HIstory of the theater
The Theater of Pompey was built by Gnaeus Pompeiius Maximus, otherwise known as Pompey or Pompey the Great. He, along with Julius Caesar and Marcus Crassus, formed the first Triumvirate of Rome.
Construction on the Theater of Pompey began in 55 B.C. and went on for seven years. It was dedicated to Pompey in 52 B.C, well before its completion date. Pompey had paid for the theater in order to gain political popularity during his second Consulship. At the time of its completion, the Theater of Pompey was the largest theater the Romans had ever built. It later became the principal monument of Rome, and carried Pompey's name long after his death.
In 44 B.C, the Theater of Pompey became the site of the famous Ides of March, the date Caesar was betrayed and murdered by members of the Senate. Caesar had been called by the Senate to appear at the theater's forum, where he was stabbed to death.
The theater's long history extended all the way to 1455 A.D, when it fell into disrepair. The theater was dismantled and its stones were carted away to be used for more modern buildings that still exist in modern Rome. Now, the theater is mostly underground. A significant part of it is covered by roadway, and some parts of the theater can still be found in the cellars of modern Roman hotels, homes, and restaurants.
Construction on the Theater of Pompey began in 55 B.C. and went on for seven years. It was dedicated to Pompey in 52 B.C, well before its completion date. Pompey had paid for the theater in order to gain political popularity during his second Consulship. At the time of its completion, the Theater of Pompey was the largest theater the Romans had ever built. It later became the principal monument of Rome, and carried Pompey's name long after his death.
In 44 B.C, the Theater of Pompey became the site of the famous Ides of March, the date Caesar was betrayed and murdered by members of the Senate. Caesar had been called by the Senate to appear at the theater's forum, where he was stabbed to death.
The theater's long history extended all the way to 1455 A.D, when it fell into disrepair. The theater was dismantled and its stones were carted away to be used for more modern buildings that still exist in modern Rome. Now, the theater is mostly underground. A significant part of it is covered by roadway, and some parts of the theater can still be found in the cellars of modern Roman hotels, homes, and restaurants.