Vienna, (modern Vienne, Isère, France)

40 – 50 CE

Cavea Width: 130 meters
Orchestra Width: 35 meters

Vienna, (modern Vienne, France). Roman theatre; facing WSW facing. Cavea seating:130 meters wide in three tiers: ima,12 rows in 4 cunei; media, 21 rows in 10 cunei;  summa, 10 rows in 10 cunei. Precinctiones (curved walkways) separate each tier. Ambulatory, porticus, and temple above summa cavea. Passageways under ima and media cavea lead to vomitoria. Orchestra: diameter 34.76 meters separated from cavea by a .89 meter tall wall and bisellia steps (wide, tiered steps for honorific seating, and a drainage channel. Pulpitum (stage): 1.5 meters high, 72 meters long, 9.19 to 11.33 meters wide. Aulaeum (curtain) slot (L 49.50, W 2.84 m. Scaenae frons: 3-story stage house (based on cavea height) with 3 upstage doors onto the stage. Basilicas (towers with doors) on either side of the stage. Little remains of scaenae frons and basilicas. (Sear 252).

The Roman Theatre at Vienna (modern Vienne, France)
T. Hines 2025

The Vienna Theatre (Théâtre Antique de Vienne) dates from the late 1st century BCE to the mid 1st century CE, with alterations and renovations through the Hadrianic period. It was constructed in the Roman colony of Vienna (modern-day Vienne, France). It was abandoned in the 3rd century CE, rediscovered in 1834, and excavated in the early 20th century.

With a seating capacity of approximately 13,000, it is the second largest theatre in Gaul, slightly surpassed in size by the Augustodunum Theatre in Autun, 200 kilometers to the north. The theatre was built against the steep slope of Pipet Hill and formed part of a larger complex that included an odeon and temples. Consistent with typical Latin stone theatre designs, vaulted substructures supported the cavea, featuring circular vaulted corridors (praecinctiones) which facilitated the audience’s entry and exit.

In 1834, archaeologist and museum curator Claude-Thomas Delorme identified the unexcavated site as a theatre. His findings were later corroborated through surveys conducted by Ernest Bizot, curator of the Vienna Museums. Excavations and restorations took place from 1922 to 1938, culminating in an inauguration event on July 30th, 1938, attended by President Albert Lebrun. The event featured a performance of Hector Berlioz’s “Damnation of Faust” with Ninon Vallin and Frédéric Anspach and drew an audience of over 10,000 spectators.

Today, the Vienna Theatre continues to serve as a cultural cornerstone, staging operas, musicals, and dance performances. Since 1981, Vienne has hosted an annual festival, Jazz à Vienne Théâtre Antique, from late June to early July.

The cavea or seating area faces west-south-west and is built against a hill. It measures 130 meters wide and is divided vertically into 3 seating sections: the lower section (ima cavea) with 12 rows of seats, the middle section (media cavea) with 21 rows, and the summa cavea with 10 rows. The ima cavea seating is divided horizontally into 4 cunei (pie-shaped sections); the media cavea and summa cavea are both divided into 10 cunei. Walkways (praecinctiones) separate the 3 tiers of seating with stairways between the cunei. Vaulted annular passageways under the ima and media cavea lead to cavea entrances. The summa cavea is accessed by 2 external staircases. An ambulatory runs around the top of the summa cavea with 8 staircases that lead to a porticus (covered colonnade). A temple with an altar was located in the middle of the porticus. The theatre seated between 8,300 to 10,400 spectators.
Orchestra: diameter 34.76 meters separated from cavea by a 0.89-meter tall wall; bisellia steps (wide, tiered steps for honorific seating, and a drainage channel. The bisellia are made from marble; the orchestra is paved with yellow and pink breccia.
Pulpitum (stage): 1.5 meters high, 72 meters long, 9.19 to 11.33 meters wide. Aulaeum (curtain) slot (L 49.50, W 2.84 m), bottom of slot 0.65 m below orchestra level; 15 pairs of mast holes.
Scaenae frons: 3-story stage house (based on cavea height) with regia (center stage door) in a large niche with curved sides; hospitalia doors (side doors), W 2.1 m. Basilicas (towers with doors) on either side of stage. Little remains of scaenae frons and basilicas. (Source for theatre specifications: Sear p. 252).

Remains well preserved: Excavated and restored, 1922 to 1938.

• Traditionally dated to the reign of Augustus (J. Formige)
• Initial construction reevaluated by G. Picard to 1st or 2nd century CE.
• Abandoned in 3rd century CE.
• Ruins discovered by Claude-Thomas Delorme in 1834.
• Ruins surveyed (1908-1916) by Ernest Bizot (curator Vienna museums) and confirmed to be a theatre.
• Theatre excavated and restored (1908-1038)

Source: (Sear 252) (Bradu) 

Bibliography / Resources:

Bradu, Jean-François. “Monuments of Vienna.” Educational site History-Geography. http://jfbradu.free.fr/celtes/st-romain-en-gal/monuments3.php3. Accessed 1 Jan. 2025.

Formigé, Jules, and Charles Picard. The Roman Theatre of Vienna. 1949.

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

Theatrum. https://www.theatrum.de/67.html. Accessed 22 Jan. 2025.

Vienne Roman Theatre: Vienne, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, France. HistoryHit. https://www.historyhit.com/locations/vienne-roman-theatre/. Accessed 10 Jan. 2025.

Vienne Condrieu Tourisme. https://en.vienne-condrieu.com/patrimoine-culturel/roman-theatre-vienne/. Accessed 23 Jan. 2025.

Wikimedia Commons. “Vienne Theatre.” https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?search=vienne+theatre&title=Special:MediaSearch&go=Read&uselang=fr&type=image. Accessed 19 Jan. 2025.

Wikipedia. “Ancient Theatre of Vienna.” https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Th%C3%A9%C3%A2tre_antique_de_Vienne. Accessed 21 Feb. 2025.