Lived in St. Albans the 17 years I've been alive, moving to Canada on Friday. Seen all the Roman sites apart from this one, gotta see it before I leave.
Thats not the only theatre one can visit. I know off the top of my head that Dorchester has the Maumbury Ring enclosure re-purposed by the Romans, and in Wiltshire you have the abandoned site of Caleva Atrebatum. Cracking theatre there.
Hi Jim, Thank you for watching my film and for your post. To clarify the point that I made, The Romans had different types of entertainment venues. Amphitheatres were oval or elliptical with seating all the way round a central open arena which staged spectacles including wild beast displays, executions and gladiatorial fights. A number of Ampitheatres have been found in Roman Britain which can be visited today, some are featured in my other films. Theatres were semi-circular auditoriums in front of a stage, where plays and stage performances were put on. Some were converted to also allow spectacles to be put on, which appears to have happened at St Albans. Traces of only a few Roman theatres have been found in the UK, but to my knowledge St Albans is the only theatre currently visible, which is what makes it special. Thank you.
I was going to say the same thing, StAlbans ( verulamium) is the only one I know of, its easy to imagine the actors or musicians preparing themselves in the rooms backstage, I wonder if the public needed access all areas/ VIP passes to go backstage and hangout with the 'stars ' like today, did people ask for their autographs ? Towards the end of Britain being part of the empire the theatre was used as a refuse tip , full of broken pottery and animal bone , and even 100s of copper coins. Although the coinage system ended & bartering returned, I'm still surprised the coins weren't collected and melted down into small ingots ready to be used for making tools or..
The saddest thing is the park protects only half the Roman city. The other half is owned by Lord verulam, Instead of leaving it the family have ploughed most if it up, destroying mosaic floors and who knows what else He never allowed archaeologists to excavate his half of the ancient city . They dont need the money It's typical aristo arrogance.
Great video, I must go to see it myself, I have been to St Albans many times but didn't know about the Roman museum or the wall.
The future can only be understood if we respect and understand the past !
went to the theatre yesterday it was great and there was a rehearsal for a ukulele show happening
Lived in St. Albans the 17 years I've been alive, moving to Canada on Friday. Seen all the Roman sites apart from this one, gotta see it before I leave.
Thats not the only theatre one can visit. I know off the top of my head that Dorchester has the Maumbury Ring enclosure re-purposed by the Romans, and in Wiltshire you have the abandoned site of Caleva Atrebatum. Cracking theatre there.
Hi Jim, Thank you for watching my film and for your post. To clarify the point that I made, The Romans had different types of entertainment venues. Amphitheatres were oval or elliptical with seating all the way round a central open arena which staged spectacles including wild beast displays, executions and gladiatorial fights. A number of Ampitheatres have been found in Roman Britain which can be visited today, some are featured in my other films. Theatres were semi-circular auditoriums in front of a stage, where plays and stage performances were put on. Some were converted to also allow spectacles to be put on, which appears to have happened at St Albans. Traces of only a few Roman theatres have been found in the UK, but to my knowledge St Albans is the only theatre currently visible, which is what makes it special. Thank you.
I was going to say the same thing, StAlbans ( verulamium) is the only one I know of, its easy to imagine the actors or musicians preparing themselves in the rooms backstage, I wonder if the public needed access all areas/ VIP passes to go backstage and hangout with the 'stars ' like today, did people ask for their autographs ?
Towards the end of Britain being part of the empire the theatre was used as a refuse tip , full of broken pottery and animal bone , and even 100s of copper coins. Although the coinage system ended & bartering returned, I'm still surprised the coins weren't collected and melted down into small ingots ready to be used for making tools or..
The saddest thing is the park protects only half the Roman city.
The other half is owned by Lord verulam,
Instead of leaving it the family have ploughed most if it up, destroying mosaic floors and who knows what else
He never allowed archaeologists to excavate his half of the ancient city .
They dont need the money
It's typical aristo arrogance.