Casinum (Cassino)

CASINUM (Cassino), ancient Regio I, modern Italy.

 

COORDINATES: 41º28’59.78’’N // 13º49’15.79’’E

TIPOLOGY: Roman theatre. Urban.

DATE: First I A.D.

TRANSFORMATIONS: Scene building rebuilt in second half of I A.D. It was restored in II A.D. First III A.D. the orchestra was transformed in arena.

CAPACITY: 2.000 spectators.

CAVEA: Facing south-east. 53.5 m. diameter. Built against hillside. Maenianum: Ima cavea with 11 rows of seats in 4 cunei; media cavea with 6 rows; summa cavea with 3 rows of seats.

ORCHESTRA: 16,9 m. diameter. Paved in marble, surrounded by wall (diameter at wall 14,6 m.) 3 steps for bisellia.

STAGE BUILDING: Proscaenium had 5 curved and 4 rectangular niches, with 2 staircases. There are aulaeum remains. Pulpitum was 35,7 x 6,2. Scaenae frons was rectilinear in first times, but later it was transformed and was built a curved niche built around regia door. Columnatio with 2 storeys

LOCATION: Close to the center of the ancient town, up of the hill of modern Cassino. The theatre is west from the amphitheatre.

MY BEDSIDE TABLE: 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 // Tosi, Giovana; “Gli edificio per spettacoli nell’Italia romana”. Roma, Quasar, 2003. // Courtois, Catherine; “Le bâtiment de scène des théâtres d’Italie et de Sicile”. Providence, Louvain-la.Neuve, 1989.

 

 

 

OUT OF PRINT: El teatro de Casino fue mi primera estación en el Via Crucis de los teatros antiguos de Lazio y Campania. En cada uno de los que pertenecen a un conjunto arqueológico visitable, tuve que justificar mis intereses académicos para poder hacer una miserable fotografía. Aún me cuesta comprender ese recelo, como si fuera posible esconder en una cajita los restos en campo abierto. Primera etapa de un Via Crucis en despachos de funcionarios, rellenando formularios, cuando lo único que quería era convertirme en lagartija y tostarme al sol, en silencio, en las ardientes gradas.