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THEATRE IN THE ROMAN AGE

Cameron Hall continues his history of the evolution of theatre in the western tradition

Greece came under the control of
Rome following the battle at Corinth in
146BC, but the illustrious days of Greek
theatre had peaked before then (see CR
50). Nevertheless, the inheritance of
many fine theatres and a rich legacy of
drama provided an enviable artistic
foundation for the conquerors. Rome
built upon this inheritance and achieved
its own glory.
Early Greek influences
In southern Italy and Sicily the
mime was probably borrowed from the slave from the southern Italian
Greeks. It was the oldest and most peninsula - once a colony of Greece -
enduring dramatic form. The scenes he is believed to have been the first to
were typically ribald with stories of translate Greek comedy, originally for a
adultery accentuated by song, dance festival in 240BC to celebrate the end
and (unlike today) dialogue. By the late of the first Punic War (264 - 241BC)
third century BC, companies of mime between Carthage and the Roman
performers circulated throughout Italy. republic. Nine tragedies and three Titus Maccius Plautus (c.254-
They invariably included women so comedies that he translated still exist. 184BC) began play writing in about
that obscenity could be exploited to He is credited with introducing Greek 210BC and he probably wrote forty-
maximum advantage. tragedy into the Roman tradition. eight plays. Twenty-one of these
A second form of farce, the phylax, Rome’s most feted dramatic survive as principal examples of
can be identified directly with Greece. endeavours were founded upon romanised Greek comedies (Fabula
The actors wore costumes consistent translations and adaptations of Greek Palliata).
with those of Greek comedy and the tragedies and comedies, especially the Plautus was strongly influenced by
action was generally a burlesque Palliatae, the Romanised version of the later day Greek comic playwright
treatment of legend. Vase paintings of Greek comedy. Enough of the work of Meander (c.342- 292 BC). However,
phylax depict crude extravagance such Gnaeus Naevius survives for the his works are more boisterous and
as the loves of Zeus, the Seven Labours dignity and power of his writings to be exuberant than the originals and music
of Hercules or the absurdities of gods. appreciated. The fledgling practice of is more emphatic in his plays.
The mime assimilated with a native combining parts of two or more Greek Furthermore, women receive far greater
Roman dramatic form known as the originals is also evident. prominence - perhaps because women
Fabula Atellanae (Atellan Fables), Quintus Ennius (260-c.170BC) enjoyed far greater freedom in Rome
derived from an association with the was a half-Greek from southern Italy. than in Greece.
town of Atella, near Naples. The He was the first great Roman poet and The works of Plautus are further
Atellanae were simple tales of rural the last Roman playwright to write both distanced from Greek originals by the
life. When the Atellanae yielded to the tragedies and comedies. About half of introduction of Roman customs, place
mime, another native form, the his tragedies were based upon originals names and legal procedures. Plautus
pantomime, emerged. of the Greek master Euripides. revelled in high-spirited, raucousness.
The pantomime had little dialogue. However, his epic poetry is more highly Plautus influenced both Moliere and
Dancers and a chorus sang the story. In regarded than his plays. Shakespeare, the latter adapting two
its richest form pantomime was Plautus and Terence - the apogee plays Menaechmi and Amphitruo into
augmented by lavish scenery and of Roman drama A Comedy of Errors. Some other fine
costume. Exceedingly popular, it won Plautus and Terence represent only works by Plautus include The Pot of
the respect of some of the harshest a fraction of the comedy of the Rome Gold, The Braggart Soldier and The
literary critics who otherwise shunned of their time, but the quality of their Captives.
the theatre. work positions them in the upper
Both the mime and the pantomime echelon of literature. Though their Quotes from Plautus:
succumbed to the influences of respective styles were different, both Not by age but by capacity is
obscenity. men immensely influenced later wisdom acquired.
Greek literary inspirations playwrights. Practice yourself what you preach.
A contented mind is the best source
Livius Andronicus (c. 284-204 BC)
for trouble.
was an actor and an early translator of
Homer’s The Odyssey. A former Greek

24 2007 CINEMARECORD