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Vitruvius and Roman Theater Design

Because few, if any, Roman theaters were designed as Vitruvius (De Arch. 5.6.1) prescribes, attempts have been made to deduce how Roman architects did in fact lay out their theaters. This paper is prompted by one such attempt (D. Small, AJA 87 [1983] 55–68) and argues that the method proposed is invalid. The Vitruvian theater is examined in its historical context and the conclusion is reached that architects of the early Empire modified but did not abandon Vitruvius's method. The author tentatively offers a method of designing theaters that accords with the archaeological evidence and is close to the Vitruvian model.