Roman theater: architecture, performance, and cultural significance

Theatre in Antiquity:

The Romans and the Greeks in a Quest for Entertainment

Entertainment in antiquity was often found at a theater, in the form of a play. Due to the efforts of the Romans and the Greeks in this particular area, we have a rich dramatic culture today. However, as mentioned in the paper, there are basic differences between Roman and Greek theaters. Though both provided forms of entertainment, they did so in different ways. The Roman Theater was often used to prove prowess and authority. Though it included some dramatic plays, this theater, which was in the form of a structure such as the Coliseum, with arches and seating for thousands of people, was often utilized for non-entertainment purposes, such as punishments, combat and executions. This was, again, due to the fact that the Roman society was very hierarchical, and Romans utilized a lot of propaganda to keep this kind of mentality intact. The Greek theater, in contrast, was mostly used to provide entertainment from all aspects: costume design, set design and the play itself. The Greeks thus focused very much on simple dramatic entertainment and visual entertainment. It is thus important to recognize Greek theatrical achievements in terms of acoustics, optics, staging and costume design. Thus, the Greeks were not only able to serve large audience with this new form of entertainment, but they also focused on interesting things that kept an audience's attention, such as the aforementioned acoustics, optics and staging needs, something that the Romans did not focus on as much. Due to the efforts of both civilizations, our society has a model from which to borrow, and which to develop in terms of theater. Therefore, anyone studying the dramatic arts should study these early forms of art for the magnificence which they have taught our civilizations, and the history that they have left behind.