# Theatre of Marcellus, Rome

> The Theatre of Marcellus is an ancient theatre completed by Augustus in 13–11 BC and named after his nephew. Its two tiers of arches were the model for the Colosseum, and in the 16th century a palace was built on top — still lived in today. It's free to see at any hour; 15–20 minutes is enough, and summer evenings bring concerts.

Web page: https://yesgo.io/italy/rome/theatre-of-marcellus

- City: [Rome](https://yesgo.io/italy/rome), Italy
- YesGo score: 47/100 (Yes, if nearby)
- Time on site: 20 min
- Opening hours: Exterior always; paths around it by day
- With kids: Fine with kids
- Entry: Free — viewed from outside and the paths around
- Date: 13–11 BC, under Augustus
- Capacity: Estimated 11,000–20,000 spectators
- Summer: Classical concerts by the ruins
- Time needed: 15–20 minutes
- Location: Via del Teatro di Marcello; 5 minutes from Piazza Venezia
- Coordinates: 41.89191, 12.47948
- Facts checked: 10.11.2026

## Key facts

- **13–11 BC** — Augustus opened the theatre Caesar had begun (source: English Wikipedia)
- **Marcellus** — named after Augustus's nephew and heir (source: English Wikipedia)
- **11,000–20,000** — spectators by varying estimates (source: English Wikipedia)
- **Model** — its arcades with stacked orders were copied by the Colosseum (source: English Wikipedia)
- **16th century** — Baldassare Peruzzi built a palace on top for the Savelli (source: English Wikipedia)

## A short history

**Julius Caesar** planned the theatre and **Augustus** completed it in **13–11 BC**, dedicating it to his nephew and heir **Marcus Claudius Marcellus**. One of Rome's largest theatres, it held somewhere between **11,000 and 20,000** people for comedies, tragedies and pantomimes.

Its outer wall — **two tiers of arches** framed by Doric and Ionic half-columns — became the template for the [Colosseum](https://yesgo.io/italy/rome/colosseum), built a century later. Look at it with the Colosseum in mind and the family resemblance is obvious, just on a smaller scale.

## A palace on ancient arches

In the Middle Ages the theatre became a **fortress** held by the Pierleoni, Savelli and Orsini families. In the **16th century** **Baldassare Peruzzi** built a **palace** for the Savelli right on top of the ancient arches. It still stands, with **private apartments** — surely among Rome's strangest addresses: Augustan arcades below, windows with geraniums above. It's a very Roman picture of layer upon layer.

## How the theatre worked

Unlike Greek theatres cut into hillsides, Roman ones stood on flat ground with seating raised on arches. This one was a semicircle about 130 metres across, with a stage backed by a tall scenic wall and three tiers of seating, ranked by class from senators at the front to ordinary citizens at the top. The third, Corinthian storey of the façade is gone, replaced by the palace.

## What to see

- **The arcades** — two tiers of travertine with half-columns.
- **Savelli-Orsini palace** — the 16th-century addition on top.
- **Temple of Apollo Sosianus** — three Corinthian columns beside the theatre.
- **Temple of Bellona** — foundations by the path.
- **Portico of Octavia** — the ancient gateway two minutes away.
- **Tiber Island** — across the road, in the river.

> **Summer concerts** From June to September, evening concerts of classical and chamber music are held by the ruins under the open sky. The programme and tickets appear each spring. Mozart and Vivaldi against floodlit arches make one of Rome's loveliest evenings.

## Nearby: the Portico of Octavia and Tiber Island

Two minutes away is the **Portico of Octavia**, the gateway of a vast colonnade Augustus dedicated to his sister. Around it lies the old **Jewish quarter**, with narrow lanes, bakeries and trattorias serving carciofi alla giudia — whole fried artichokes. Across the road, **Tiber Island** is reached by bridges from the 1st century BC. The [Mouth of Truth](https://yesgo.io/italy/rome/bocca-della-verita) is 10 minutes away and [Piazza Venezia](https://yesgo.io/italy/rome/piazza-venezia) five.

## How to get there

1. From Piazza Venezia, 5 minutes along Via del Teatro di Marcello.
2. From the [Capitoline Hill](https://yesgo.io/italy/rome/capitoline-hill), 3 minutes down the steps.
3. Buses 30, 44, 63, 81, 83, 160 and 170 stop at Teatro Marcello.
4. From [Trastevere](https://yesgo.io/italy/rome/trastevere), via Tiber Island — 10 minutes.

## Is it worth seeing?

Yes, on the way: it's free, near Piazza Venezia and the Capitoline, and one of the best examples of Romans living on top of ancient ruins. Fifteen minutes covers the theatre and the Apollo columns, before a wander through the Jewish quarter. It's especially beautiful after dark, when the arches are lit.

## At the theatre

Tick off what's done — your ticks are saved in this browser.

- [ ] Walk the path around the ruins
- [ ] Find the three columns of Apollo's temple
- [ ] Compare the arcades with the Colosseum
- [ ] Walk on to the Portico of Octavia
- [ ] Check the summer concert programme

## Ancient Rome: compare and choose

Ancient sites in Rome rated by YesGo.

