Odeon - Teatro Piccolo (Small Theater), Pompei

The Odeon theater in Pompeii is also known as Teatro Piccolo. Back in the Roman times, it was colloquially referred to by locals as theatrum tectum (“roofed theater”), for its four-pitched tiled roof.

The theater was built during the early years of the Roman colony, around 80-75 BC, and had a seating capacity of about 1,500. The construction was commissioned by the two local magistrates (duumvirs), Marcus Porcius and Caius Quinctius Valgus, who also facilitated the construction of the Amphitheater.

The venue was well designed for poetry recitals, operas and other musical performances, allowing every sound uttered on the stage to be heard in each part of the building. Largely adding to the acoustics was the roof. The Odeon is also said to have been used for mime shows, the most popular theatrical genre of the time.

This perfectly-balanced, Greek-style structure used to have four lower rows separated from the upper 17 rows by a high parapet, of which now only the left part (relative to the stage) has remained. It was richly decorated with multicolored marbles, whereas large male tuff figures (telamones) supported the steps. Remarkably, the plaster of the external masonry retains many graffiti left by the ancient spectators. Some of the people are believed to have traveled many miles from distant parts of the country to see the shows here.

The site was excavated in two phases, starting from 1769 and then in 1792-1795.