Frank Sear
Biographic Data
| ID | 5405296 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Frank Sear |
| GIVEN NAMES | Frank |
| FAMILY NAME | Sear |
| SIGNATURE | SEAR F |
| AFFILIATIONS | The University of Melbourne |
| VERIFIED | No |
| TOTAL WORKS | 34 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 83 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 34 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 1973 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2012 |
| H-INDEX | 2 |
Theater, Greek and Roman
The origins of Greek tragedy are usually traced back to Thespis (hence “Thespian”), who, according to Aristotle, acted the part of different characters by wearing different masks and exchanging words with the leader of the chorus.
A.D. Trendall Fellowship
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The Cavea and Orchestra
The semicircular cavea was invented in Greece during the second half of the fourth century bc. The classic fourth-century example of this type is the theatre at Epidaurus (Plan 423). Its features are a circular orchestra, curved seating extending beyond a semicircle and converging analemmata. While theatres with converging analemmatacontinued to be built throughout the Roman imperial period in parts of Greece and Asia Minor what may be termed the…
Italy
Lowest seats supported on vault of annular passage with 4 semicircular recesses; at higher level 2 curved corridors; inner with sloping barrel-vault supporting summa cavea, 3 rows of seats accessible by 2 staircases running up through vault; east wall of outer curved corridor decorated with brick Corinthian half-columns covered in stucco; in centre of cavea radial passage to villa. In late 1st cent. or early 2nd cent. ad building modified, perhap…
Greece
Roman times massive wall (1.60 m thick) built on line of old scene building to create scaenae frons; in front of it 6 massive piers creating 5 rectangular niches; regiaframed in central pair of piers projecting from scaenae fronswall; hospitaliaframed in end pairs; columnatio: probably 2 storeys (unfluted Doric column drums and cornice fragments found); 2 sets of 3 piers ran across middle of scene building to support roof; side rooms also incorpo…
Finance and Building
This chapter examines how a theatre was contracted out and how long it may have taken to build. It also investigates how theatres were paid for and who the benefactors were. Although theatre-building followed the same practices as other civic building at the periods and places concerned, theatres seem to have been a particular target for benefaction. This may have been because the audience was so carefully segregated according to rank and positio…
The Scene Building
The scaenae fronswas the wall of the scene building facing the audience. In theatres of the western type it contained the three doorways through which the actors entered the stage (Fig. 20). In some eastern theatres there were five such doorways (Fig. 27). The sides of the stage were enclosed by walls (versurae). These also contained doorways, which led onto the stage from the lateral rooms or basilicas beyond. Thus in theatres of the western typ…
Provincial Theatres
This chapter examines provincial variations in Roman theatre design. It follows broadly the same order as the catalogue. After looking briefly at the geographical and historical background, a short account is given of the main theatre literature for each area. Then the theatres in each province or area are discussed and particular stylistic and design features are noted.
Theatre and Audience
Roman theatres were complex buildings, closer in design to modern theatres than Greek ones. The seating was arranged in a semicircle around the orchestra as in the Greek theatre, but the stage and scene building were joined to the auditorium and rose to the same height, creating a sense of enclosure more like that of a modern theatre. This sense of enclosure was made more emphatic by the fact that some smaller theatres or odea were roofed and lar…
Spain
Roman town founded in 152 bc; colony in 45 bc; capital of Hispania Ulterior and later of province of Baetica. late 19th-cent. theory that Roman theatre was under church of San Nicolas y Felipe (J. Amador de los Rios) simply guesswork; theory that steps of patio of Museo Arqueologico were part of seating, doubtful; must have been a theatre at Cordoba, but location still a mystery (Knapp). Stylow’s plan of Cordoba shows theatre on south-east side o…
The Balkans
Left hand of a colossal statue in white marble,limestone torso of statue (H 0.40 m) and female head found in corridor to west of stage.only substructures visible; upper order of outer wall destroyed; only a little of very simple lower order visible. Date: Roman period.
