Teatro romano di Chieti

The remains of Chieti's Roman theatre are embedded in the modern city near Porta Napoli. Built in the first century AD, the theatre had a cavea about eighty metres across, partly set against the hillside and partly supported by vaulted structures.

Why it matters

The theatre was one of the major public buildings of ancient Teate Marrucinorum. Its scale and construction show the importance of the city during the Roman period. The nearby amphitheatre is a separate monument, while the Museo Archeologico La Civitella presents a reconstruction that helps explain the theatre's original form.

What to notice

Part of the northeast cavea wall survives, with opus mixtum masonry alternating reticulate stonework and brick courses. The seating was arranged on two levels, connected by a semicircular passage. Builders rested one side of the structure against the slope and supported the other with barrel vaults. Later houses and churches absorbed much of the orchestra and stage buildings into the surrounding urban fabric.

Context and history

The theatre formed part of Roman Teate's monumental centre, alongside an amphitheatre and other public buildings. Over time, construction in the growing town covered much of the cavea and stage. Its remains were long difficult to distinguish from those of the separate amphitheatre; archaeological study and later documentation clarified the two monuments' different plans and locations.