- [Pantheon](https://yesgo.io/italy/rome/pantheon) — YesGo score 82/100 (Yes, go) · 30 min · ≈ €5
- [Colosseum](https://yesgo.io/italy/rome/colosseum) — YesGo score 73/100 (Yes, go) · 2 h · ≈ €18
- [Roman Forum](https://yesgo.io/italy/rome/roman-forum) — YesGo score 63/100 (Yes, go) · 1 h 30 min · ≈ €18 with Colosseum
- [Circus Maximus](https://yesgo.io/italy/rome/circus-maximus) — YesGo score 63/100 (Yes, go) · 30 min · Free
- [Trajan's Column](https://yesgo.io/italy/rome/trajans-column) — YesGo score 60/100 (Yes, go) · 15 min · Free
- [Capitoline Hill](https://yesgo.io/italy/rome/capitoline-hill) — YesGo score 58/100 (Yes, go) · 30 min · Free
- [Castel Sant'Angelo](https://yesgo.io/italy/rome/castel-sant-angelo) — YesGo score 57/100 (Yes, go) · 1 h 30 min · ≈ €15–20
- [Arch of Constantine](https://yesgo.io/italy/rome/arch-of-constantine) — YesGo score 57/100 (Yes, go) · 15 min · Free
- [Palatine Hill](https://yesgo.io/italy/rome/palatine-hill) — YesGo score 54/100 (Yes, go) · 1 h 30 min · ≈ €18 with Colosseum
- [Mausoleum of Augustus](https://yesgo.io/italy/rome/mausoleum-of-augustus) — YesGo score 53/100 (Yes, go) · 45 min · ≈ €5, booking
- [Largo di Torre Argentina](https://yesgo.io/italy/rome/largo-di-torre-argentina) — YesGo score 53/100 (Yes, go) · 30 min · Free from street; walkways ≈ €5
- [Pyramid of Cestius](https://yesgo.io/italy/rome/pyramid-of-cestius) — YesGo score 52/100 (Yes, go) · 20 min · Free outside
- [Appian Way](https://yesgo.io/italy/rome/appian-way) — YesGo score 49/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 3 h · Free
- [Domus Aurea](https://yesgo.io/italy/rome/domus-aurea) — YesGo score 49/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 15 min · ≈ €18, with VR ≈ €26
- [Mouth of Truth](https://yesgo.io/italy/rome/bocca-della-verita) — YesGo score 49/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 20 min · Donation ≈ €2
- [Baths of Caracalla](https://yesgo.io/italy/rome/baths-of-caracalla) — YesGo score 48/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 15 min · ≈ €8
- [Catacombs of Rome](https://yesgo.io/italy/rome/rome-catacombs) — YesGo score 48/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 30 min · ≈ €10–12 with guide
- [Theatre of Marcellus](https://yesgo.io/italy/rome/theatre-of-marcellus) — YesGo score 47/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 20 min · Free
- [Ara Pacis](https://yesgo.io/italy/rome/ara-pacis) — YesGo score 47/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · ≈ €13–15
- [Vatican Museums](https://yesgo.io/italy/rome/vatican-museums) — YesGo score 44/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 3 h · ≈ €25
- [Capitoline Museums](https://yesgo.io/italy/rome/capitoline-museums) — YesGo score 43/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 2 h 30 min · ≈ €15–19.50
- [Baths of Diocletian](https://yesgo.io/italy/rome/baths-of-diocletian) — YesGo score 42/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · Basilica free; museum ≈ €10–12
- [Basilica of San Clemente](https://yesgo.io/italy/rome/san-clemente) — YesGo score 39/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · Upper free; excavations ≈ €10–12
- [Imperial Fora](https://yesgo.io/italy/rome/imperial-fora) — YesGo score 38/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · Free from the street; museum ≈ €13–15
- [Testaccio](https://yesgo.io/italy/rome/testaccio) — YesGo score 38/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 2 h · Free
- [Palazzo Massimo](https://yesgo.io/italy/rome/palazzo-massimo) — YesGo score 34/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 2 h · ≈ €10–12 combined ticket
- [Ostia Antica](https://yesgo.io/italy/rome/ostia-antica) — YesGo score 31/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 3 h · ≈ €12–18
- [Hadrian's Villa](https://yesgo.io/italy/rome/hadrians-villa) — YesGo score 29/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 3 h · ≈ €12–15

## Capitoline to the Tiber

The Capitoline Hill, down to the Theatre of Marcellus, the Mouth of Truth and across the river to Trastevere.

1. [Capitoline Hill](https://yesgo.io/italy/rome/capitoline-hill) — YesGo score 58/100 (Yes, go) · 30 min · Free
2. [Theatre of Marcellus](https://yesgo.io/italy/rome/theatre-of-marcellus) — YesGo score 47/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 20 min · Free
3. [Mouth of Truth](https://yesgo.io/italy/rome/bocca-della-verita) — YesGo score 49/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 20 min · Donation ≈ €2
4. [Trastevere](https://yesgo.io/italy/rome/trastevere) — YesGo score 44/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 2 h · Free

## Don't mix it up

The Theatre of Marcellus isn't the Colosseum: a theatre is semicircular, for plays; the Colosseum is an elliptical amphitheatre for games. The even larger Theatre of Pompey barely survives, its curve traced by houses near Campo de' Fiori.

## Tips

- Free and steps from Piazza Venezia.
- People still live in the 16th-century flats on top.
- Summer concerts play by the lit arches.
- The Portico of Octavia and Tiber Island are next door.

## Questions

### Where is the Theatre of Marcellus?

By the Tiber between the Capitoline and Tiber Island, 5 minutes from Piazza Venezia.

### Is it free?

Yes, you view it from outside and the paths around it.

### When was it built?

Augustus completed it in 13–11 BC.

### Who was it named after?

Marcus Claudius Marcellus, Augustus's nephew and heir.

### Do people live in the Theatre of Marcellus?

Yes — there are apartments in the palace built on top in the 16th century.

### How long do you need?

15–20 minutes.

## How we checked

History of the theatre and palace from English Wikipedia. The summer concert schedule changes every year — hence the 'checking' badge.

## Sources

- English Wikipedia, Theatre of Marcellus

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