Teatro di Pompeo

Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus commissioned the construction of this theater after his triumph in 61 BC. The inauguration took place in 55 BC during his second consulship. The theater, also known as the “Pompeian Theater,” was not only a venue for performances but also integrated a Temple of Venus Victrix at the top of the audience seating area to gain the Senate's approval for a permanent theater structure. In the adjacent Porticus of Pompey, the assassination of Gaius Julius Caesar occurred in 44 BC. The building underwent renovations and reconstructions after fires, including under Augustus, Tiberius, Caligula, Nero, Diocletian, and Theodoric. After the Gothic Wars in the 6th century, it lost its importance, and its materials were reused for other constructions.