Abbreviations
Asia minor
DThe only recognizable public building is the theatre sunk into the rim of the hill at its north-western extremity and looking don on Ahat. The foundations of the stagestructure are still traceable: it ran southeast northwest and was 30 metres in length’ (Buckler and Calder).D c.66 m, facing south-west; very short analemmata parallel to scene building; all but lowest part of ima cavea restricted to an arc of less than 120° sides of cavea containe…
The Theatres of Rome
Temporary wooden theatres had a long history in Rome. They were built for dramatic performances (ludi scaenici) held in connection with particular festivals. Ludi scaeniciwere also performed at funerals and at the dedication of temples. The first attested ludi scaeniciwere held in 364 bc perhaps as part of the ludi Romani. These spectacles were performed in various places depending upon the occasion. Polybius describes a scenic spectacle staged b…
Britain, Gaul, and Germany
capital of the Cantiaci; theatre within grid plan, but not aligned to it; road seems to have skirted around it suggesting theatre belonged to an older religious enclosure dating to before conquest; no associated temple found (Wacher); later rebuilt to a different plan; large capacity (at least 7,000 people, Wacher) suggests it was catering for rural population; for important religious festivals.
Republican Theatres in Italy
The earliest attested theatre in the west is that at Syracuse, which was in existence at the time of Aeschylus. Its architect is known from Eustathius to have been Damocopus Myrilla. The shape of the Damocopus theatre is unknown although the seventeen rectilinear rock-cut steps just west of the later theatre are sometimes regarded as belonging to an older theatre. There may also have been a theatre at Catania in the later fifth century bc. The ol…
Theatres and Related Buildings
In towns where more than one building of theatrical shape has been discovered, one is often referred to as the ‘large theatre’ and the other the ‘small theatre’. Sometimes this ‘small theatre’ turns out to be an odeum or concert-hall. Other ‘small theatres’ look like odea, but have been defined as bouleuteria or council chambers. Others were cult theatres or private theatres. However, in many cases there is simply not enough evidence to know what…
North Africa
Rests on bed of limestone; most visible parts of building of limestone; lower cavea rests on rubble; upper on 21 radial vaults, 4 with staircases; third staircase not symmetrically located with respect to others; central vault low, almost horizontal, producing flat platform at about level of praecinctio, ?for sacellum(Frezouls). At sides of caveasections of curved walling, extending only length of two bays, plain except for 2 projections on east …
Roman Theatre Design
Logically one might expect to begin a study of design with the architects, and many names are known to us. For example, an inscription on the outer south wall of the eastern parodosof the large theatre at Pompeii names the architect as ‘M. Artorius M. I. Primus’. The architects who rebuilt the odeum of Pericles after the sack of Athens of 86 bc are known from an inscription to have been Gaius and Marcus Stallius and Melanippus. The theatre of Her…
The Levant
Two rows of seats under later cavea and section of euripustaken to belong to an earlier theatre, shallower than later one, and larger because of radius of curve; excavators believe they found earlier scaenae fronsunder scene building. It had hospitaliaenclosed in shallow curved niches angled towards orchestra and regiain rectangular recess.
Title Pages
Dedication
Roman Theatres
This book is a definitive architectural study of Roman theatre architecture. In nine chapters it brings together a massive amount of archaeological, literary, and epigraphic information under one cover. It also contains a full catalogue of all known Roman theatres, including a number of odea (concert halls) and bouleuteria (council chambers) which are relevant to the architectural discussion, about 1,000 entries in all. Inscriptional or literary …
Ancient Rome
Roman Architecture
Roman Theatres
This book is a definitive architectural study of Roman theatre architecture. In nine chapters it brings together a massive amount of archaeological, literary, and epigraphic information under one cover. It also contains a full catalogue of all known Roman theatres, including a number of odea (concert halls) and bouleuteria (council chambers) which are relevant to the architectural discussion, about 1,000 entries in all. Inscriptional or literary …
Vitruvius and Roman Theater Design
Because few, if any, Roman theaters were designed as Vitruvius (De Arch. 5.6.1) prescribes, attempts have been made to deduce how Roman architects did in fact lay out their theaters. This paper is prompted by one such attempt (D. Small, AJA 87 [1983] 55–68) and argues that the method proposed is invalid. The Vitruvian theater is examined in its historical context and the conclusion is reached that architects of the early Empire modified but did n…
The Scaenae Frons of the Theater of Pompey
