Museum Roman Theatre of Teano

Built at the end of the second century a.C, the ancient Roman Theater was modified in the Augustan age, probably with the election of Teanum Sidicinum as a Roman colony. It was modified according to the principles of Roman theatrical architecture, with the reconstruction of the vertical backdrop of the orchestra it was enriched with precious marble columns and refined decorations.

The Theater was part of an architectural complex consisting of a large artificial terrace on which there was also a temple which seems to have been dedicated to Apollo. At the beginning of the third century AD, the theater was completely renovated by imperial will, on the impulse of Septimius Severus, so that it assumed grandiose forms.

The cavea reached a diameter of about m. 85 the scenic building, decorated with three orders of columns, capitals, architraves and sculptures in the rarest and most precious marbles, reached. Approximately m 26 in height.

In late antiquity and the Middle Ages on the ruins of the building, which probably collapsed in an earthquake, a construction site was set up for the recovery and reuse of marble architectural materials. Between the 12th and 13th centuries, an artisan district was built on the now underground cavea for the production of bricks and ceramics.

A country lane passed over the ruins of the scene; a chapel with an altar dedicated to the Madonna was also installed. The first systematic explorations of the monument were conducted in the early 60s of the last century by Werner Johannowsky.

After some excavation and restoration interventions in the second half of the 1980s, there was a complex project of exploration, restoration and enhancement of the site was conceived started in 1998, and lasted over a decade.

The discoveries that took place over the years made it possible to clarify many aspects of the monumental complex and the restorations carried out, both with national funding and with funds from the European Union, made it possible to return the ancient building to the public, which was also able to host important theatrical performances.

Subsequently, for many months, the Theater was closed to the public for adjustments relating to safety, with the passage of the monument to the Campania museum complex; thanks also to the collaboration of the Municipality of Teano, an operational program was immediately launched to make the archaeological area safe and to restore the visit routes, providing for the structural adaptation of the metal stairs that allow access to the different levels of the monument , the closure of the skylights on the stairs with reinforced glass, the cutting of the vegetation and the maintenance of the green areas. In the maintenance of the greenery, support was also offered by the Sidicina Amici dei Musei Association and by the inmates of the Carinola prison.

An entire sector of the Archaeological Museum of Teanum Sidicinum is dedicated to the Theater of Teano, with plastic reconstructions of the complex in its various phases, architectural remains, including richly decorated architraves and capitals, and sculptural devices of great value

Source: cultura.gov.it; (ministry of culture)