Theatre of Pompey

The Theatre of Pompey in Rome was a large theatrical complex built by Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus and opened in 55 BCE as the first permanent stone theatre in the city. It combined a theatre, temple and extensive porticoes and gardens, and was one of the major public monuments of late Republican Rome.

The theatre’s footprint and associated complex are of interest for their historical importance rather than grand visible ruins; visitors study the area to understand Roman urban development and Republican monumental architecture. The complex originally included a scaenae frons, a large seating cavea and a temple that crowned the structure.

Commissioned and financed by Pompey the Great, the complex opened in 55 BCE and became a centre for entertainment, public gatherings and religious observance. The porticoed area contained the Curia of Pompey, the location where Julius Caesar was assassinated in 44 BCE. Over the centuries the theatre fell into disuse and much of its stone was repurposed for later buildings in Rome.

Located in the Campus Martius area of central Rome, the theatre’s remains and outlines lie under and around modern streets and buildings near Piazza Navona and Largo di Torre Argentina.

• First permanent theatre: Built as Rome's first permanent stone theatre and opened in 55 BCE as part of a multi-purpose complex combining theatre, temple and gardens.
• Survival and visibility: The site is largely buried beneath later buildings in modern Rome, but archaeological remains and plan can be traced in the Campus Martius area.

What to See #

• Temple of Venus Victrix: A temple dedicated to Venus Victrix that topped the theatre complex and formed part of the higher terrace of the construction commissioned by Pompey.
• Portico and garden complex: A large enclosed portico and garden complex that surrounded the theatre and contained public spaces and shops in the original complex.
• Curia of Pompey: A small meeting hall within the complex, historically known as the Curia of Pompey, where Julius Caesar was assassinated in 44 BCE; it lay within the theatre's porticoed area.