The scaenae frons of the Theater of Pompey as shown on the Marble Plan of Rome is often thought to belong to the Severan period. This article argues that the Marble Plan shows the scaenae frons as rebuilt after the fire of A. D. 80. Its novel design directly influenced the builders of the Trajanic/Hadrianic theaters of Taormina and Benevento. At the same time a simplified version of the scaenae frons of the Theater of Pompey became fashionable an…
A Roman Villa near Anguillara Sabazia
Investigations at the site of the Mura di Santo Stefano near Anguillara began as a study of the standing remains of the Roman period by the two authors of the present paper. Subsequently it became clear that some of the problems involved could only be elucidated by the excavation of selected areas of the site and more extensive researches. As a result a more general publication about the site is envisaged and further work is in progress, includin…
Aspects of the Circus at Lepcis Magna
By kind permission of the Department of Antiquities and of Professor Antonino Di Vita, Director of the Italian Mission, and with the financial support of the Society for Libyan Studies, the Oxford Craven Committee and the Cambridge Faculty Board of Classics, the authors spent three weeks in the early summer of 1974 studying the circus at Lepcis Magna. During the sixty years in which Italian archaeologists have been working at Lepcis, parts of the…
Aspects of the Circus at Lepcis Magna
By kind permission of the Department of Antiquities and of Professor Antonino Di Vita, Director of the Italian Mission, and with the financial support of the Society for Libyan Studies, the Oxford Craven Committee and the Cambridge Faculty Board of Classics, the authors spent three weeks in the early summer of 1974 studying the circus at Lepcis Magna. During the sixty years in which Italian archaeologists have been working at Lepcis, parts of the…
The Earliest Wall Mosaics in Italy
Mentions of wall and vault mosaics were rare (Ronczewski 1903 and Ricci 1914) until Carlo Cecchelli wrote the first definitive work on the subject (Cecchelli 1922). Since then scholars such as Bovini (1954) and Stern (1959) have sought the origins of wall mosaics. Others, like Parlasca (1959, 66–8) and Becatti (1961, 274–6, 291–4) have made valuable contributions to the subject in the form of essays within longer works. Neuerburg's (1965) work on…
A Roman Villa near Anguillara Sabazia
Investigations at the site of the Mura di Santo Stefano near Anguillara began as a study of the standing remains of the Roman period by the two authors of the present paper. Subsequently it became clear that some of the problems involved could only be elucidated by the excavation of selected areas of the site and more extensive researches. As a result a more general publication about the site is envisaged and further work is in progress, includin…
Roman Architecture
The theatre at Leptis Magna and the development of Roman theatre design
An abstract is not available for this content so a preview has been provided. Please use the Get access link above for information on how to access this content
Vitruvius and Roman Theater Design
Because few, if any, Roman theaters were designed as Vitruvius (De Arch. 5.6.1) prescribes, attempts have been made to deduce how Roman architects did in fact lay out their theaters. This paper is prompted by one such attempt (D. Small, AJA 87 [1983] 55–68) and argues that the method proposed is invalid. The Vitruvian theater is examined in its historical context and the conclusion is reached that architects of the early Empire modified but did n…
The Finds of Roman Britain
The Scaenae Frons of the Theater of Pompey
The scaenae frons of the Theater of Pompey as shown on the Marble Plan of Rome is often thought to belong to the Severan period. This article argues that the Marble Plan shows the scaenae frons as rebuilt after the fire of A. D. 80. Its novel design directly influenced the builders of the Trajanic/Hadrianic theaters of Taormina and Benevento. At the same time a simplified version of the scaenae frons of the Theater of Pompey became fashionable an…
The theatre at Taormina — a new chronology
IL TEATRO DI TAORMINA: UNA NUOVA CRONOLOGIA Il teatro di Taormina, nonostante la sua importanza, non era mai stato oggetto di nessun dettagliato rilevamento, fino al 1992 quando un team australiano cominciò lo studio delle sue fasi architettoniche. Tale lavoro ha confermato l'esistenza di tre principali fasi costruttive: una fase ellenistica (III secolo a.C.); una ricostruzione romana (inizio del secondo secolo d.C.); e la trasformazione del teat…
Roman Architecture
Ancient Rome
The Cavea and Orchestra
The semicircular cavea was invented in Greece during the second half of the fourth century bc. The classic fourth-century example of this type is the theatre at Epidaurus (Plan 423). Its features are a circular orchestra, curved seating extending beyond a semicircle and converging analemmata. While theatres with converging analemmatacontinued to be built throughout the Roman imperial period in parts of Greece and Asia Minor what may be termed the…
Italy
