The Teatro Romano di Trieste is one of the most important archaeological monuments in the city and one of the most significant testimonies of the Romano Tergeste. Located at the foot of the hill of San Giusto, between via Donota and via del Teatro Romano, the theater is now in the full city center, but at the time of its construction it was outside the urban walls and on the seashore, which then lapped the area where the Questura stands today.
Origins and construction
The construction of the theater is dated between the end of the 1st century BC and the beginning of the 2nd century AD, in a period of great development for the Roman colony of Tergeste.
- It was desired and financed by the procurator Quinto Petronio Modesto, priest of the emperor Trajan.
- Modesto also oversaw important restorations at the beginning of the 2nd century AD.
- The structure was built exploiting the natural slope of the hill of San Giusto, following the Greek tradition.
- It could accommodate between 3,500 and 6,000 spectators, a considerable figure considering the population of the time.
Structure and features
The theater features a semicircular cavea divided into sectors by five stairways and into two horizontal orders by corridors.
- The seating, built in Aurisina stone, develops around the orchestra.
- The rectangular scene was adorned with niches and statues, many of which depicted members of the imperial family or local notables.
- The fixed and decorated proscenium rose with great suggestiveness over the sea, offering spectators a unique spectacle between art and nature.
- The theater was equipped with communication galleries, small fountains, decorations and, probably, awnings to protect the public from the weather.
Decline, oblivion and rediscovery
With the decline of the Impero Romano and urban changes, the theater fell into disuse and was progressively buried by medieval and modern buildings.
- For centuries, its existence was only hypothesized by scholars such as Ireneo della Croce (17th century) and Pietro Nobile (early 19th century), who identified some remains among the houses of the “Rena vecia” neighborhood.
- Only in 1938, during the demolitions of Città Vecchia, was the theater finally brought to light thanks to the excavations directed by superintendent Malajoli and the intervention of architect Piacentini.
- The statues and inscriptions found are today preserved at the Lapidario Tergestino at the Castello di San Giusto.
The theater today
Today the Teatro Romano di Trieste is visitable and represents one of the main archaeological attractions of the city.
- Its cavea, although partially reconstructed, still offers a suggestive atmosphere and is sometimes used for open-air summer performances.
- The theater is also a starting point for archaeological itineraries that include the Antiquarium of via Donota and the Arco di Riccardo, testimonies of the rich Roman history of Trieste.
Curiosities
- At the time of its construction, the theater overlooked directly onto the sea and was equipped with docking piers, as demonstrated by the remains found during recent excavations.
- Its capacity, estimated between 3,500 and 6,000 seats, was enormous compared to the population of Romano Tergeste, a sign of the importance of the city as a crossroads of trade and cultures.
- The theater, unlike amphitheaters (such as the Arena of Pola), was intended for theatrical performances, music and dances, and not for gladiatorial games.
Il Teatro Romano di Trieste thus remains a symbol of the historical continuity of the city, a bridge between past and present, between Romano Tergeste and contemporary Trieste.