Ancient Roman Theatre: Everything You Wanted to Know

History Extra Podcast • Host: Emily Briffett • Guest: Dr. Jessica Clarke
Date: September 20, 2025

Episode Overview

In this lively and deeply informative episode, host Emily Briffett welcomes Dr. Jessica Clarke, an expert in ancient Roman theatre, to answer listener questions and illuminate the fascinating world of Roman drama. Together, they explore the origins and evolution of Roman theatre, its key genres and themes, the social and political landscape of performance, the experience of both actors and audience, and the legacy that Roman theatre has left behind. Along the way, Dr. Clarke shares colorful anecdotes, essential context, and a critical lens on how performance both reflected and reinforced Roman society.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Origins of Roman Theatre [02:24–04:14]

• Complex Beginnings:
  Roman theatre didn’t arise from a single source; it evolved through a blend of Greek, Etruscan, and other Italian influences.
• Greek Foundation:
  Greek theatre, especially from Athens, served as a major inspiration. Plays and genres were often directly translated from Greek to Latin.
• Italian Local Culture:
  Theatre developed in Sicilian and southern Italian cities (e.g., Pompeii, Praeneste, Gabi) before taking root in Rome proper. Large theatre buildings existed in Italy long before Rome constructed its own.
• Etruscan Influence:
  While traditional accounts (e.g., Livy) claim Etruscan actors brought theatre to Rome, these sources are often unreliable and motivated by Roman-centric narratives.

“Rome tends to absorb cultural influences rather than inventing its own. And it makes kind of its own jigsaw puzzle, hodgepodge of all these different influences. And theatre’s no different, really.” — Emily Briffett [03:40]

2. Greek, Etruscan, and Other Influences [04:14–08:15]

• Direct Play Translations:
  Classical Greek tragedies and comedies by playwrights like Aeschylus, Sophocles, Aristophanes, and Menander were translated and adapted for Roman audiences.
• Popular Visual Culture:
  Theatrical imagery was widespread in everyday Roman life, seen in mosaics, figurines, and wall paintings.
• Skeptical Use of Sources:
  Ancient writers (e.g., Livy) are valuable but should be read critically, given their agendas and the retrospective nature of their accounts.

3. Golden Age and Evolution of Roman Theatre [08:15–10:32]

• Augustan Era as the Golden Age:
  The reign of Augustus marked extensive theatre-building (hundreds across the empire) and the formal introduction of new genres like pantomime and mime.
• State-sponsored Expansion:
  Theatre became a tool of imperial spectacle and political messaging, with Augustus himself championing new festivals and forms.

“...what he builds for himself is a web of entertainment venues that Rome is in charge of.” — Emily Briffett [09:10]

4. Genres: Tragedy, Comedy, Mime, Pantomime [10:32–12:18]

• Tragedy:
  Reserved for significant political occasions, such as theatre dedications or funerals (e.g., tragedies at Pompey’s theatre opening and Julius Caesar’s funeral).
• Comedy:
  Hugely popular, ongoing across centuries, featuring stock characters and bawdy, farcical plots.
• Mime:
  Spoken, often improvised comic performances—rude, topical, and improvised.
• Pantomime:
  Danced, silent shows, with a single masked performer enacting mythological stories, widespread appeal across the empire.

“Mime was spoken and was these little improvised comic vignettes. Pantomime, conversely, was a silent performance...a danced rendition of a well-known, usually mythological story.” — Emily Briffett [09:41]

5. Stock Characters & Recurring Themes [12:18–15:59]

• Stock Characters:
  Audiences expected recognizable roles—irate fathers, haranguing wives, disobedient sons, lovesick boys, conniving prostitutes, and especially the clever slave.

“The most popular was the trixie slave, who was very clever. ...This character is kind of the main fascination of a lot of scholars for Roman comedy, because he’s so significant, he’s so popular...” — Emily Briffett [13:19]

• Social Themes:
  Plots often played with role reversals, particularly of slaves and masters, but typically reinforced the status quo rather than challenging it.
• Problematic Humor:
  Comedies often included violence toward slaves and women, normalization of slavery, and misogyny, depicted as comic, not critical.

“...these are comedies. It’s meant to be amusing that a slave could have a role where they are able to control their own destiny...it is ultimately a joke, in my opinion.” — Emily Briffett [14:38]

6. Pushing—Or Not Pushing—the Boundaries [17:32–18:56]

• Conventional, Not Radical:
  Most Roman comedies supported the prevailing social and political order—plays were chosen, staged, and censored by politicians.
• Contemporary Relevance:
  Some plays touched on very current themes (e.g., Roman wars, slave status), but rarely as critique.

“My own opinion is that the comedies didn’t push much of the status quo, really. They were presenting and enforcing the status quo.” — Emily Briffett [17:47]

7. Theatre as Political Institution [18:56–22:00]

• Controlled by Politicians:
  Theatres operated only at public or aristocratic events, never independently. Politicians chose, funded, and directed plays as part of their political careers.
• Career Advancement:
  Organizing popular games and theatre was essential for politicians, as a step in the cursus honorum.

