Saepinum (modern Altilia, near Sepino, Italy)

Saepinum (Latin, 330 BCE - CE 300) Sepinvm (Latin, 30 BVE - CE 640)

Modern Altilia, near Sepino, Italy

Roman Theatre

Julio-Claudian period (14–68 CE)

41.4344, 14.61751

2,500 - 3,000

Cavea Width: 62 meters
Orchestra Width: 13 meters

Saepinum (modern Altilia, near Sepino, Italy). Roman theatre; SE facing cavea: D 61.5 m.; ima cavea: 3 surviving rows of possible 10, divided into 4 cunei; summa cavea: 7 rows with possible ambulacrum at top; praecinctio separates ima from summa cavea; blocks with rectangular slots for vela (cloth shade) mast supports. Orchestra: D 12.88 m paved with limestone; surrounded by praecinctio with 3 bisellia (honorific seating now missing) steps and curved parapet (short, 1-meter wall). Aditus maximus (main theatre entrance) on each side of orchestra through massive tetrapylon (rectangular structure with an arched opening on each side). Proscaenium (stage front): H 1.4 m. with decorative niches (3 curved, 2 rectangular); Pulpitum (stage): L 40.3, W 7.35 m. with possible aulaeum (curtain) slot; scaenae frons: rectilinear; 3 door (center and right door exist but left door missing); 18th c. buildings now covers what once was the scaenae frons. Seating capacity: 3,000. Date: initial construction Julio-Claudian (27 BCE, 68 CE); scene building remodel in 4th c. CE (source: Sear and Denard).

Location and History:

Saepinum, located in modern-day Altilia near Sepino in the province of Campobasso (Italy), represents one of the best-preserved examples of a small Roman provincial town with its theater being a notable architectural feature. The ancient city sits approximately 15 kilometers south of modern Campobasso in the south-central region of Italy (Princeton Encyclopedia).

Brief History of City

Originally a Samnite settlement dating to the 4th century BCE, Saepinum was strategically positioned on the ancient road connecting Beneventum to Corfinium. The original settlement was located on the mountain above the later Roman town, with remnants of its Cyclopean masonry walls still visible today (Stillwell et al.). The Romans captured Saepinum in 293 BCE during their campaigns against the Samnites (Stillwell et al.).

The city walls of the Roman municipium were constructed during the reign of Tiberius, between 2 BCE and 4 CE, as confirmed by inscriptions (Stillwell et al.). The urban layout followed the typical Roman orthogonal plan with a forum at the center and major buildings including temples to Jupiter and Apollo. By the 4th century CE, the presence of tombs within the city walls suggests significant abandonment. Following the collapse of the Western Roman Empire, Saepinum was captured by Saracens in 882 CE (Wikipedia).

Brief History of Theatre

The theater of ancient Saepinum was constructed during the Julio-Claudian period in the first decades of the 1st century CE (Teatri Greci e Romani 1995). It was strategically positioned close to the city walls in an area somewhat removed from the urban center to minimize disruption to city life during both construction and subsequent performances (“Parco Archeologico”). The structure underwent renovations in the mid-4th century CE, particularly to the scaenae and porticus (Teatri Greci e Romani 1995). From the 18th century onwards, rural buildings were constructed over parts of the theater, repurposing materials from the ancient structure. Recent restoration work has preserved these later additions for their historical value, transforming them into museum spaces (“Parco Archeologico”).