Lowest seats supported on vault of annular passage with 4 semicircular recesses; at higher level 2 curved corridors; inner with sloping barrel-vault supporting summa cavea, 3 rows of seats accessible by 2 staircases running up through vault; east wall of outer curved corridor decorated with brick Corinthian half-columns covered in stucco; in centre of cavea radial passage to villa. In late 1st cent. or early 2nd cent. ad building modified, perhap…
Greece
Roman times massive wall (1.60 m thick) built on line of old scene building to create scaenae frons; in front of it 6 massive piers creating 5 rectangular niches; regiaframed in central pair of piers projecting from scaenae fronswall; hospitaliaframed in end pairs; columnatio: probably 2 storeys (unfluted Doric column drums and cornice fragments found); 2 sets of 3 piers ran across middle of scene building to support roof; side rooms also incorpo…
Finance and Building
This chapter examines how a theatre was contracted out and how long it may have taken to build. It also investigates how theatres were paid for and who the benefactors were. Although theatre-building followed the same practices as other civic building at the periods and places concerned, theatres seem to have been a particular target for benefaction. This may have been because the audience was so carefully segregated according to rank and positio…
The Scene Building
The scaenae fronswas the wall of the scene building facing the audience. In theatres of the western type it contained the three doorways through which the actors entered the stage (Fig. 20). In some eastern theatres there were five such doorways (Fig. 27). The sides of the stage were enclosed by walls (versurae). These also contained doorways, which led onto the stage from the lateral rooms or basilicas beyond. Thus in theatres of the western typ…
Provincial Theatres
This chapter examines provincial variations in Roman theatre design. It follows broadly the same order as the catalogue. After looking briefly at the geographical and historical background, a short account is given of the main theatre literature for each area. Then the theatres in each province or area are discussed and particular stylistic and design features are noted.
Theatre and Audience
Roman theatres were complex buildings, closer in design to modern theatres than Greek ones. The seating was arranged in a semicircle around the orchestra as in the Greek theatre, but the stage and scene building were joined to the auditorium and rose to the same height, creating a sense of enclosure more like that of a modern theatre. This sense of enclosure was made more emphatic by the fact that some smaller theatres or odea were roofed and lar…
Spain
Roman town founded in 152 bc; colony in 45 bc; capital of Hispania Ulterior and later of province of Baetica. late 19th-cent. theory that Roman theatre was under church of San Nicolas y Felipe (J. Amador de los Rios) simply guesswork; theory that steps of patio of Museo Arqueologico were part of seating, doubtful; must have been a theatre at Cordoba, but location still a mystery (Knapp). Stylow’s plan of Cordoba shows theatre on south-east side o…
The Balkans
Left hand of a colossal statue in white marble,limestone torso of statue (H 0.40 m) and female head found in corridor to west of stage.only substructures visible; upper order of outer wall destroyed; only a little of very simple lower order visible. Date: Roman period.
Abbreviations
Asia minor
DThe only recognizable public building is the theatre sunk into the rim of the hill at its north-western extremity and looking don on Ahat. The foundations of the stagestructure are still traceable: it ran southeast northwest and was 30 metres in length’ (Buckler and Calder).D c.66 m, facing south-west; very short analemmata parallel to scene building; all but lowest part of ima cavea restricted to an arc of less than 120° sides of cavea containe…
The Theatres of Rome
Temporary wooden theatres had a long history in Rome. They were built for dramatic performances (ludi scaenici) held in connection with particular festivals. Ludi scaeniciwere also performed at funerals and at the dedication of temples. The first attested ludi scaeniciwere held in 364 bc perhaps as part of the ludi Romani. These spectacles were performed in various places depending upon the occasion. Polybius describes a scenic spectacle staged b…
Britain, Gaul, and Germany
capital of the Cantiaci; theatre within grid plan, but not aligned to it; road seems to have skirted around it suggesting theatre belonged to an older religious enclosure dating to before conquest; no associated temple found (Wacher); later rebuilt to a different plan; large capacity (at least 7,000 people, Wacher) suggests it was catering for rural population; for important religious festivals.
Republican Theatres in Italy
The earliest attested theatre in the west is that at Syracuse, which was in existence at the time of Aeschylus. Its architect is known from Eustathius to have been Damocopus Myrilla. The shape of the Damocopus theatre is unknown although the seventeen rectilinear rock-cut steps just west of the later theatre are sometimes regarded as belonging to an older theatre. There may also have been a theatre at Catania in the later fifth century bc. The ol…
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