Audiotour 5_Castelsecco_en_2

THE THEATRE

In the southern area of the plateau in the early 70s of the twentieth century the remains of an entertainment masonry building were brought to light. Four steps of the lower part of the cavea (ima cavea), resting on a spur of carefully leveled rock, and traces of at least three other upper steps (medium cavea) are preserved. The highest part (summa cavea), bordered by a sidewalk, perhaps had to be made up of wooden structures or mobile seats.

In front of the cavea are preserved: the semicircular orchestra, paved with stone slabs in which a channel had been obtained for the outflow of water; the side corridors for the entrance of the actors and the choir (parodoi) to the scene; the remains of the stage (pulpitum) and the façade of the scene (frons scaenae). This featured eight spurs, perhaps bases of as many columns that decorated the background of the scene creating a sort of porch. At both ends were two quadrangular buildings, the paraskenia.

The raised structures were made mostly of perishable materials (wood or raw clay bricks) and were protected by terracotta decorated slabs and antefixes; they didn’t have to reach an excessive height, leaving the spectator also the view of the panorama behind.

In the orchestra a small stone altar was found overturned, which was originally to be placed on the stage, confirming the cultic character of the small theater where presumably sacred representations were held in connection with the cults practiced in the sanctuary.

The theater was reburied to ensure its protection and preservation.

THE MONUMENTAL RETAINING WALL.

In the second century B.C. the southern end of the hill of Castelsecco was the subject of substantial works of leveling, regularization and expansion that substantially changed its appearance. Thus an imposing terrace of almost oval shape was established, a sort of viewpoint stretching over the valley, added according to the theater above.

This large terracing was bordered and supported on the south side by a monumental and spectacular semicircular wall structure, reinforced by 14 projecting spurs, of which the central six had the curved back wall and were closed by an arch at the top. The structure, preserved for a height of 10 meters, is with large dry-walled square blocks of local sandstone and continues, with more modest blocks, all around the hill.

The area was also frequented in the imperial Roman age, as evidenced by the discovery of fragments of architectural decoration in marble.

After a phase of abandonment, from the early Middle Ages the hill appears to be used again: at the theater was erected the church of San Pietro "in Castro Sicco" of which the documentary sources speak, still existing in the eighteenth century, which has returned an altar obtained from a parallelepiped block certainly coming from the monumental walls.

To the north of the podium of the temple was built an oratory dedicated to SS. Cyprian and Cornelius (later a church owned by Giusti) and, nearby, a farmhouse; in the fifteenth-sixteenth century at the west corner of the scenic building was built a small house with stones removed from ancient monuments.

The movable finds from Castelsecco are preserved and exhibited in National Archaeological Museum “Gaio Cilnio Mecenate” of Arezzo.