THEATRE FACADES AND FAÇADE NYMPHAEA: A COMPARATIVE STUDY

Dr Georgia Aristodemou School of Humanities, International Hellenic University, Thessaloniki-Greece

g.aristodemou@ihu.edu.gr www.hum.ihu.edu.gr

The aedicular façade which firstly appeared at the Augustan era and was formed during the Trajanic period characterizes the monumental architecture of the imperial period and was successfully applied in edifices of different use and function, i.e. theatres, odeia, bouleuteria, gates and arches, libraries, gymnasia and baths, nymphaea, each time projecting their special features with grandiosity.

The study is based on four parameters:

I. Form and Structure. The elaborate theatrical scaenae frontes are directly comparable with the monumental façade nymphaea, which diverge in semicircular nymphaea, nymphaea with apses and rectilinear nymphaea.

It often happens that public monuments of the same city present similar morphological features, both in their ground-plans and their frontages.

Athens, Herodes Atticus Odeum Ephessus, Celsus Library Mérida theatre Aphrodisias, Tetrapylon

Hierapolis, Apollo Temenos Nymphaeum

Miletus Nymphaeum

Ephesus, Nymphaeum Traiani

Ephesus Theatre, Fountain

The morphological resemblance of theatre façades and the façades of monumental nymphaea derives from a common language of consolidated architectonic forms and decorative types applied in civic edifices and has been used within the framework of the newly founded roman state to diffuse the idea of the imperium romanum throughout the empire.

Water theatres : Nymphaea shaped as a theatrical cavea forming water cascades.

Yacto (Daphne) mosaic (detail)

Miletus Theatre

Hierapolis Theatre

Zaghouan, Spring Sanctuary

II. Function. Archaeological research has revealed numerous hydraulic installations in ancient theatre buildings.

Some nymphaea are either incorporated in theatre buildings, or adjacent to them.

Perge Theatre and Nymphaeum F1

Leptis Magna, Lacus del Teatro

III. Decoration. Sculptural assemblages both on theatres and nymphaea diverge in

idealistic/mythological: statues of the Olympian gods, minor deities, mythological figures, genre sculpture and personifications related to water and nature, leisure and spiritual exercise.

portrait sculpture (imperial and private): statues of the emperor and the imperial family, statues of prominent citizens (Roman and local office-holders, priests, military commanders, local aristocrats, personalities related to the past or present city history or related to arts, intellect, athletics.

The severan Perge theatre had a weak postscaenium wall which necessitated supports. The monumental nymphaeum (F1) was built as an external abutment of the scene building to support it. It consists of four semicircular exedrae bearing columns which support the entablature.

1. Ephesus Nymphaeum, Dionysus statue 2. Olympia Nymphaeum, Emperor Hadrian statue 3. Miletus Theatre, Hermes statue 4. Aphrodisias Theatre, Muse statue 5. Ephesus, Nymphaeum Traiani, Nymph with sea-schell

Marine subjects appear in theatres Theatrical subjects appear in nymphaea

1. Delphi Theatre, Sleeping Eros 2. Italica Theatre, Sleeping Nymph 3. Ephesus, C. Laecanius Bassus Nymphaeum, River God

1. Hierapolis Theatre, Triton statue 2. Sagalassos, Lower Agora Nymphaeum, Muses reliefs

Fountain sculpture are present both in theatres and nymphaea.

IV. Symbolism- Sacrality. Both theatres and nymphaea obtain a certain degree of sacrality. they are organically connected to water, the origin of life they are often built within a sanctuary or close to one

No imperial cult was exercised at nymphaea Imperial or other cult exercise is detectable at theatres, where excavations have unearthed sacella, aediculae or exedrae used for such purposes. Certain cult festivals were held both in nymphaea and theatres: The Syrian Maioumas festival included water spectacles and was held in the Aphrodisias South Agora Gate Nymphaeum, the theatre-nymphaeum at Daphne (Antioch), the so called Birketein theatre at Gerasa, the theatre of Canatha in Syria. Religious symbolism is defined in correlation with the monument´s location, sculptural decoration, epigraphic evidence.

Olympia, Herodes Atticus Nymphaeum

Side, Gate Nymphaeum (Temple of Nymphs)

Sculptural display programmes in both theatres and nymphaea supported the imperial propaganda, personal political ambitions and economic interests of the persons involved.

Selected Bibliography ARISTODEMOU, G. 2012. Ο γλυπτός διάκοσμος νυμφαίων και κρηνών στο ανατολικό τμήμα της Ρωμαϊκής αυτοκρατορίας. Thessaloniki: K. Sfakianaki Publications. LAMARE, N. 2011. "L'influence de l'architecture théâtrale sur le décor des fontaines monumentales" in N. Lamare, Z. Lecat, E. Rocca, M. Uberti (Eds.), Le passé et son héritage : modalités et enjeux dans les sociétés du monde romain et de l’Antiquité tardive, Actes de la journée doctorale, Paris, 14 janvier 2010, Paris, UMR 8167 Orient et Méditerranée, 2011: 28-45. Paris: INHA. BURRELL, B. 2006. "False Fronts: Separating the Imperial Cult from the Aedicular Facade in the Roman Asia Minor", AJA 110: pp. 437-469. SEAR, F. 2006. Roman Theatres: An Architectural Study. Oxford: Oxford University Press. DORL-KLINGENSCHMIDT, Cl. 2001. Prunkbrunnen in kleinasiatischen Städten. Funktion im Kontext. Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften. Studien zur antiken Stadt, 7. München: Dr. Friedrich Pfeil. FUCHS, M. 1987. Untersuchungen zur Ausstattung römischer Theater. Mainz: Philipp von Zabern. WALKER, S. 1979. The Architectural Development of Roman Nymphaea in Greece. Ph.D. diss., University of London. PARRA, M.C. 1976. "Per la definizione del rapporto fra teatri e ninfei", StClOr 25: pp. 89-118.

Rome, Pompeius Theatre with Venus’ sacellum

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Nea Paphos Theatre, water pipes

Perge, South Nymphaeum (F2)