The Silence Stages

Since 2005 I have been visiting more than 430 ancient greek and roman theatres around 18 countries, taking photographs and information. These blog is dedicated to all that experience.



Desde 2005 he visitado más de 430 teatros y odeones, griegos y romanos en 18 países, tomando fotografías y recopilando información. Este blog está dedicado a toda esta experiencia.



Thursday 5 January 2012

Mamas (Shuni)

MAMAS (Shumi), ancient Arabia, modern Israel.

COORDINATES: 32º32’04.86’’ N // 34º56’53.78’’ E
TIPOLOGY: Roman cult theatre. Not urban.
DATE: II or III A.D.
TRANSFORMATIONS: In byzantine period.
CAPACITY: 1.000 spectators.
CAVEA: Facing east. 60 m. diameter. Probably two maeniana: Ima cavea with probably 11 rows of seats in 4 cunei; summa cavea unknown.
ORCHESTRA: 26 m. diameter including subsellia, without it 19,5 m. diameter.
STAGE BUILDING: Proscaenium had semicircular an rectangular niches. Stage building was 35x10 m. Postcaenium had a pool for ritual purpose.  
LOCATION: 5 klm. north-east from ancient Caesarea. 52 klm. north from Tel Aviv.
MY BEDSIDE TABLE: Segal, Arthur; “Theatres in Roman Palestine & provincia Arabia”. New York, E.J. Brill., 1995. // Sear, Frank; “Roman theatres: an architectural study”. Oxford University Press, 2006. // Ciancio Rossetto, Paola; Giuseppina Pisani Sartorio (eds); “Teatri Greci e Romani: alle origini del linguaggio rappresentato”. Rome: SEAT, 1995.

 

 OUT OF PRINT: Although the morning I visited Shumi´s ancient theatre it was cold, I do the way of the lizard, looking for the sun in the seats; the hot of the sun always invite me to read, to taste the silences of the book. I remember I was reading a play of a Israeli writer, Hanoch Levin, the play was The Whore from Ohio; not a Plauto´s comedy or a Greek tragedy, but for my personal cosmogony, somehow, after my stay in Israel, Levin is also a classic. I do not know what did the stone steps thought about my reading, maybe they were agree too, but my applause sounded poor for a so beautiful place. I like Hanoch Levin.

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