Beneventum (modern Benevento, Italy)

128

Cavea Width: 93 meters
Orchestra Width: 23 meters

Beneventum Theatre (modern Benevento, Italy)

Location: Beneventum Theatre in Benevento, Italy (GPS 41.13064, 14.7718), situated inside western city walls. Cavea: Width 93m, northwest-facing, with 34 rows divided into ima cavea (lower seating) with 15 rows in 5 cunei (wedges), media cavea (middle seating) with 11 rows, and summa cavea (upper seating) with 8 rows. Substructure: Features radial vaults, annular passages, and a three-story ambulacrum (covered walkway) supporting the cavea. Orchestra: Diameter 26m, surrounded by passage with three steps. Podium: 4.5m high wall separating media and summa cavea sections. Scaenae frons: Stage backdrop with regia (royal door) featuring triple doorway and hospitalia (guest doors) in semicircular niches. Access: Multiple staircases in radial vaults providing entrance to different seating sections. Date: Constructed in 1st/early 2nd century AD and dedicated by Emperor Hadrian in 128 AD. Seating capacity: estimated 8,000-10,000.

Beneventum Theatre (modern Benevento, Italy)

Introduction

The ancient Beneventum Theatre is located in the modern city of Benevento in the Campania region of southern Italy, approximately 50 kilometers northeast of Naples. Situated at GPS coordinates 41.13064, 14.7718, the theatre occupies a position within the western sector of the ancient city walls. The structure forms part of a significant urban complex that once included the Roman forum and several temples dedicated to imperial cult worship. Nearby archaeological remains include portions of the ancient city walls, a section of the Via Appia that passed through the city, and the well-preserved Arch of Trajan, which stands approximately 300 meters east of the theatre complex.

History

The Theatre of Beneventum was constructed during the first century CE, with archaeological evidence suggesting completion in the late Flavian period, though precise dating remains debated among scholars (Richardson). The structure gained particular significance during Hadrian’s reign, as evidenced by a dedicatory inscription from 128 CE that indicates imperial patronage and possible renovation (Cavuoto).

Beneventum itself held strategic importance as a Roman colony (Colonia Iulia Concordia Beneventum) situated along the Via Appia, one of Rome’s most important highways. The city’s prominence grew during the imperial period when it functioned as a regional administrative center.

Historical sources referencing the theatre are limited, though epigraphic evidence provides important chronological anchors. Particularly significant is the Hadrianic inscription discovered during excavations in the 1960s, which confirms imperial attention to the structure (Cavuoto). An earlier inscription mentioning Commodus was deemed false by Mommsen, though debates about later imperial interventions continue among scholars (Sear).

The theatre likely maintained its original function through the 3rd century CE, after which—like many Roman entertainment structures—it may have fallen into disuse or been repurposed during the late antique and medieval periods. Historical documentation from these later periods is sparse, creating significant gaps in our understanding of the structure’s continuous history.

Theatre Specifications

The following specifications are drawn from Frank Sear’s reference book, Roman Theatres: An Architectural Study, Oxford University Press, 2006 (143), except where otherwise noted.

Location

• GPS coordinates: 41.13064, 14.7718. Orientation: The cavea faces northwest. Position: Located inside the western section of the ancient city walls
• Topographical details: Unlike many Roman theatres that utilize natural hillsides, Beneventum’s theatre appears to have been a fully structural edifice, requiring elaborate substructures to support its cavea

Cavea (Seating Area)

• Diameter: 93 meters
• Estimated seating capacity: Approximately 10,000 spectators (Golvin)
• Division of seating sections:
  • Ima cavea (lower section): 15 rows of seating (dimensions 0.76 by 0.40 meters) arranged in 5 cunei (wedge-shaped sections)
  • Media cavea (middle section): 11 rows (dimensions 0.74 by 0.41 meters)
  • Summa cavea (upper section): Approximately 8 rows, though less well preserved
• A substantial podium wall (height 4.5 meters) separates the media and summa cavea
• Construction materials and techniques: Primarily opus caementicium (Roman concrete) faced with local limestone and brick, with marble veneers used for decorative elements (De Franciscis)
• Support structures: The ima cavea rests on 15 radial vaults surrounding an annular passage (circular corridor); the media cavea is supported by 25 radial vaults; a cross-vaulted ambulacrum (covered passageway) three stories high encircles the structure (Sear 143).  

