Theatre of Pompey. The Theatre of Pompey was a structure in Ancient Rome built during the latter part of the Roman Republican era by Pompey the Great.
Completed in 55BC, it was the first permanent theatre to be built in Rome. Enclosed by the large columned porticos was an expansive garden complex of fountains and statues.
Along the stretch of the covered arcade were rooms dedicated to the exposition of art and other works collected by Pompey during his campaigns. On the opposite end of the garden complex was a curia for political meetings.
The senate would often use this building along with a number of temples and halls that satisfied the requirements for their formal meetings. The curia is infamous as the place where Julius Caesar was assassinated by Brutus and Cassius during a session of the Senate on 15 March 44 BC. Pompey paid for this theatre to gain political popularity during his second consulship.
The theatre was inspired by Pompey's visit in 62BC to a Greek theatre in Mytilene. Construction began around 61BC. Prior to its construction, permanent stone theatres had been forbidden, and so to side-step this issue, Pompey had the structure built in the Campus Martius, outside of the pomerium, or sacred boundary, that divided the city from the ager Romanus. Pompey also had a temple to Venus Victrix built near the top of the theatre's seating; Pompey then claimed that he had not a theatre, but
Completed in 55BC, it was the first permanent theatre to be built in Rome. Enclosed by the large columned porticos was an expansive garden complex of fountains and statues.
Along the stretch of the covered arcade were rooms dedicated to the exposition of art and other works collected by Pompey during his campaigns. On the opposite end of the garden complex was a curia for political meetings.
The senate would often use this building along with a number of temples and halls that satisfied the requirements for their formal meetings. The curia is infamous as the place where Julius Caesar was assassinated by Brutus and Cassius during a session of the Senate on 15 March 44 BC. Pompey paid for this theatre to gain political popularity during his second consulship.
The theatre was inspired by Pompey's visit in 62BC to a Greek theatre in Mytilene. Construction began around 61BC. Prior to its construction, permanent stone theatres had been forbidden, and so to side-step this issue, Pompey had the structure built in the Campus Martius, outside of the pomerium, or sacred boundary, that divided the city from the ager Romanus. Pompey also had a temple to Venus Victrix built near the top of the theatre's seating; Pompey then claimed that he had not a theatre, but
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