Friday 29 August 2025 10:08
Discovering the secrets of the Theatre of Marcellus
To a casual visitor, it may look like a miniature Colosseum (and indeed there is a connection… but read on!). In reality, however, the impressive structure you may have noticed at the foot of the Capitoline Hill had a very different function: the Theatre of Marcellus, as its name suggests, had the same shape – […]
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To a casual visitor, it may look like a miniature Colosseum (and indeed there is a connection… but read on!). In reality, however, the impressive structure you may have noticed at the foot of the Capitoline Hill had a very different function: the Theatre of Marcellus, as its name suggests, had the same shape – and purpose – of the more famous Greek theater in Taormina, the Roman one in Malaga (Spain), or, very close to Rome, the theater in Ostia Antica – which is still used as a stage to this day, by the way!
In this new blog post, we will tell you all about one of the most overlooked monuments in Rome’s historic center. This content is not intended to be comprehensive: ours is simply a brief exploration, meant to get you to explore it at your own pace!
Take a good look at it when you pass by and let yourself be excited: the Theatre of Marcellus was born at the behest of none other than Julius Caesar, who wanted to give Rome a permanent theatre worthy of the city’s greatness. While this thesis is at the center of some discussion, we don’t doubt it – Caesar wanted to cement its importance, and building a theatre was political propaganda at its finest! Building began in 44 BC, and we know what happened next: Caesar was killed shortly after that, and it was up to Augustus to complete it.
Why wasn’t it called after Caesar, then? Who was “Marcellus”? This was the first Emperor’s nephew: Marcus Claudius Marcellus died prematurely and Augustus wanted him to be remembered by all.
With its three orders of arches—Doric, Ionic, and Corinthian—the Theatre represented the pinnacle of Roman theater architecture.
After the fall of the Roman Empire, however, the landmark underwent an extraordinary transformation: the noble Fabi family turned it into a fortress, building on what was still standing. The strategic importance of having a building of that size guarding the river could not fail to be “exploited”!
After the fall of the Roman Empire, however, the landmark underwent an extraordinary transformation: the noble Fabi family turned it into a fortress, building on what was still standing. The strategic importance of having a building of that size guarding the river could not fail to be “exploited”!
Subsequently, the palace passed from one noble family to another – from the Caetani to the Orsini, various aristocrats further enlarged the structure. This overlapping of different eras makes the monument unique in the world: on one side, a Roman theater, but walking around it, the noble fortress appears! Not all layers are visible, however. What we see today is the result of a – incredible, but true – proper clean-up: in the 1930s, the municipality of Rome demolished and removed shops and houses that had been built under the arches of the theater, freeing it from centuries of so-called “superfetations.”
Only a few people know that the Theatre of Marcellus was the architectural model for the Colosseum. Its façade, with overlapping arches and different classical orders for each floor, became the prototype for the Flavian Amphitheatre. Its dimensions at the time of completion were impressive: 130 meters in diameter and an original height of about 32 meters: the theatre could seat approximately 20,000 people.
Visiting the Theatre of Marcellus today means immersing yourself in a layered and fascinating area of Rome. Visits inside are not possible because the buildings constructed on the remains of the theater are still inhabited, but you can walk around the area in front of the remaining arches thanks to a well-marked pedestrian passageway that connects the Capitoline Hill area and the Jewish Quarter.
This short walk, whether guided or not (some companies do offer it), offers extraordinary photo opportunities, thanks to the contrasts between the ancient building and the later architectural elements.
The Theatre of Marcellus represents the very essence of Rome: a city where ancient and “more modern” coexist in perfect harmony.
Its strategic location, between the Capitoline Hill and the Tiber, makes it perfect for a stop while exploring the monuments in the immediate area: only a few minutes from the Capitoline Museums, the Jewish Quarter, Piazza Venezia, even some of the properties in our portfolio (an example is
here
), the Theatre of Marcellus offers a moment of pause to reflect on how Rome is truly an eternal city, capable of reinventing itself without ever forgetting its roots.