Roman Theatre of Amman
Happy New Year and welcome to Rome Across Europe! If you were anything like us, with the ushering in of a new year you had some celebrating to do.
We took a day off and moved the continue on the list of 52 Ancient Roman Monuments that are claimed to be a “must see” by Touropia Travel Experts. Last week we brought you #46, Valens Aqueduct.
So RAE is going through the list of monuments each week, and adding some extra information for you.
Today we bring you the Roman Theatre of Amman!
Located in the ancient Roman city Philadelphia (present-day Amman, Jordan), stands this 6,000 seat Roman Theater. It surrounds the Hashemite Plaza, Odeon Theater and the Nymphaeum.
The theater dominated the heart of Downtown and was the centerpiece of Philadelphia. It was also the initial focus for Amman’s modern settlement late in the 19th Century.
The theater was cut into the hillside and oriented north to keep the sun off the spectators, between the reigns of Antonius Pius (138-161 AD) and Marcus Aurelius (161-180 AD).
It was divided into 3 horizontal sections (diazomata). Side entrances (paradoi) existed at ground level, with one leading to the orchestra and the other to the stage.
Rooms behind these entrances now house the Jordanian Museum of Popular Traditions on the one side, and the Amman Folklore Museum on the other side.
The Jordanian Museum of Popular Traditions, displays the theme of traditional clothing, jewelry and customs by rooting it firmly in the present-day life of ordinary people. The Folklore Museum displays mannequins engaged in traditional crafts and a reconstruction of an old-fashioned living-room.
The vaulted rooms are full of examples of national dress, with detailed notes and occasional photographs to set them in context. Other exhibits include pieces of antique Bedouin jewelry and a fascinating range of stones used in healing, as well as mosaics downstairs gathered from Madaba and Jerash (and viewable up close).
The theater had 3 tiers: sitting closest to the action were the rulers; the military had the middle section; and the general public sat in the highest section. The highest section of seats in a theater was, and still is, called “The Gods”.
Although far from the stage, even from The Gods the sightlines are excellent. From any seat the actors could be clearly heard, owing to the steepness of the cavea and the excellent design and engineering of the Romans.
Standing on the stage or in the orchestra, the semicircle in front of the stage, you can get a sense of the ingenuity of the theater’s design. The south-facing stage is flooded with sun throughout the day, while virtually every spectator remains undazzled and in cool shadow.
To discover the incredible acoustics, stand in the middle of the orchestra and declaim at the seating, and your normal speaking voice will suddenly gain a penetrating echo. Step off that spot and there’s no echo.
Furthermore, two people crouching down at opposite ends of the orchestra can mutter into the semicircular stone wall below the first row of seats and easily hear each other.
Theaters often had religious significance, and the small shrine above the top row of seats once housed a statue of the goddess Athena (now in the National Archaeological Museum), who was prominent in the religious life of the city.
Full restoration of the theater began in 1957. Unfortunately, non-original materials were used, which means that the present reconstruction is partly inaccurate.
Nevertheless, the final product is certainly impressive especially considering that the theater has again become a place of entertainment in recent years. Now used as a patron for cultural activities in July and August including the Amman Book Festival, the Amman Marathon prizes ceremony, and musical concerts, most notably, the Al-Balad Music Festival.
This magnificently restored theater is the most obvious and impressive remnant of Roman Philadelphia, and is the highlight of Amman for most foreign visitors. The best time for photographs is the morning, when the light is soft. However, the views from the top tiers are also superb just before sunset.
As you approach from Hashmi Street, a long Corinthian colonnade and some original Roman paving are the only physical remains of Philadelphia’s forum, the marketplace which filled the gap between the theater and the street.
We certainly hope you enjoyed today’s travel. Obviously Jordan is outside of Europe, but we figured we’d get a bit of slack since it was within the Imperium Rōmānum.
Come back soon to see what we have in store for you. Till next time, Don’t Stop Rome-ing!
- See more at: https://www.romeacrosseurope.com