Ostia Antica is an ancient harbor town (which now lies inland from the coast), and is located approximately 20 minutes south of downtown Rome. While we visited this archaeological site on June 10th I thought that the main focus of this area was the ancient theater which is still in use today. The theater is built in Roman Theater style and dates back to around 12 B.C. The excavations of the theater were planned to begin in the early 19th century and were finished in 1880-1881 and then again in the early 20th century. The theater is quite large with an original estimated capacity of just over 3,000 people, but after renovations was able to hold over 4,000 people. At one point in time during conflict, the arches (which were used as entrances) on the lower level were blocked and the theater was converted into a fortress. Even when we visited the theater today, the year 2008, it was still in use by a ballet company who puts on shows there quite regularly.
All information on Ostia Antica and its theater are thanks to this site: Ostia Antica Theater History
No comments:
Post a Comment