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The Roman Theatre of Formia in Castellone: 300 people live here today
The Roman Theatre of Formia dates back to the 1st century BC, during the Augustan age. It stands in the village of Castellone, on the hill overlooking the gulf, south of the Abbey of St Erasmus, which was first run by Benedictine monks until 1500, and then by the Olivetans until 1700.
A theatre designed for spectacle and scenery
The cavea — the semicircular tiered seating — rests on the natural slope of Castellone hill, and faces south. From there, the audience would look at the stage and, beyond it, the sea. The stage (pulpitum) area measured 24m in length and 6.60m in depth, and was set at a height of 1.50m.
From the martyrdom of St Erasmus to a residential neighbourhood
According to tradition, St Erasmus was martyred here on 2 June 303 AD, by order of Emperor Maximian. In the 16th century, Saracen raids severely damaged the theatre. From then on, its decline was followed by its reuse. Today around three hundred people live in the theatre area in over seventy apartments. Within the walls of the buildings, columns, vaults and opus reticulatum walls can still be seen.
