Pompeii Odeum (modern Pompeii, Italy)

ca. 80-75 BCE

Cavea Width: 35 meters
Orchestra Width: 15 meters

The Odeum of Pompeii (Pompeii, Italy); cavea 34.8 meters in width; divided into four cunei by three stairways with four rows reserved for decurions; faces north-northeast; approximately 1,500 spectators capacity; orchestra 15.3 meters in diameter; constructed circa 80-75 BCE during the Sullan colonial period; well-preserved with intact cavea seating and stage building foundations, though roofing no longer present. (Sear 2006, 132; Richardson 1988, 195-196)

The Odeum of Pompeii

Introduction: The Odeum was constructed around 75 BCE during the early years of the Sullan colony by the duumviri (chief magistrates) Caius Quinctius Valgus and Marcus Porcius, who also financed the construction of Pompeii’s amphitheater (CIL 10.844; ILLRP 646). This construction occurred nearly two decades before the first permanent stone theater was erected in Rome, highlighting Pompeii’s cultural significance (Sear 132). The venue served multiple functions, primarily hosting musical performances, poetry recitations, and council meetings rather than the dramatic performances that took place in the adjacent Large Theatre.

History: The Odeum was constructed circa 80-75 BCE during the early colonial period of Pompeii, following the establishment of the Sullan colony (Colonia Cornelia Veneria Pompeianorum) after the Social War (D’Arms 1988, 51). It was commissioned by two local magistrates, Caius Quinctius Valgus and Marcus Porcius, as indicated by an inscription found at the site (CIL X, 844). These same magistrates were responsible for building the amphitheater at the opposite end of the city. The Odeum remained in use until Pompeii’s destruction in the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 CE (Sear 2006, 131).

Theatre Specifications

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

Location

• GPS coordinates: 40.74896, 14.48912
• Orientation: Facing southeast
• Topographical details: Built against a natural slope (35°)

Cavea (seating area)

• Rectangular in shape (27.75-28.60 × 34.80 m)
• 16 rows of seats (0.62 × 0.44 m)
• Divided by 6 staircases (width 0.60 m) into 5 cunei (wedge-shaped sections)
• Estimated capacity: 1,500-1,850 spectators (Sear)
• Construction materials: Nocera tufa stone
• Support structures: Cavea rests against natural slope (35°); crypta (width 0.83 m) at the top of the cavea; possible porticus (columns found)

Orchestra (performance space between audience and stage)

• Diameter: 15.3 m
• Paved in colored marbles
• Surrounded by praecinctio (walkway, width 1.4-2.2 m) accessible from orchestra by 2 staircases, each with 3 semicircular steps
• Balteus wall (diameter at wall 13.2 m)
• 4 steps for bisellia (honorary seats, inner diameter 7.1 m)

Pulpitum (stage)

• Length: 26.6 m
• Width: 4.4 m
• Proscaenium (front of stage): rectilinear, width 0.77 m, height 1.20 m
• Aulaeum (curtain): Slot behind proscaenium wall for stage curtain mechanism

Scaenae Frons (decorative scene house front)

• Rectilinear design
• Three doorways: regia (central door, width 2.36 m), hospitalia doors (width 1.75 m)
• Two narrow lateral doorways (later blocked)
• Second Style wall-paintings were still visible in the 19th century

Access and Circulation

• Aditus maximi (main entrances): width 2 m
• Tribunalia (platforms for distinguished guests, 3.25 × 2.50 m) accessible by staircases at the sides of the stage
• Postscaenium (behind the stage): Single long room (width 4.2 m, length 26.6 m) with 4 doorways (width 1.60 m) in the back wall

Roof Structure

• Hipped roof with ridge running north-south (28.60 × 30.00 m)
• Likely extended as far as the scene wall
• Separate lower roof covered the postscaenium (scene wall 0.90 m thick, south wall 0.60 m thick)
• Windows all around the building at the level of the top row of seats and
• porticus

Current Status

Preservation Condition

• Very well-preserved, though the roof is no longer extant
• Notable decorative elements still visible include:
  • Kneeling telamones (sculptural supports) in Nocera tufa at the termination of the analemmata walls
  • Winged lion’s feet at the termination of the balteus wall

Conservation Efforts

• The Soprintendenza Speciale per i Beni Archeologici di Napoli e Pompei oversees preservation work
• Modern technology, including 3D scanning, laser surveys, and digital modeling, has been employed to document the current state of the structure and aid in preservation planning
• UNESCO World Heritage Site status, designated in 1997 as part of the Archaeological Areas of Pompeii, Herculaneum, and Torre Annunziata

Ancient Renovations

• Initial construction: c. 75 BCE during the early years of the Sullan colony
• Orchestra renovation: Paved in colored marbles by the duumvir Marcus Oculatius Verus (CIL 10.845), likely during the Augustan period
• Acoustic modifications: The presence of a roof significantly altered the acoustic properties of the building, with research suggesting reverberation times between 1.8 and 2.4 seconds, depending on the frequency band, making it especially suitable for musical performances

Major Excavation Campaigns

• Initial discovery: The ruins of Pompeii were first discovered in the late 16th century by the architect Domenico Fontana, though systematic excavation did not begin until 1748 (Fiorelli)
• 18th century: Early excavations under the patronage of Don Carlos, King of Naples, conducted by military engineer Karl Weber from 1750 to 1764 (Parslow)
• 19th century: Giuseppe Fiorelli became director of excavations in 1860, implementing more systematic documentation methods
• 19th century: Early documentation of the Odeum appears in T.L. Donaldson’s “Pompeii illustrated with picturesque views” (1827) and François Mazois’s “Les ruines de Pompéi” (1824-1838)
• 20th century: Amedeo Maiuri directed excavations before World War II
• 20th century: G. Spano conducted studies published in “Annali dell’Istituto Superiore di Scienze e Lettere” (1948-49)
• 20th century: M. Murolo’s research on the roof structure (1959)
• Late 20th/early 21st century: Modern scientific analyses of the acoustic properties of the Odeum

Modern Restorations

• Post-World War II restorations: Some areas of the Odeum were damaged during Allied bombing campaigns between September 13-20, 1943, necessitating reconstruction work
• Conservation projects under the aegis of the Archaeological Park of Pompeii have focused on preserving the remaining structure
• The “Great Pompeii Project”: Initiated in 2012 to address conservation issues throughout the archaeological site, including improved drainage systems to protect ancient walls

Bibliography / Resources:

Pompei Odeum Panormas: https://www.whitman.edu/theatre/theatretour/pompeii.odeum/pompeii.odeum.tour.htm

Cooley, Alison E. Pompeii. Duckworth Archaeological Histories, 2003.

Fiorelli, Giuseppe. Descrizione di Pompei. Naples: Tipografia Italiana, 1875.

Parslow, Christopher Charles. Rediscovering Antiquity: Karl Weber and the Excavation of Herculaneum, Pompeii, and Stabiae. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1995.

“The Great Pompeii Project.” Archaeological Park of Pompeii, https://pompeiiarchaeologicalpark.com/preserving-pompeii/#introduction. Accessed 13 Apr. 2025.

“Conservation Projects.” Pompeii Archaeological Park. http://pompeiisites.org/en/archaeological-park-of-pompeii/conservation-projects/. 2018. Accessed 13 April 2025.

“Preservation.” Pompeii Archaeological Park. \https://pompeiiarchaeologicalpark.com/preserving-pompeii/. 2024. Accessed 13 April 2025.

Richardson, Lawrence. Pompeii: An Architectural History. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, 1988.

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