The Theater

Commissioned under Augustus, the Orange Theater was built in the 1st century AD. It followed the Pompey-style of being built out of stone instead of traditional wooden construction. It originally did have a wooden roof for poor weather, but was lost over time. The theater seats up to 7,000 and is still in use to this day.

Public works and statues were funded by the rich and influential such as the egotistical Gnaeus Pompey "the Great". Pompey wanted a vast theater than would last the test of time, such as himself. The construction provided use of stone over wood and would be the first permanent Roman theater. It would also serve as the assassination spot of Julius Caesar, as the Senate had been using the theater after a fire required renovations to the Senate house.