The Roman Theatre of Guelma

In the northeastern part of Algeria, the city of Guelma houses an ancient Roman theatre dating back to the beginning of the 3rd century. Built during the era of Marcus Aurelius and Lucius Verus, or possibly under Septimius Severus and Caracalla, the structure served as a public space for entertainment. To express their gratitude for the construction, citizens erected five statues in thanks to Annia Elia Restituta, who spent 400,000 sestertii to provide the theatre for her fellow citizens.

After falling into ruin and being used as a quarry for stone, the theatre was reconstructed between 1902 and 1918 by the archaeologist Charles Albert Joly. Today, the site serves as a venue for theatrical performances and houses the city's archaeological museum. The theatre is oriented toward the northwest and leans against a natural slope and a thick wall that surrounds the cavea.

With a width of 58.65 meters, the theatre features a stage 37 meters wide and a marble-floored orchestra with three low steps for prominent figures. The front of the stage was decorated with seven small niches, some of which originally contained sculptures. The cavea consisted of 27 total steps divided into three sections, and at the very top sat a portico of Corinthian columns and a small temple, possibly dedicated to the imperial cult. The theatre could accommodate approximately 3,600 spectators.

Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons