ENTERTAINMENT: The Theatre at Pompeii

Question 1

When were Plays performed?

Answer 1

on festivals

Question 2

What happened on the day of a Play?

Answer 2

Shops/businesses closed
Lots of excitement

Question 3

Who would hurry to the theatre and why?

Answer 3

Men + women with slaves
To reserve their seats
Brought food + drink, cushions with them

Question 4

Who were the front row seats reserved for?

Answer 4

Town councillors, important members of society

Question 5

What did spectators carry?

Answer 5

A token - showed which entrance they should use, and where to sit

Question 6

Capacity of large theatre in Pompeii

Answer 6

5000 people

Question 7

Was there a cost for the play?

Answer 7

No, free

Question 8

Who would the play be funded by?

Answer 8

Rich citizen
Would gain popularity -useful in elections

Question 9

What was used to keep spectators cool?

Answer 9

Awning - suspended by ropes and pulleys
Controlled by sailors

Question 10

What happened between each play?

Answer 10

Scented water sprinkled on everyone

Question 11

What was a pantomime?

Answer 11

Mixture of opera and ballet
Plot from Greek mythology

Question 12

Who were the pantomime actors?

Answer 12

Greek slaves
Freedmen

Question 13

Source: Bronze statue in Pompeii graffitied

Answer 13

Actius, our favourite, come back quickly

Shows fame gained by actors

Question 14

Comic plays

Answer 14

Short one act plays which were at the end of performances.

Question 15

What did comic plays contain?

Answer 15

About italian life
Rude jokes, vulgar

Question 16

Characters in comic plays

Answer 16

Pappus = old fool
Manducus = greedy clown

Question 17

How were characters recognised in comic plays?

Answer 17

Masks

Question 18

Source on Masks CLC

Answer 18

Clay model of mask, maybe of Manducus

Question 19

Source: Roman poet Juvenal

Answer 19

Describes a play’s atmosphere
Children sat on their mother laps in horror when they saw the masks

Question 20

What were the masks made of?

Answer 20

Linen covered in plaster + painted

Question 21

Typical storyline of comedies of Plautus

Answer 21

Young man from respectable family is in debt and in love with a slave girl.
His father is always disapproving
The son is helped by a slave, to hide this from his father. The girl turns out to be from a good family, and they live happily.

Question 22

Sources for Plautus CLC

Answer 22

Mosaics of slave girl

Question 23

PSB Source Amphitheatre at Pompeii

Answer 23

Adaptations:
Isles help project sound
Tiers of seats - unobstructed view
Smooth walls to protect spectators from animals + gladiators

Question 24

Capacity of Colosseum

Answer 24

50,000 people

Question 25

Basic Facts about Colosseum

Answer 25

World’s largest amphitheatre
Built during the reign of Flavien emperors

Question 26

PSB Colosseum source

Answer 26

It was huge
Limitations: Broken, only partially standing

Question 27

CLC source gladiators - painted on walls of buildings

Answer 27

Twenty pairs of gladiators, given by Lucretius Satrius Valens, priest of Nero, and ten pairs of gladiators provided by his son will fight at Pompeii from 8 to 12 April. There will also be an animal hint. Awnings will be provided.

Question 28

Structure of gladiator show

Answer 28

Trumplet sounded, then priest performs a religious ceremony
Gladiators enter and parade around the arena. They greet the sponsor
Gladiators are paired off and fight starts

Question 29

Who were gladiators

Answer 29

Slaves
Condemned criminals
Prisoners of war
Volunteers

Question 30

CLC source of results of a gladiator show

Answer 30

A Thracian versus a Murmillo
Won: Pugnax from Nero’s school: 3 times a winner
Died: Murranus from Nero’s school: 3 times a winner

Question 31

How did a gladiator fight end?

Answer 31

One of them would surrender (lift their arm) or be dead

Question 32

How would the spectators decide the fate of the gladiator that surrender?

Answer 32

Would either thumps up to kill him
Thumbs down to not

Question 33

What were gladiators depicted as?

Answer 33

The heartthrob

Question 34

PSB source on gladiators being hot - Juvenal Satires

Answer 34

About how a wife of a senator named Eppia decided to lower her status by becoming a gladiator’s mistress.
Disgusting imagery
Questions why she ditched her pietas (duty to children, family, Gods) for a disgusting gladiator.
Says that gladiators are only attractive due to their armour and bravery, not their looks

Question 35

PSB source - Large Theatre at Pompeii

Answer 35

Semi circle + stage
Made of brick + stone to last a long time

Question 36

Venatio

Answer 36

Wild animal hunt
Included in shows where a gladiator would fight an animal

Question 37

Types of Gladiators

Answer 37

Samnites
Thracians
Murmillo
Retiarii
Venator

Question 38

Gladiator Samnites

Answer 38

Oblong shield
Short sword

Question 39

Gladiator Thracians

Answer 39

Round shield
Curved sword

Question 40

Gladiator Murmillo

Answer 40

fish shaped helmet

Question 41

Gladiator Retiarii

Answer 41

Nets
Tridents

Question 42

Gladiator Venator

Answer 42

Beast hunter
Competed with beasts in the arena

Question 43

PSB source Murmillo helmet

Answer 43

Made of metal
Decorative
Mesh - protects persons eyes

Limitations:
only one helmet
Only one angle
Its a picture

Romans are skillful to be able to make this

Question 44

PSB source venator carving

Answer 44

Not heavily armed - dangerous

Limitations:
Old
Broken/incomplete

Question 45

PSB source: Characters of Plautus

Answer 45

Miser Eucleo - so stingy that won’t even throw his nail clippings away
Parasite - counts itself as 8 = greedy