Theatre Design & Technology - Spring 1994 - 43

This theatre presents a most interesting subject, as it is certainly work of the centun' of AugustuS in which the fine arts
flourished, Rendering it worth" enough, the principal parts
remain unchanged, corresponding for the most part to the
description of the similar Latin theatre lefr to us by Vitrm'ius
in his treatise on architecture and to the part in which Pollux
refers [to theatre] in his Greek OIlOlll<1sticOII," wherein he elucidates all the terms "'hich pertain to the mo,'eable or temporary scene, showing the manner of decorating the theatre in
the play of the scelles 1-1 and in the spectacles in which the"
were done,
Follo"'ing that, it is necessan' to both scenes, which are the
permanent and the mo,'eable, to satisfy the interest of those
"'ho love and are curious abour antiquity, and who are impatiently waiting to be shown what this theatre may be amongst
all the other Latin theaters, finally recognized now as being
the best preserved of them; reserving a complete account, since
we shall also deal with Greek theaters, as well as Latin, whose
ruins are still standing. \,(/ith this union of monuments an
exact and complete understanding of both types of ancient
theaters will follow smoothh-, and together one will be able to
understand their various uses, as much for spectacles as for the

play of the scelles,
There is no doubt that, from a well based understanding of
the construction of the theaters and of the decorations of the
moveable scene, Ii will come an elucidation of obscure passages by ancient aurhors, Feeling confident, therefore, that
thus having clearly made an explanation of the ruins of the
Theatre of Herculaneum, let us determine to make a thorough
examination, and compare this with the writings on theatre
left to us by the above mentioned authors, and others, that
from a similar argument we have spoken,
Having thus made an examination and comparison, the
difference will be well distinguished which runs through the
body of body of the construction of the twO types of theaters
that the ancients made.
In the first plate, we have incised the designs of the building of the theatre with all the parts distinctly noted on the
ground plan and section of the theatre, and of the Permanent
Scene. " In the second, the parts of the theatre and the moveable scene ,- in the play of the scelles. Hence, many mistakes
are found in modern authors for not having been well read in
the works of ancient writers, or accurately observed the monuments of the theaters which remain.
However, to form a clear and precise idea of the ancient
Latin theatre, it is convenient to divide it into its principal
parts, into which all the others are subdivided. Therefore,
everything at ground level occupied by the theatre is divided
into twO parts: the theatre, " proper speaking, and the

scaellae. l'
The theatre, properly speaking, according to the origin of
the word, signifies the semicircular part, also called the cauea
due to its curve. Its parts are the orchestra and the gradiellts
both of which are for the spectators. The orchestra, which is
in front of the first gradient, was the place where the nobility
sat, and in the gradiellts, the common people.
The scaellae, '0 as a subject for the spectators, is in front in
the shape of a parallelogram, and on its sides are the
proscellia," which enclose the pulpit/III/ on the e,'e" of the
same. In this space moved the apparatus ,; for the mo,'eable
scene" beneath the aulae/till or sala regia, " so called because
it was furnished with representations of arrases and tapestries,
with painted scenes. Within this first space ,,'ere played three
n'pes of pla,'s: Tragic, Comic, and Satiric, with apparatus suitable for the subject and n'pe of spectacle.
For this use of the mo,'eable scene we follow the authority

of Pollux because, better than any other writer, he instructs to
be well understood. Owing to the fact that, in this part, both
types of theatre are bound to correspond, Vitrm'ius, on the
other hand, will have indicated the difference in some way or
another as indeed he did with the various parts in the construction of the permanent theatre, both Latin and Greek.
Regarding this, ,,'e learn from the same Pollux that the
aulaeulII, the act curtain or curtain, '" the jOl'llix, ,- the pm'aceIIi/till, the revoh-ing prisms," the ductile apparatus," with all
the rest of the painted scenerv, inrended for the moveable
scene were necessan' and common in ever,' t"pe of play and
representation given in am theatre, differing only' in the painting according to the action which it represented.
Therefore, it follows to understand that the ancients did not
have scene changes, and that in each playa single apparatus
served for all the acts, directing the action of the first act of the
three types of plays to the center door, the second to the right,
and the third to the left. In tragedy the picture of the center door
showed a ro)'al palace, the one to the right a hotel or noble hospice, and to the lefr a jail. In comedy the picture in the middle
represented a noble house, on the right a shop with carpets and
wares, and on the lefr a stable of draft horses and oxen. Finallv,
in the satiric scene, a cavern was represented in the center, on
the right a side road or bend in a road without an outlet, and on
the left an abandoned temple with a deserted road where none
bur the lowest type of people are admitted.
In addition, Pollux indicates two other doors, which are on
the right and the left of the proscellia, ;,) where the revolving
prisms were located, whose pictures on the lefr represented
things which are found outside the city, such as tombs, huts,
houses, rustic villas, etc., which one sees along the road. On
the lefr were represented those things which pertain to the city,
such as forums, basilicas, portals, etc. This was practiced to
introduce one of the Gods frolll the sea, and likewise the celestial deities, who either descended from the heavens or rose up
from the stage 31 or slip through one of the those doors in the
versurae which, due to the excessive weight, could not be
equipped with the revolving prisms: in which case it is assured
that the scene should be changed after the divinity who was
shown in it.
From all of this it is possible to conclude safely that the
moveable scene, according to the precepts indicated by Pollux,
was almost fixed, that the painters could not depart from
them in any way in their expression, but were only left to decorate them according to their vivid fantasy. However, one rare
exception does come forth, in the Comedia dell' Acestri, written by Antifane, in which the shop was changed into a Office
or Tavern, and likewise the stable.

*****
PLATE I.
Ichnography of the Ground Level of the Theatre and of the PerlllalIellt Scelle "
A- Area of the orchestra, pa,'ed in antique "ello\\' marble. ;;
B- Location of rhe gradiwts for the spectatOrs.
C- Porticos in the subsrructure of the gradiellts for the use of the people as a place to retire in the e,'ent of rain.
0- Stain,'a"s leading from the porticos down to the passageways in
the precinct of the gradiellts,
E- Entrance from the public street to one of the stain,·a~'s.
F- Gradiellts which sen'e as thresholds to the gate which close the
entrance as the" attach to pi"ots in the walls.
G- Porticos on the sides as well as behind rhe Permanent Scene for the
use of the actOrs and the nobilin',
H- Entrance to the orchestra.

TDc'T

1994

SPRI'.:G

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Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Theatre Design & Technology - Spring 1994
