Unit 2 Urban culture across the empire; baths and theatres

Question 1

Intro

2 aspects of building type in urban culture

Good deeds? A changing room?

Answer 1

2 aspects of urban culture common to cities throughout the empire were baths and theatres

euergetism - a public benefaction for the local populace (usually for the enhancement of one’s reputation)

Baths’ changing room - apodyterium

Question 2

2.1.2 Bathing as a symbol of Roman-ness why?

Answer 2

Public bathing - A broad tradition that had great longevity

not to bathe would be un-Roman (Yegul 2013)

Baths were popular everywhere (Woolf 2013)

Imperial ‘thermae’ of Rome, vast complexes of rooms and grounds e.g. the baths of Caracalla ‘baleen - small privately owned establishments (though could be use interchangeably)

Bath house - a significant social space which symbolised health and wellbeing of citizens and also the town’s success and financial stability

Baths usually funded by rich males, (rarely, but could be funded by females) Building and maintenance became th responsibility of the civitas - local funds or might be funds by the emperor

Question 3

2.2 Theatres in the Roman Empire

What where they? What types?

Answer 3

Costly showy buildings to show individual’s and civitas’ wealth an importance

Western theatres - called theatre-amphitheatre design

Circus - entertainment and religious festivals

Stadia - (specific to Italy and the eastern empire) - version of a circus

Theatre, amphitheatre, circus or stadium has broadly similar design features

Cities that had theatre, amphitheatre, circus or stadia indicated that the local populations were engaged in typical Roman pursuits

Question 4

2.2 Theatres in the Roman Empire II

Answer 4

Theatre comes from the Greek word thea or to see or the sense of sight, thus theatres was a ‘seeing place’ and in which performances of plays could be held

Roman theatres tended to be more elaborately decorated with the focus on the interior rather than the exterior specifically the embellishment of the ‘scaena frons’ (the backdrop of a theatre’s stage)

Greek theatres originally associated with annual festivals e.g. religious ones

Amphitheatres & Circuses (Roman) - gladiatorial combat and horse racing - these linked to festivals and funerals

Question 5

2.2 Theatres in the Roman Empire III

Answer 5

Mid Republic theatres played - Platus’ comedies, gladiatorial combat (munera), beast hunts (venationes) having its roots in religious festivals

Social status dictated where someone sat and occasional examples in provincial theatres and amphitheatres suggest that this practice (from Rome) was followed in at least some parts of the empire

Question 6

2.2.2 Theatres as expressions of empire or of local identity

Wealth, culture, Greek or Roman design?

Answer 6

Re architecture, we might ultimately recognise theatres as Greek and amphitheatres as Roman structures - though this is simplistic and each building must be considered in its local context, there may have been archetypes but no two buildings were identical

The desire of local elites to fund public buildings makes those structures (where built) a feature of the Roman empire

Where they did exist it is suggested that they represented both local tastes and a degree of conformity to a Roman way of life

Gallo-Roman type of theatre-amphitheatres (western) eastern empire tended to be the greek theatre design

When thinking theatres ask ‘what is it about the building’s architecture and decoration that makes it ‘Roman’ OR specific to its location