Orchestra (Performance Space)

• Diameter: 26 meters total, with the performance area proper measuring 23.5 meters (surrounded by a passage); Inner diameter of 15.5 meters surrounded by three steps
• Paving materials: Most likely marble, though specific details are not well preserved (De Franciscis)

Pulpitum/Stage (Acting Platform)

• Dimensions: Length 44.23 meters, width varying from 7.98 to 9.79 meters
• Construction details: The pulpitum (stage platform) was likely constructed of wood over a permanent substructure, as was typical in Roman theatres (Courtois)
• Stage machinery elements: No direct evidence survives, though the substructure would have accommodated standard Roman stage technology including the aulaeum (stage curtain) (Courtois)
• Access points: Connected to the orchestra via short stairs, typical of Roman theatre design, with additional access from the basilicae (side chambers)

Scaenae Frons (Scene Building Front)

• The scaenae frons (scene building front) featured a complex architectural façade with multiple orders (Sear 143).  
• The regia (central doorway) was arranged as a triple entrance within a shallow rectangular niche (width 12.4 meters) (Sear 143).  
• Door dimensions: Central door 3.5 meters wide, outer doors 1.15 meters wide
• The hospitalia (side doorways) were set within flat-backed semicircular niches (width 7.52 meters) with doors 2.84 meters wide (Sear)
• The columnatio (column arrangement) was arranged in multiple stories utilizing the Corinthian order (Sear 143).  The columns rested on a podium (raised platform) (width 1.20-1.70 meters, height 2.32 meters) (Sear)
• Archaeological remains include numerous fluted column shafts (diameter 0.59 meters) found along the porticus post scaenam, likely from the columnatio

Decoration

• Materials: Evidence suggests extensive use of marble, including grey marble for socles and pink breccia and cipollino for wall panels
• Sculptural programs: While specific sculptural programs are not well documented, the keystones of the façade arches featured togate busts, likely representing important figures or benefactors
• Architectural decoration included elements from Tuscan, Ionic, and Corinthian orders, arranged in a hierarchical progression on the façade (Pane)
• A comprehensive study of the decorative program was published by Fuchs in Untersuchungen

Access Points

• The theatre featured sophisticated circulation systems typical of Imperial Roman design
• The aditus maximi (main entrances) were 3.6 meters wide, tapering to 2.55 meters, leading directly to the orchestra (Sear)
• Above the aditus maximi were five rows of seats and tribunalia (special boxes) accessible from staircases in the postscaenium (backstage area) (Sear 143).  
  • Vertical circulation was facilitated through multiple staircases (Sear 143):
  • Six of the radial vaults contained staircases leading to the ima cavea
  • Six staircases ran from the annular passage to the second story of the ambulacrum, from which additional staircases led to the summa cavea
  • Six staircases connected the ambulacrum to the second story of the annular passage and then to the seats of the media cavea
• A central vaulted passage ran through to the orchestra

Current Status

The Theatre of Beneventum remains one of the better-preserved Roman theatres in Italy, with substantial portions of the structure still visible. The cavea is largely intact, though heavily restored during various conservation campaigns. Significant sections of the lower story of the scene building and the northeast basilica survive, along with numerous architectural fragments.

The site is accessible to visitors as part of Benevento’s archaeological zone. While not currently used for regular performances, the theatre occasionally hosts cultural events during summer months. Conservation efforts have focused on structural stabilization and protection of exposed elements from weathering.

The theatre is not individually listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site, though it forms an important component of Benevento’s cultural heritage. Current preservation challenges include urban development pressures, funding for ongoing conservation, and the integration of the ancient structure into the modern city fabric. Recent conservation has emphasized non-invasive techniques and preventive measures to preserve remaining architectural elements.

Renovations

The dedicatory inscription to Emperor Hadrian from 128 CE suggests a significant renovation or possibly the completion of the theatre during his reign: 

This inscription characterizes Hadrian as “the best and most generous emperor,” suggesting substantial imperial benefaction. While the original construction likely dates to the 1st century CE, the Hadrianic intervention represented a significant phase in the theatre’s development. The specific architectural changes during this renovation are difficult to determine with certainty, though they may have included enhancements to the decorative program of the scaenae frons, given the emperor’s well-known architectural interests.

