sport were either prisoners of war or condemned criminals. When the fight was over the exotic meat was served to the skeptical goer. At first they were chained but eventually they built up the walls of the colosseum to protect the spectators so they were able to unchain them. They commonly used bulls, lions, bears, hippos and crocodiles. This animals were on high demand and important from around the world. Prior to the event the animals were put on display for days to bring spectators to the colosseum. As many as 1,000 animals would be exhibited and killed in just one occasion. These fights lated long after the gladiator fights stopped. The animal fights stoped after 520 AD. Scenes of these fights are pictures on coins, mosaics and tombs.

Livius Andronicus

He was born in 284 BC in Tarentum (Southern Italy). He was likely taken to Rome as a slave around 272 BC where he became a tutor for a noble family. He worked so well with the children that he was latter granted his freedom therefore he took the family name "Livius". He began producing plays, poems, and acting on the Roman stage. He died in 204 BC. Andronicus captured Italian Greek, dramatist, epic poet, translated many Greek works (Odyssey) into Latin, father of Roman drama, Cicero & Horace considered him originator of Latin Literature. Most of his work was lost but 40 versus and 8 titles are known today. He composed and acted in the first comedy and the first tragedy in Latin.

Annaeus Seneca

He was known as "Seneca the younger" living from 6 AD to 65 AD. Seneca was born in Hispanic and raised in Rome. where he was trained in rhetoric and philosophy. He was a roman stoic philosopher, who was the mentor of Nero, he was also a statesmen, dramatist of the Silver Age of Latin Literature. Seneca was known for his philosophical letters essays and plays all being tragedies with one being a farce. He knew both Italian and Greek therefore we still have a lot of the original greek plays due to his ability to translate. The best actor in all of his shows was Roscius. Plays include: Medea Phaedra Agamemnon Oedipu Octavia

Attelan Farce

Known as the Oscan Games and was a collection of the earlier Italian farces. Originally based on scenarios handed down by earlier tradition. They were generally put on after larger plays so they become a popular form of entertainment. They were initially improvised and not written down until hundreds of years later. Only the ridiculous characters read their lines in Oscan, while the others used Latin. They were a form of low comedy with rude joke being only 15-28 minutes in length.

Histriones

Roman word for actor. Romas cut the circle engulf and they wanted to connect the stage to the actually seating area by creating archways.

Dossenus

The cunning hunchback or the trickester. Dossenus translate to "Hunchback" Considered a monster with a sweet heart.

Scaenae Frons

The front of the stage building of an ancient Roman theater; it formed the permanent architectural backdrop to the stage production. They were elaborately decorated and inspired by the greek "Scene" Scaenae Front was also used as a backdrop to the stage and actors dressing room.

Bucco

The glutton or simpleton of the Atellan Farce. Bucco translate to "Fat Cheeks". Later on became a comedy duet.

Pappus

The naïve old man who is portrayed as the fool victim.

Pulpitium

The word pulpitum is applied in ecclesiastical Latin both for this form of screen and also for a pulpit; the secular origin of the term being a theatrical stage, or speaker's dais. The pulpitum is a common feature in medieval cathedral and monastic architecture in Europe. It is a massive screen, most often constructed of stone, or occasionally timber, that divides the choir from the nave and ambulatory. It displays statues of six royal figures. In theatrical history today it is a platform.

Mimi

What Is A Mimi? The mimi is a guy or a girl short in height without a mask. They did not speak but they used movement as their words. they were popular because they broke the language barrier. They presented scans from life, scoffed christianity, violence, sex, showed adultery, played serious and satire shows. Historical Significance: At this time the church was overpowering the Roman Empire so the mimes began to make fun of the church. Pantamime became illegal so if you were a street performer you were arrested hence mask. The difference between the Mimi and the Pantomime is that the mimi wore no masks while the pantomime did. The presentation of Mimis was a tradition feature of the annual "Floralia Festival" which opened with a naked mimi some. The greek began this but the Romas changed it into the pantomime. Pantamime 100-450 AD. Women were added to the company and were now able to perform. The most famous female pantamimists name was Theodora. The 3 things that upset the church were: 1) that they made fun of communion. 2) They were vulgar. 3) They made shows making fun of the bishop. Playrights: Writters of Mimi Epicharmus, Sophron, Herodus, Decimus Labernicus. Decimus Labernicus was the first to give literacy form to the roman mimi.