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Roman Theatre At Volterra
The Roman theatre of Volterra was discovered in the 1950s, during archaeological excavations of the ancient Roman city conducted by Enrico Fiumi. It is one of the best-preserved Roman theatres in Italy. It is located just outside the Porta Fiorentina, in an area called Vallebuona. Construction of the Theatre The theatre was built in the Augustan period at the end of the first century BC, financed by members of the wealthy Caecina family of Volterra. The dedicatory epigraph of the theater (now in the Guarnacci Etruscan Museum) lists Gaius Caecina Largus and Aulus Caecina Severus (consul 2–1 BCE) as dedicators. The theatre was partially built into the natural slope of the hill, as Greek theaters were. At the time that it was built, there were no structures in this part of the city, only second-century BC containment works supporting the steep slope of the hill. This made it an especially suitable location for a theater. During Fiumi's excavations, seats (made of local lim ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Roman Theatre (structure)
Roman theatres derive from and are part of the overall evolution of earlier Greek theatres. Indeed, much of the architectural influence the Romans came from the Greeks, and theatre structural design was no different from other buildings. However, Roman theatres have specific differences, such as generally being built upon their own foundations instead of earthen works or a hillside and being completely enclosed on all sides. Buildings Roman theatres were built in all areas of the Empire, from Spain to the Middle East. Because of the Romans' ability to influence local architecture, we see numerous theatres around the world with uniquely Roman attributes. Similarities exist between the theatres and amphitheaters of ancient Rome. They were constructed out of the same material, Roman concrete, and provided a place for the public to go and see numerous events. However, they are two entirely different structures, with specific layouts that lend to the different events they held. Amp ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Volterra
Volterra (; Latin: ''Volaterrae'') is a walled mountaintop town in the Tuscany region of Italy. Its history dates from before the 8th century BC and it has substantial structures from the Etruscan, Roman, and Medieval periods. History Volterra, known to the ancient Etruscans as ''Velathri'' or ''Vlathri'' and to the Romans as ''Volaterrae'', is a town and ''comune'' in the Tuscany region of Italy. The town was a Bronze Age settlement of the Proto-Villanovan culture, and an important Etruscan center (''Velàthre'', ''Velathri'' or ''Felathri'' in Etruscan, ''Volaterrae'' in Latin language), one of the "twelve cities" of the Etruscan League. The site is believed to have been continuously inhabited as a city since at least the end of the 8th century BC. It became a municipium allied to Rome at the end of the 3rd century BC. The city was a bishop's residence in the 5th century, and its episcopal power was affirmed during the 12th century. With the decline of the episcopate and th ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Caecinia Gens
The gens Caecinia was a plebeian family of Etruscan culture, Etruscan origin at ancient Rome. Members of this gens are first mentioned in the time of Cicero, and they remained prominent through the first century of the Roman Empire, Empire, before fading into obscurity in the time of the Flavian dynasty, Flavian emperors. A family of this name rose to prominence once more at the beginning of the fifth century.''Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology'', vol. I, p. 529 ("s:Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology/Caecina, Caecina"). Origin The Etruscan roots of the Caecinae are indicated by the form of their nomen gentilicium, nomen, which in the masculine form ends in ', typical of Etruscan names. The feminine form, ''Caecinia'', is formed as though the masculine form were ''Caecinius'', which is also encountered, though rarely, in inscriptions. The Caecinae seem either to have derived their name from, or given it to, the river Caecina, which flows by ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Theatre Of Ancient Greece
Ancient Greek theatre was a theatrical culture that flourished in ancient Greece from 700 BC. The city-state of Athens, which became a significant cultural, political, and religious place during this period, was its centre, where the theatre was institutionalised as part of a festival called the Dionysia, which honoured the god Dionysus. Tragedy (late 500 BC), comedy (490 BC), and the satyr play were the three dramatic genres to emerge there. Athens exported the festival to its numerous colonies. Modern Western theatre comes, in large measure, from the theatre of ancient Greece, from which it borrows technical terminology, classification into genres, and many of its themes, stock characters, and plot elements. Etymology The word grc, τραγῳδία, tragoidia, label=none, from which the word "tragedy" is derived, is a compound of two Greek words: grc, τράγος, tragos, label=none or "goat" and grc, ᾠδή, ode, label=none meaning "song", from grc, ἀείδειν, ae ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Cavea