Architectural 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: 41.4344, 14.61751
• Built against town wall
• Scene building parallel to cardo
• Orientation: Facing south-east

Cavea (seating area)

• Diameter: 61.50 m
• Estimated capacity: 3,000 spectators (Teatri Greci e Romani)
• Seating divisions:
  • Ima cavea: 3 rows survive (0.35-0.40 × 0.70 m) in 4 cunei; probably c.10 rows originally
  • Praecinctio (W 2.99 m) separates ima from summa cavea
  • Summa cavea: approximately 7 rows
  • Probable ambulacrum (W 2.61 m) at top
  • At back of cavea: rectangular foundations (7.00 × 8.20 m), possibly for circular shrine (many curved blocks and cornices found nearby)
• Construction materials and techniques:
  • Local limestone construction
  • Supporting walls built in opus vittatum and solid stone cut into large blocks (Teatri Greci e Romani)
• Support structures and access:
  • Ima cavea supported on 19 radial vaults
  • Inner annular passage (W 2.91-2.99 m, H 3 m) around ima cavea
  • 2 radial vaults with staircases from inner annular passage up to seating of ima cavea
  • Upper cavea supported on 21 radial vaults (excluding aditus maximi)
  • 18 vaults probably served as storerooms
  • 3 vaults functioned as corridors from inner to outer annular passage (W 2.30-2.64 m, H 7.20 m)
  • Vela: blocks with rectangular slots (0.17 × 0.30 m), presumably for vela (awning) masts

Orchestra (performance space between audience and stage)

• Diameter: 22.92 m (12.88 m inner diameter per Teatri Greci e Romani)
• Shape and materials: Paved in limestone
• Special features:
  • Surrounded by praecinctio (W 1.12 m) and balteus wall (H 1 m, W 0.20 m, D at balteus 20.60 m)
  • Three steps for bisellia (H 0.30 m) and footrest (inner D 12.88 m)

Pulpitum (stage)

• Dimensions: L 40.30 m, W 6.15-7.35 m (8.75 m including proscaenium wall)
• Construction details:
  • Proscaenium: W 1.40 m, H 1.40 m; featuring 3 curved and 2 rectangular niches
  • Aulaeum (curtain) slot: L 30.5 m, W 1.10 m; 0.15 m below orchestra level
  • 6 mast holes survive of original 10 (0.60 m square; depth 1.50 m, 2.80 m apart)
  • 3 apertures allow access to aulaeum from hyposcaenium
• Stage machinery:
  • Hyposcaenium: in the middle, between regia and north hospitalium, a stone block with pivot-hole (D 0.20 m)
  • 1.50 m away, another block with rhomboid-shaped slot, possibly for rotating scenery (Gaggiotti)

Scaenae Frons (decorative scene house front)

• Architectural order and design: Rectilinear; evidence of a layer of white plaster (0.5 m thick)
• Doorways:
  • Rectangular projections in front supported columns, partly stone and partly plastered brick
  • Regia door: W 2.80 m
  • South hospitalium door: W 2 m
• Decorative elements:
  • Columnatio: fragmentary Tuscan capital found with abacus (W 0.63 m, upper D 0.45 m)
  • Postscaenium: long, undivided room (W 3.30 m) with 3 doorways corresponding to those in scaenae frons

Access and Circulation

• Entrances and exits:
  • Two main entrances (tetrapyles) at the extremities of the hemicycle, made up of four arched passages
  • Secondary entrance opened in the walls
  • Massive tetrapylon at each end of the cavea
  • Piers (1.50 × 1.40 m) forming junction between outer annular passage and aditus maximi
  • Outer cavea wall plain with windows and doorways at intervals
• Stairways and special areas:
  • Complex system of stairs and internal passages to manage incoming and outgoing spectator flow (Saepinum Archaeological Area)
  • Porticus post scaenam: Inscription records that Herrenius Obellianus donated porticus and piscina
  • Behind the scaena was likely a campus-piscina-porticus complex, as confirmed by an inscription that also references ludi scaenici (Teatri Greci e Romani)

Current Status

Preservation Condition

The theater of Saepinum is relatively well-preserved compared to many ancient structures of its kind. The orchestra, ima cavea, and three tiers of steps of the media cavea remain in good condition (Teatri Greci e Romani 1995). The rural buildings constructed over the scaena and summa cavea from the 18th century onwards have been integrated into the archaeological site, now serving as museums and offices (Teatri Greci e Romani 1995).