Evidence for later renovations is limited, though the mention of a now-discredited inscription regarding Commodus indicates the difficulties in establishing a clear chronology of later interventions. Archaeological evidence suggests the theatre remained in use through the 3rd century CE, after which it likely followed the pattern of many Roman entertainment structures in experiencing gradual abandonment or repurposing.

Archaeological Excavations

Systematic archaeological investigation of the theatre began in the late 19th century, with significant work conducted in the 1920s and 1930s. Notable archaeological campaigns include:

• Initial documentation by A. Meomarini in 1889, providing the first comprehensive description of visible remains
• Excavations directed by E. Boehringer in the late 1920s, documented in Archäologischer Anzeiger (1928-1929)
• Investigations by A. Maiuri in the late 1920s, published in Bollettino d’Arte (1929)
• Further work by W. Technau in the early 1930s
• Post-WWII excavations directed by A. De Franciscis, published in Fasti Archaeologici (1947-1951)
• Modern archaeological assessment as part of Frank Sear’s comprehensive study of Roman theatres

These investigations revealed the substantial preservation of the cavea, the lower story of the scene building, and the northeast basilica. Numerous architectural fragments, including columns and elements of the scaenae frons, were also recovered. The southwest basilica was found to have been converted into a church during the medieval period, complicating archaeology in that area.

Major discoveries include the Hadrianic dedication inscription found during excavations in the 1960s (Cavuoto), which provided crucial evidence for dating and understanding imperial patronage. Archaeological methods evolved over the century of investigation, from early descriptive approaches to more scientific stratigraphic excavation in later campaigns.

Bibliography / Resources:

Boehringer, E. “Benevent.” Archäologischer Anzeiger (1928): 184-189; (1929): 132-138.

Cavuoto, P. “Iscrizioni inedite di Beneventum.” Rendiconti della Accademia Nazionale dei Lincei, Classe di Scienze morali, storiche e filologiche 24 (1969): 87-96.

Courtois, Christian. Le Bâtiment de Scène des Théâtres d’Italie et de Sicile. École Française de Rome, 1989.

De Franciscis, A. “Benevento: Teatro Romano.” Fasti Archaeologici 2 (1947): 2634; 6 (1951): 4573.

Fuchs, Michaela. Untersuchungen zur Ausstattung römischer Theater in Italien und den Westprovinzen des Imperium Romanum. Mainz: von Zabern, 1987.

Golvin, Jean-Claude. L’Amphithéâtre Romain: Essai sur la Théorisation de sa Forme et de ses Fonctions. Publications du Centre Pierre Paris, 1988.

Horn, R. “Archäologische Funde in Italien.” Archäologischer Anzeiger (1937): 434-438.

Lehmann-Hartleben, K. “Scavi e scoperte.” Archäologischer Anzeiger (1926): 119-134.

Maiuri, Amedeo. “Teatro romano di Benevento.” Bollettino d’Arte (1929): 557-562.

Meomarini, A. Monumenti e opere d’arte di Benevento. Benevento, 1889.

Nissen, Heinrich. Italische Landeskunde. Berlin: Weidmannsche Buchhandlung, 1902.

Pace, B. “Teatri ellenistici e teatri romani.” Dioniso 10 (1927): 271-276.

Pagenstecher, Rudolf. Apulien. Leipzig: Klinkhardt & Biermann, 1914.

Pane, A. “Lavori del comitato di antichità e belle arti della Campania.” Campania Romana (1938): 516-521.

Richardson, Lawrence. A New Topographical Dictionary of Ancient Rome. Johns Hopkins University Press, 1992.

Sear, Frank. “The Theater of Pompey in its Later Architectural Phases.” American Journal of Archaeology 86 (1982): 595-599.

Sear, Frank. Roman Theatres: An Architectural Study. Oxford University Press, 2006.

Technau, W. “Ausgrabungen und Funde.” Archäologischer Anzeiger (1932): 505-512.