Theatre Layout Features
The standard design of Roman theatres can be based off he Theatre of Pompey, the first permanent Roman theatre. The Theatre of Pompey is still underground in Rome today, and various parts can be found in basements around the surrounding area.
The dimentions of your typical theatres are 8-12 feet from the pit, 45-140 feet in width, and 6.5-15 feet in depth. What is referred to as the pit is the semicircle in front of the stage. The pit was usually used for extra seating, but was also used for extra staging.
The walls around the theatre were often used to help the audience members enjoy the show better. As the theatres were outside for lighting, the walls kept out the city life, and kept the viewers from looking out beyond the stage. To protect the people from the sun, tarps were sometimes rigged from the walls for shade.
