The Odeon of Domitian was an ancient Roman building on the

Campus Martius The Campus Martius (Latin for the "Field of Mars", Italian ''Campo Marzio'') was a publicly owned area of ancient Rome about in extent. In the Middle Ages, it was the most populous area of Rome. The IV rione of Rome, Campo Marzio, which covers ...

Rome , established_title = Founded , established_date = 753 BC , founder = King Romulus (legendary) , image_map = Map of comune of Rome (metropolitan city of Capital Rome, region Lazio, Italy).svg , map_caption ...

, used for plays and musical competitions and with room for an audience of 11,000. Begun by

Domitian Domitian (; la, Domitianus; 24 October 51 – 18 September 96) was a Roman emperor who reigned from 81 to 96. The son of Vespasian and the younger brother of Titus, his two predecessors on the throne, he was the last member of the Flavi ...

in imitation of Greek

odeon Odeon may refer to: Ancient Greek and Roman buildings * Odeon (building), ancient Greek and Roman buildings built for singing exercises, musical shows and poetry competitions * Odeon of Agrippa, Athens * Odeon of Athens * Odeon of Domitian, Rome ...

s (neighbouring his

stadium A stadium ( : stadiums or stadia) is a place or venue for (mostly) outdoor sports, concerts, or other events and consists of a field or stage either partly or completely surrounded by a tiered structure designed to allow spectators to stand o ...

to its south), it was completed or restored in 106 by

Apollodorus of Damascus Apollodorus of Damascus ( grc, Ἀπολλόδωρος ὁ Δαμασκηνός) was a Nabataean architect and engineer from Damascus, Roman Syria, who flourished during the 2nd century AD. As an engineer he authored several technical treatises, ...

. The outline of its ''

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, performance ...

'' is still preserved by the façade of the

Palazzo Massimo alle Colonne The Palazzo Massimo alle Colonne is a Renaissance palace in Rome, Italy. History The palace was designed by Baldassarre Peruzzi in 1532–1536 on a site of three contiguous palaces owned by the old Roman Massimo family and built after arson de ...

, but the only actual remains is a

cipoline Cipollino marble ("onion-stone") was a variety of marble used by the ancient Greeks and Romans, whose Latin term for it was ''marmor carystium'' (meaning "marble from Karystos"). It was quarried in several locations on the south-west coast of the ...

monolithic column (possibly part of the stage) just in front of the Palazzo's rear façade.

Sources

*Suetonius
''Life of Domitian'', 5
* Platner & Ashby, ''Topographical Dictionary of Ancient Rome'', articl
Plan de Rome''The Architecture of Rome'' by Stefan Grundmann

Buildings and structures completed in the 2nd century Domitian {{Italy-struct-stub