Rudiments of ancient architecture, containing an historical account of the five orders, with their proportions, and examples of each from antiques also, extracts from Vitruvius, Pliny, &c. relative to the buildings of the ancients (London, 1810 (4. Aufl.))

130 THE

foremost rows next the stage,, called
Orchestra, answering to our Pit, were
assigned to the senators, and ambassa-
dors of foreign states ; fourteen rows
behind them to the equites or knights ;
and the rest to the people. That part
which we call the stage, had this divi-
sion ; Scena, the scenes, which were
adorned with-columns, statues, pic-
tures, &c. according to the nature of
the play exhibited. Postsceninm, the
place behind the scene, where the actors
dressed, &c. Proscenium, the place
before the scene, called also, the pul-
pitum, where the actors played, and
the chorus came to rehearse, answering
to our stage. In the Greek Theatres,
the orchestra, which included a very
large space, made part of the scene,
and here the actors danced: the pro-
scenium, being very shallow or small.
But in the Roman Theatres, this part
was assigned to the senators, &c. there
was a kind of canopy, or covering,
stretched over the seats, to shelter from
heat or rain, called peplus.
Theatres were, for a long time, X)f