Pompeii began as a settlement of small fishing and agricultural communities. In 80 BCE, it was incorporated into the Roman Empire where it began a thriving commercial center. While Pompeii was not a particularly important town within the Roman empire, it had a population of 10-12,000 and many wealthy Romans built houses there.
On August 24, 79 CE, Mount Vesuvius, a volcano in Italy erupted. By the end of the day, the Roman port city of Pompeii was covered by 20 feet of ash and rock. The city lay forgotten until the eighteenth century. Archaeological excavations began in 1748 and are still being done. Almost three quarters of the city has been uncovered and a number of buildings restored.
Pompeii had two theaters, one larger than the other. Both theaters were circular with banked tiers to maximize sound quality. The theaters had wooden stages with large terracotta jars underneath which helped to amplify the sound. They also had a sophisticated lifting apparatus of wooden pistons, ropes, and hand winches which could raise and lower painted screens.
Wealthy patrons financed the theatrical productions which were then offered free to the public. The audiences were, however, segregated by social class with the upper class having their own entrances and boxes.
There is little indication of what kind of performances were presented in these theaters. Some scholars feel that Greek dramas in Latin translation were done. Others feel that various Italian genres were presented.
Roman dramatists wrote plays inspired by the Greek tragedies and comedies. In their book The British Museum Concise Introduction to Ancient Rome, Nancy Ramage and Andrew Ramage report:
“However, the uneducated element in Roman audiences tended to be less interested in highbrow drama, and more in slapstick and bawdy entertainment. No matter what the play, the actors would wear masks with a comic or tragic facial expression, depending on the subject matter.”
Nancy Ramage and Andrew Ramage also report:
“Popular formats in the Roman theatre of imperial times were the mime and the pantomime. While mime tended toward the bawdy, pantomime was somewhat more elevated. Both depended on gesture to get their message across.”
In her book The Fires of Vesuvius: Pompeii Lost and Found, Mary Beard writes:
“There are clear signs that mime and, especially, pantomime were major attractions at Pompeii, in the theatre and at other venues.”
The Oregon Museum of Science and Technology (OMSI) in Portland had a special exhibit on Pompeii which included more than 200 items on loan from the Naples National Archaeological Museum. Shown below are some of the artifacts relating to the theater.
According to the Museum display:
“Audiences enjoyed ballet-like pantomimes, farces, mimes, or Greek dramas. Male actors—women only performed in mimes—wore elaborate masks with large holes to see and speak through.”
According to the Museum display:
“Masks were worn by actors so that they could quickly change characters and better express emotions, as well as project their voice through the mouth openings.”
According to the Museum display:
“This marble ornament featuring typical masks worn by actors may have adorned a garden. On one side, there are stock characters from comic plays: a bearded slave, the long-haired old man, and the youthful son. Two characters from tragic plays appear on the other side. Masks were used to help actors get into their roles and to enhance the sound of their voices.”
According to the Museum display:
“Frescos that decorated the walls of the tablinium (an office of the atrium) were inspired by the characters and content of the theater. The arrangement of the subjects in these paintings was typically symmetrical, so this fresco would have been paired with another of similar weight and size.”
According to the Museum display:
“Theater imagery and masks were common themes found in peristyle frescoes and sculpture. These two masks are of a common character found in Roman tragedy. Their image would have been balanced by another, probably of two comedy masks.”
More about Ancient Europe
Ancient Rome: Glass Bottles (Photo Diary)
Ancient Greece: Art (Photo Diary)
Ancient Europe: The Etruscans
Ancient Greece: The Hoplite