Building Materials
Theatre of Marcellus, detail of travertine and tuff stone usage on lower arcades.
Lauro's sketch of the Theatre of Marcellus in its entirety, detail showing the three arcades made of carefully placed stone.5
The architects of the theatre chose their materials very specifically and carefully.1 They selected stone that could withstand the weight of such a large and heavy building. Structurally, they relied on tufa and travertine because of their compressive strength and resistance to water absorption, two aspects that increased the sturdiness of the theatre. This was due to lava fragments present in the stone, and the use of the two stones together as a pair.
Other architectural aspects were present such as concrete walling and barrel vaults. The concrete consisted of high-quality mortar, often lined with brick and stone compounds. This use of concrete and brick ribbing to direct heavy loads to supports below first appeared in this theatre, and has become a common presence since.2 Additionally, the use of rammed wooden piles tightly grouped to form a cluster added even more support underneath the concrete foundations.3 This sophistication and experimental nature of the stonework suggests highly skilled architects who focused on technical efficiency and excellence.4
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1 Jackson et al., “Building Materials of the Theatre of Marcellus,” Archaeometry 53 (2011): 728.
2 Caroline K. Quenemoen, “Columns and Concrete: Architecture from Nero to Hadrian,” in A Companion to Roman Architecture, ed. Caroline K. Quenemoen and Roger B Ulrich (Malden, MA: Wiley-Blackwell, 2013), 74.
3 Lynne C. Lancaster and Roger B. Ulrich, “Materials and Techniques,” in A Companion to Roman Architecture, ed. Caroline K. Quenemoen and Roger B Ulrich (Malden, MA: Wiley-Blackwell, 2013), 176.
4 Jackson, Building Materials, 728.
5 Giacomo Lauro, Splendore Dell'antica E Moderna Roma (Roma: Stamparia d’Andrea Fei, 1641), 205.