Roman Theatre (Cádiz) facts for kids

See the theatre steps, with the domes of the Cádiz Cathedral behind them.

The Roman Theatre of Cádiz is an amazing old building in Cádiz, a city in southern Spain. It was also known as Theatrum Balbi. People only found its remains in 1980, and parts of it are still buried!

This theatre was probably built a very long time ago, around the 1st century BC. That means it's over 2,000 years old! It was one of the biggest theatres in the entire Roman Empire. The theatre was no longer used by the 4th century AD. Later, in the 13th century, King Alfonso X of Castile ordered a fortress to be built right on top of its ruins.

The theatre had a special seating area called a cavea. This area was huge, more than 120 meters (about 390 feet) across! It was so big that it could hold about 10,000 people watching a show. This theatre was so important that famous writers from ancient times, like Cicero and Strabo, even wrote about it.

What is the Roman Theatre of Cádiz?

The Roman Theatre of Cádiz is a very old building from the time of the Roman Empire. It was a place where people would go to watch plays and performances. Imagine a huge outdoor stadium, but for plays instead of sports!

How Big Was It?

This theatre was truly massive. Its main seating area, the cavea, was over 120 meters wide. That's longer than a football field! It could fit around 10,000 people. This made it one of the largest Roman theatres ever built.

History of the Theatre

The theatre was built a very long time ago, around 2,000 years ago, in the 1st century BC. It was a busy place for many centuries.

When Was It Found?

For hundreds of years, the theatre was hidden underground. It was only discovered by chance in 1980. Since then, archaeologists have been carefully digging it up to learn more about it. They are still working on it today!

What Happened to It?

The theatre was used for a long time, but by the 4th century AD, people stopped using it. Over time, it fell into ruins and was covered up. In the 13th century, a king named Alfonso X of Castile decided to build a strong fortress on top of the old theatre's ruins. This fortress was called the Castillo de la Villa.

See also

In Spanish: Teatro romano de Cádiz para niños

• List of Roman theatres