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or "royal door". The form may have been intended to resemble the facades of imperial palaces. The scaenae frons is often two and sometimes three stories in height and was central to the theatre's visual impact for this was what was seen by a Roman audience at all times. Tiers or balconies were
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The Roman scaenae frons was also used both as the backdrop to the stage and behind as the actors' dressing room. It no longer supported painted sets in the Greek manner but relied for effect on elaborate permanent architectural decoration. This achieved a
Baroque effect also seen in large
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above the lowest columns often recorded the emperor and others who had helped to fund the construction. A feature often found in the
Western Empire, but less so in the Greek-speaking areas, was the row of curved recesses in the face of the front of the stage, as at
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In smaller theatres it could support a permanent roof, enclosing the whole theatre, and in larger ones awnings over the whole or parts of the theatre, perhaps secured to masts rising above it, for which there is some evidence.
61:. The Roman scaenae frons was also used both as the backdrop to the stage and behind as the actors' dressing room. Largely through reconstruction or restoration, there are a number of well-preserved examples.
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In antiquity the impressive scanae frons had columnades running on three levels and the lateral towers. The first storey was restored in 2010-2012 by
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and library facades, often with an undulating facade, pushing forward and then retreating. All the significant examples date from the
Imperial period; the
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Overall probably the best preserved Roman theatre, but the scaenae frons has lost its decoration, including many statues.
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stage. The form may have been intended to resemble the facades of imperial palaces. It could support a permanent roof or
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Normally there are three entrances to the stage (Palmyra has five) including a grand central entrance, known as the
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is a UNESCO World
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building (meaning "tent", showing the original nature of it). This led to the stage or space before the
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La découverte de la villa di P. Fannius
Synistor and le casse-tête du scaenae frontes – scaenae frons
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The discovery of Villa P. Fannius
Synistor and the scaenarum frontes - scaenae frons conundrum
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Some well-preserved examples (mostly including some restoration or reconstruction) include:
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in Rome, completed in 55 BC, was the first stone theatre and probably launched the style.
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became more elaborate, perhaps with columns, but also used to support painted scenery.
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On issues relating to the use of the term "scaenae frons" see :
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before WW2, now "the most illuminating preserved example of the
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over a wood framework. The theatre is also famous for the
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50:[ˈs̠käe̯näe̯frõːs̠]
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389:Theatre of Emerita Augusta
377:Theatre at Emerita Augusta
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642:Theatre at Philippopolis
456:Roman Theatre at Palmyra
28:Roman Theatre at Palmyra
1247:A Handbook of Roman Art
1215:Henig, 57; Wheeler, 116
1003:Roman theatre of Orange
841:36.938944°N 31.172296°E
781:Theatre at Leptis Magna
770:32.638399°N 14.290620°E
724:, see also photo above
699:32.517650°N 36.481426°E
577:North Theatre at Gerasa
566:32.282604°N 35.892341°E
512:South Theatre at Gerasa
501:32.276789°N 35.889155°E
433:34.550768°N 38.268761°E
283:32.805371°N 12.485165°E
186:("Olympic Theatre") in
182:The roofed Renaissance
1159:List of Roman theatres
1048:36.831855°N 5.240466°W
722:Roman Theatre at Bosra
366:38.915346°N 6.338643°W
161:An inscription in the
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135:Roman theatre of Bosra
34:
1333:Ancient Roman theatre
924:Theatre at Hierapolis
654:Plovdiv Roman theatre
631:42.14678°N 24.75094°E
202:scenery, designed by
128:7) Aditus maximus 8)
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26:Scaenae frons of the
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1245:Henig, Martin (ed),
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979:44.13587°N 4.80886°E
913:37.925°N 29.125833°E
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506:32.276789; 35.889155
438:34.550768; 38.268761
371:38.915346; -6.338643
288:32.805371; 12.485165
114:Roman theatre view:
1124:Theatre at Volterra
1113:43.403611°N 10.86°E
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1176:Boardman, 1676-168
1059:Theatre at Acinipo
636:42.14678; 24.75094
444:Theatre at Palmyra
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210:Surviving examples
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1260:Wheeler, Mortimer
1249:, Phaidon, 1983,
1206:Boardman, 262-263
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990:Theatre at Orange
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710:Theatre at Bostra
204:Vincenzo Scamozzi
100:Theatre of Pompey
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39:scaenae frons
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1268:World of Art
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1224:Henig, 57-58
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737:Leptis Magna
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244:Photographs
236:Coordinates
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200:trompe-l'œil
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172:Leptis Magna
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1081:Volaterrae
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310: [
286: /
241:References
178:Renaissance
163:entablature
143:porta regia
122:Proscaenium
106:Description
86:period the
84:Hellenistic
1322:Categories
1293:0198143869
1276:0500200211
1255:0714822140
1240:References
1122: (
1103:10°51′36″E
1100:43°24′13″N
1057: (
1035:36°49′55″N
988: (
966:44°08′09″N
922: (
903:29°07′33″E
900:37°55′30″N
876:Hierapolis
850: (
831:31°10′20″E
828:36°56′20″N
779: (
760:14°17′26″E
757:32°38′18″N
708: (
689:36°28′53″E
686:32°31′04″N
640: (
621:24°45′03″E
618:42°08′48″N
575: (
556:35°53′32″E
553:32°16′57″N
510: (
491:35°53′21″E
488:32°16′36″N
442: (
423:38°16′08″E
420:34°33′03″N
375: (
353:38°54′55″N
292: (
273:12°29′07″E
270:32°48′19″N
130:Vomitorium
82:. In the
80:proscenium
16:See also:
1038:5°14′26″W
969:4°48′32″E
881:Pamukkale
356:6°20′19″W
305:Restored
1154:Siparium
1148:See also
1085:Volterra
947:Aurasio
804:Aspendos
608:Bulgaria
255:Sabratha
250:Sabratha
233:Country
168:Sabratha
152:siparium
118:Pulpitum
96:nymphaea
1018:Acinipo
885:Denizli
813:Antalya
667:Bostra
603:Plovdiv
403:Palmyra
188:Vicenza
137:, Syria
59:awnings
1291:
1274:
1253:
956:France
951:Orange
890:Turkey
818:Turkey
543:Jordan
538:Jerash
478:Jordan
473:Jerash
338:Mérida
239:Notes
196:stucco
1283:ed.,
1165:Notes
1090:Italy
1025:Spain
809:Serik
747:Libya
742:Khoms
676:Syria
671:Bosra
410:Syria
343:Spain
314:]
260:Libya
228:City
223:City
218:List
126:Cavea
88:skene
76:skene
71:skene
1289:ISBN
1272:ISBN
1251:ISBN
1001:The
170:and
37:The
32:ISIL
1270:),
320:".
120:4)
1324::
1262:,
1190:^
883:,
811:,
312:fr
174:.
133:,
1126:)
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992:)
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854:)
783:)
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644:)
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446:)
379:)
296:)
46::
41:(
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
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