Cales (modern Calvi Ristora)

100 BCE

Earliest Date: 100 BCE. Renovations: 1^st Century CE.; In 1st  century CE, outer theatre wall added to reconcile theatre with road. Remains: well-preserved cavea; only footings of seats survive; scene building now excavated (2002).

Cavea Width: 75 meters
Orchestra Width: 27 meters

Roman Cales theatre (modern Calvi Risorta, Italy). One of the earliest free-standing theatres in Rome. Cavea: SE facing; D 75.4 m; lower seating supported by 12 barrel vaults, upper seating supported by 24 barrel vaults; only seating supports remain; seating capacity unknown. Semi-circular orchestra: W 27.4 m, surrounded by curved passage and balteus wall. Orchestra: D c.27.40 m; surrounded by a curved passage and balteus wall. Stage length 41 m; width 7.79 m. 8 aulaeum slots visible. Scaenae frons: exceptionally broad and shallow regia niche. Stage building excavated (2002). (Sear, p 121). Theatre dates from beginning of 1st century B.C. (Sullan); Second phase (including portico): 1st century A.D. (Augustan). (Denard, “The Pompey Project”)

References:

CALES – CALVI RISORTA (Campania). Romano Impero. omanoimpero.com/2020/08/cales-calvi-risorta-campania.html. Accessed 3, 3, 2023.

Denard, Hugh. Cales:The Pompey Project: https://www.pompey.cch.kcl.ac.uk/Italian%20Theatres_files/cales.htm. Accessed 3, 10, 2023.

Sear, Frank. Roman Theatres: An Architectural Study. Oxford and New York: Oxford University Press, 2006. (p121).