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(Erin)

- Rome was founded around 750 B.C.E.

- Three main classes:
- Patricians, the rich upper class (ruled country through senate)
- Plebeians, ordinary people who had to fight to have a voice.
- Slaves (almost half the population)

- Punic Wars
- Rome controlled most of Italy
- Carthage challenged that, resulting in the Punic Wars
- Lasted from about 264 - 146 B.C.E.

- Rome struggled in many departments in its first century
- Julius Caesar became a dictator
- He was later assassinated by Brutus and his men.
-Brutus was then defeated by Mark Antony and Octavius.
- Which is why we now have Shakespeare's
Julius Caesar.

- The Roman Empire included modern day Spain, France, Britain, and the Balkans.

- Romans were known for being great engineers and architects.

- Religion was the most important thing to the Romans.
- Worshipped gods much like the Greeks
- Staged religious festivals with theatrical elements.
- Christians were executed early on
- Constantine began the conversion to Christianity.
-Theatre was evil

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(Erin)

- Roman theatre focussed on comedy

- Developed a form of domestic farce that still influences TV today

- Mime
- coarse, ribald, and often improvised to small audience.

- Atellan farce
- Improvised
- Exaggerated family problems
- Made fun of historical/mythological figures.

- Most important influence is Greek theatre.

- Ludi Romani
- First major Roman festival
- Dedicated to Jupiter (Roman Zeus)
-Didn't include drama until 240 B.C.E.

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(Pablo)

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(John)

-Theatre of Pompey was built as the first PERMANENT theatre in 55 BCE

-The works of Plautus and Terence were preformed in temporary wooden theatre spaces

-Similar to Greek theatres; however, Romans were (:P) big fans (:P) of comfort

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(John)

The Roman theaters we have uncovered generally share the following features:

scaena - a roofed house at the back of the stage.

scaenae frons - front wall of the scaena that could be up to three stories high and often featured a balcony as well as three doors on the ground level.

pulpitum - The actual stage.

versurae - Wings of the stage that each feature an entrance.

orchestra - The area where dignitaries sat and where musicians and dancers sometimes performed.

cavea - large auditorium, round in shape, where all the commoners sat when they attended the theater.

***According to https://www.theaterseatstore.com/ancient-roman-theater

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(John)

-Just like the Greeks, Romans enjoyed juggling, mimes, acrobatics, and animals

-Animals were also included in gladiatorial fights

-Gladiators were mostly slaves; however, many were freemen

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(Erin)

- Downfall of theatre went along with the downfall of the western empire.

- Theatre became more of an entertainment than an art form.

- The rise of Christianity
- Against theatre
- theatre was in the same category as pagan religions
- Church leaders offended by sexual content and making fun of Christianity
- If you went to the theatre on a holy day you were excommunicated
- Performers didn't have holy rites
- Moliere couldn't have a Christian burial

- Invasions from the north made the people flee leaving theatre behind