The ''cavea'' (Latin for "enclosure") are the seating sections of Greek and Roman theatres and amphitheatres An amphitheatre (British English) or amphitheater (American English; both ) is an open-air venue used for entertainment, performances, and sports. The term derives from the ancient Greek ('), from ('), meaning "on both sides" or "around" and .... In Roman theatres, the ''cavea'' is traditionally organised in three horizontal sections, corresponding to the social class of the spectators: * the ''ima cavea'' is the lowest part of the ''cavea'' and the one directly surrounding the arena. It was usually reserved for the upper echelons of society. * the ''media cavea'' directly follows the ''ima cavea'' and was open to the general public, though mostly reserved for men. * the ''summa cavea'' is the highest section and was usually open to women and children. Similarly, the front row was called the ''prima cavea'' and the last row was called the ''cavea ultima''. The ''ca ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Scaenae Frons
The scaenae frons is the elaborately decorated permanent architectural background of a Roman theatre stage. The form may have been intended to resemble the facades of imperial palaces. It could support a permanent roof or awnings. The Roman scaenae frons was also used both as the backdrop to the stage and behind as the actors' dressing room. Largely through reconstruction or restoration, there are a number of well-preserved examples. Description The scaenae frons is the elaborately decorated permanent architectural background of a Roman theatre stage. Normally there are three entrances to the stage (Palmyra has five) including a grand central entrance, known as the ''porta regia'' or "royal door". The form may have been intended to resemble the facades of imperial palaces. The scaenae frons is often two and sometimes three stories in height and was central to the theatre's visual impact for this was what was seen by a Roman audience at all times. Tiers or balconies were supp ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Velarium
A ("curtain") was a type of awning used in Roman times. It stretched over the whole of the , the seating area in amphitheaters to protect spectators from the sun. Precisely how the awning was supported is a matter of conjecture.Suetonius, '' Life of Caligula'' 26Text. History Retractable awnings were relatively common throughout the Roman Empire, including on the wooden amphitheater that preceded the Colosseum. The Colosseum The Colosseum being the biggest amphitheater of Roman times, the that covered it was the biggest that ever was as well. It provided shade from the sun for up to one third of the arena. The also created a ventilation updraft, creating circulation and a cool breeze. It is believed that sailors from the Misenum fleet, with their background in sailmaking and rigging were employed to build, maintain and operate the . In modern times The Puy du Fou theme park An amusement park is a park that features various attractions, such as rides and gam ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Corbel
In architecture, a corbel is a structural piece of stone, wood or metal jutting from a wall to carry a superincumbent weight, a type of bracket. A corbel is a solid piece of material in the wall, whereas a console is a piece applied to the structure. A piece of timber projecting in the same way was called a "tassel" or a "bragger" in England. The technique of corbelling, where rows of corbels deeply keyed inside a wall support a projecting wall or parapet, has been used since Neolithic (New Stone Age) times. It is common in medieval architecture and in the Scottish baronial style as well as in the vocabulary of classical architecture, such as the modillions of a Corinthian cornice. The corbel arch and corbel vault use the technique systematically to make openings in walls and to form ceilings. These are found in the early architecture of most cultures, from Eurasia to Pre-Columbian architecture. A console is more specifically an "S"-shaped scroll bracket in the classic ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ancient Roman Bathing
Bathing played a major part in ancient Roman culture and society. It was one of the most common daily activities and was practiced across a wide variety of social classes. Though many contemporary cultures see bathing as a very private activity conducted in the home, bathing in Rome was a communal activity. While the extremely wealthy could afford bathing facilities in their homes, private baths were very uncommon, and most people bathed in the communal baths (''thermae''). In some ways, these resembled modern-day destination spas as there were facilities for a variety of activities from exercising to sunbathing to swimming and massage. Such was the importance of baths to Romans that a catalogue of buildings in Rome from 354 AD documented 952 baths of varying sizes in the city. Public baths became common throughout the empire as a symbol of " Romanitas" or a way to define themselves as Roman. They were some of the most common and most important public buildings in the empire as som ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
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