Roman Period 2 Page Double Spaced

The roman theatre was based around comedy and tragedy. The first roman play written in Latin was a translation not an original work. All of there early work was based around the Greek gods. The Greeks even said that they could never make there own culture.

Plautus was a Greek rite, he had enacted to please the gods and give protection. Plautus’ stage law was that “the underdog triumphs and status barriers crumble. The penniless youth finds money for a prostitute, the hungry man shares in the feast, the slave

is rewarded rather than crucified, the right nobleman pays for all.” Plautus’ theme for his dramas was power, an example is Pseudolus there was a power struggle between the father and son through out the whole play. Plautus’ plays had never hidden that they were part of a Roman festival. They were concerned with immediate sexual and digestive gratification, the climax was usually some kind of off-stage banquet or orgy. Plautus’ plays were usually in a Roman Festival.

The roman theaters were usually in a semi-circle with a platform at the bottom. There were dressing rooms in the back that usually served as the background for the play. They were built in a semi-circle so that the acoustics were awesome. Someone could stand at the bottom, and talk, and the person at the top would hear them. They were dug out of the ground then made with Roman concrete that was really efficient.

An important historical even was when Julius Caesar came to power in 59 BC. Julius had added a bunch of territory to Rome, northern France, Belgium, and even Southern Great Britain. In 49 BC Julius crossed the Rubicon River, planning to attack Italy, Civil War broke out right when his legions finished crossing. He fought against the great general Pompey, Caesar defeated Pompey in 48 BC. He then attacked Asia Minor, he defeated them so swiftly he made the saying: “Veni, vidi,