“How good your shows were that you put on as a politician could have a huge impact on how successful your political career was.” — Emily Briffett [19:45]

8. Entertainment in Roman Society [22:00–23:31]

• Part of a Broader Festival Culture:
  Theatre competed with gladiator fights, wild beast hunts, acrobatics, and more, sometimes all at the same festival.
• Demanding Audiences:
  Spectators were mobile, rowdy, and had many distractions; playwrights used prologues to beg attention.

“At a Roman festival...there’s a vibrant entertainment culture of all sorts of different things being presented to audiences. And audiences could very happily express what they were most interested in.” — Emily Briffett [22:30]

9. Audience & Inclusivity [23:31–25:22]

• Diverse Attendance:
  Unlike Greek theatre (which was exclusively for male citizens), Roman audiences included men, women, children, slaves, and even prostitutes.
• Atmosphere:
  Performances were noisy, outdoor, free to attend, and bustling with vendors and distractions.

“We don’t want to think about ancient theatre as being anything like a quiet, dark auditorium of paying spectators. First of all, it’s free to go to the theatre...it’s outdoors, it’s rowdy, it’s busy...” — Emily Briffett [23:40]

10. Actors, Status, and Gender [25:22–28:52]

• Male-Dominated Stage:
  Only men performed; male actors played female roles using masks. Very rare exceptions for certain female performers, especially in mime or dance.
• Actors’ Status:
  Acting was a low-status profession, classified with slaves and prostitutes, and actors lacked voting or legal rights.
• Celebrity Exceptions:
  Noteworthy actors could become famous—such as Clodius Aesopus, a renowned tragedian—yet the profession remained disreputable.

“An actor was in the class known as infirmaise, which would be the same class as a slave, same class as a prostitute. You would have no voting rights. You also don’t have bodily autonomy...” — Emily Briffett [26:41]

11. Performance Style, Staging, and Technology [28:52–32:31]

• Masked Acting:
  Heavily mask-driven and physical, with exaggerated gestures and movement to communicate the character’s emotions.
• Staging Innovations:
  Theatres featured retractable sails for shade, trapdoors, rotating scenery, water jets to cool and deodorize the crowd, and lavish costumes.
• Role of Mask Makers and Producers:
  Behind-the-scenes artists were integral; producers coordinated with politicians to mount productions.

“For example...if it was a very intellectual character, they might lead with their head. ...If it’s a very sort of greedy or maybe a lusty character, they might lead with their hips.” — Emily Briffett [29:20]

12. Actors, Troupes, and Playwrights [32:31–38:59]

• Troupe Structure:
  Likely included both established companies in cities and traveling troupes; evidence is fragmentary.
• Famous Playwrights:
  Plautus and Terence are best-known; their work shaped the repertoire, especially expanding the role of the clever slave.

“A key thing that is different about the Plotine texts is the expansion of the role of the slave. He really expands the centrality of that character within his plot lines.” — Emily Briffett [38:13]

13. Venues & Contexts [34:57–37:38]

• Architecture:
  Roman-built theatres (freestanding, semicircular orchestras, integrated stage and seating) differed from older Greek hillside models.
• Performance Settings:
  Early performances used temporary wooden stages, often at festivals, in marketplaces, or before temples, reflecting a strong link with religion.

“The festivals are taking place to honor the deity and the theatre shows are part of worshipping the deity. ...It’s got a very important religious component.” — Emily Briffett [37:31]

14. Legacy of Roman Theatre [38:59–40:00]

• Limited Modern Appeal:
  Few Roman plays receive modern stagings due to their themes (slavery, violence), unlike Greek classics.
• Lasting Influence:
  The key legacy is in the intertwining of entertainment, political messaging, and public life—a tradition that endures.

“Entertainment, it’s never something that’s neutral, it’s always something that’s got a message that it wants to convey and that obviously makes it quite susceptible to political manipulation...” — Emily Briffett [39:45]

Memorable Quotes

• “Always be cautious with your ancient sources.” — Emily Briffett [06:57]
• “We don’t have independent theatres... all of these performances are put on by politicians... theatre is one of theatre and also other types of shows... it’s a really good opportunity to improve your political career.” — Emily Briffett [19:05–19:54]
• “An actor was in the class known as infirmaise, which would be the same class as a slave, same class as a prostitute.” — Emily Briffett [26:41]
• “Theatre is never neutral; it always carries a message and is susceptible to political manipulation.” — Emily Briffett [39:45]

Notable Moments & Timestamps

• [02:39] — The complex, multi-regional origins of Roman theatre
• [10:32] — Description of the rise and evolution of comedy, tragedy, mime, and pantomime
• [13:19] — The importance and depiction of the clever slave character
• [14:38] — The debate over whether Roman comedy was radical or conservative in its social commentary
• [19:03] — The political control of theatre and its role in the political ladder (cursus honorum)
• [23:40] — A vivid portrait of the raucous, inclusive Roman audience
• [26:41] — The low social status but occasional celebrity of Roman actors
• [29:20] — The highly physical, mask-driven style of Roman performance

Conclusion

This episode offers a vivid tour behind the scenes of ancient Roman theatre—a world at once grand and gritty, deeply political, riotously entertaining, and full of contradictions. Richly detailed, critical, and packed with memorable stories, Dr. Clarke’s insights reframe Roman theatre as a key lens through which to understand the empire’s society, politics, and legacy.