Conservation Efforts

The Sepino Archaeological Park manages the preservation and presentation of the theater as part of the larger ancient city complex. The park is described as “a place out of time, in which the past coexists in close contact with the present” (“Parco Archeologico”). The integration of later historical periods into the presentation of the site represents a holistic approach to conservation, acknowledging the continuous inhabitation and use of the space through different eras.

 

Ancient Renovations

• Chronological phases:
  • Initial construction: Julio-Claudian period (early 1st century CE)
  • Significant alterations to scene building in 4th century CE (Sear 154)
  • Restructuring of the scaena and the porticus around the mid-4th century CE (Teatri Greci e Romani 1995)

Architectural Modifications

The 4th-century renovations appear to have focused on the scaena and porticus areas, though specific details of these modifications are not extensively documented in the available sources. The continued use of the theater into the 4th century is notable, as it corresponds with a period when parts of the city were being abandoned, as evidenced by tombs appearing within the city walls during this period (Stillwell et al.).

Excavation Campaigns: Archaeological investigation of Saepinum has been conducted through several major campaigns, though comprehensive documentation of all excavations specific to the theater remains limited in the available sources.

• 1950s: Excavations led by Valerio Cianfarani, Soprintendenza alle Antichità degli Abruzzi e del Molise (Cianfarani)
• Late 1970s: Studies by Mario Gaggiotti, Università di Perugia, focusing particularly on the theater (Gaggiotti 59-67)
• Early 1980s: Documentation work by Matteini Chiari, resulting in the publication “Saepinum: Museo documentario dell’Altilia” (Matteini Chiari 143-56)
• Recent decades: Ongoing conservation efforts by the Soprintendenza Archeologia, Belle Arti e Paesaggio del Molise

Modern Restorations: Recent restoration work has preserved the 18th-century rural buildings constructed over parts of the theater, integrating them into the archaeological site as museum spaces (“Parco Archeologico”). These restorations have maintained the historical continuity of the site while making the ancient structures accessible to visitors.

Publication History

The archaeological research at Saepinum’s theater has been documented in several key publications by scholars, including Cianfarani (1958), Gaggiotti (1979), and Matteini Chiari (1982), establishing a foundation for our understanding of the site’s archaeological significance and architectural features. These works have been supplemented by more recent studies that continue to expand our knowledge of this important Roman provincial theater.

Bibliography / Resources:

Cianfarani, Valerio. Guida alle antichità di Sepino. Mondadori, 1958.

Ciancio Rossetto, Paola, and Giuseppina Pisani Sartorio, editors. Teatri Greci e Romani: alle origini del linguaggio rappresentato. SEAT, 1995.

Denard, Hugh. “Italian Theatres: Saepinum.” The Pompey Project, King’s Visualisation Lab, pompey.cch.kcl.ac.uk/Italian%20Theatres_files/saepinum.htm. Accessed 3 June 2024.

Gaggiotti, Mario. “Sepino Archeologia e Continuità.” Archeologia e Continuità, Campobasso, 1979, pp. 59-70.

Matteini Chiari, Maria, editor. Saepinum: Museo documentario dell’Altilia. Campobasso, 1982, pp. 143-56.

“Parco Archeologico di Saepinum-Altilia.” Parco Sepino, Ministero della Cultura, www.parcosepino.it. Accessed 9 June 2024.

Reale, Antonio. “Saepinum: A Hidden Pompeii.” The History Corner, 26 Aug. 2021, www.thehistorycorner.com/post/saepinum-a-hidden-pompeii. Accessed 4 June 2024.

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

Stillwell, Richard, et al., editors. “Saepinum.” The Princeton Encyclopedia of Classical Sites, Princeton University Press, 1976, www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:1999.04.0006:entry=saepinum. Accessed 9 June 2024.

Teatri Greci e Romani. “Sepino: Saepinum.” Teatri Greci e Romani, edited by V. Ceglia, 1995.

Wikipedia contributors. “Saepinum.” Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, Wikipedia, 22 Jan. 2024, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saepinum. Accessed 5 June 2024.