Teatro romano di Fiesole

The Roman Theatre of Fiesole is an ancient hillside performance space within an archaeological area that also preserves baths, a temple and Longobard burials.

Why it matters

The theatre marked the transformation of Etruscan Faesulae under Roman rule. Built between the first century BC and the first century AD, it used the slope to support its seating and remained in use into at least the third century AD.

What to notice

The cavea rises against the hill above the semicircular orchestra. The stage once had an ornate scaenae frons with columns, statues and reliefs. Nearby remains include Roman baths with heating systems, an Etrusco-Roman temple with phases reaching back to the sixth century BC and a Longobard burial area dated to the seventh and eighth centuries.

Context and history

The theatre belongs to Fiesole's early Roman building campaign. It was restored during antiquity and later buried. Excavations from the nineteenth to early twentieth centuries uncovered the theatre and surrounding archaeological remains. In the twentieth century, performances resumed in the ancient cavea, connecting the site with Fiesole's modern cultural history.