DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.61617#0191
THE LARGE THEATRE 143
The two Holconii lived in the time of Augustus. The elder,
Rufus, was duumvir for the fourth term in 3-2 b.c. The work
on the Theatre was probably done about that time; for soon
afterwards, before his fifth duumvirate, a statue in his honor
was erected in the Theatre, as we learn from an inscription.
Later, in 13-14 a.d., the younger Holconius also, when he had
been chosen quinquennial duumvir, was honored with a statue.
The masonry of the corridor and of the exterior arches support-
ing it, as well as of the tribunals, well agrees with that in
vogue in the Augustan Age; we find brick-shaped blocks of
tufa and reticulate work. The marble seats in the cavea may
be assigned to the same period; in the original structure the
benches* must have been of tufa. About the same time the
present wall at the back of the stage was built, in the place of
an older and much simpler fagade, but not by the Holconii; if
this also had been rebuilt by them, it would have been mentioned
in the inscription.
Possibly the tribunals were an addition due to the Hol-
conii. The corridor under the gallery, however, must have
been built in the place of an earlier corridor, for the piers on
the outside rest on foundations similar in character to the
oldest parts of the building. As these piers served no other
purpose than to sustain the passage opening into the section
of seats above the corridor, this must have formed a part of the
original plan.
The statues of both the Holconii probably stood in niches
in the wall at the back of the stage. Holconius Rufus was
further honored with a monument of some sort in the cavea.
The lowest seat of the media cavea had at the middle, directly
opposite the stage, a double width for a distance of about five
feet, gained by removing a portion of the next seat above.
Here was an inscription in bronze letters: M. Holconio M. f.
Rufo, II. v. i. d. quinquiens, iter\um\ quinq\uennal!\, trib\uno\
a p[opnld\, flamini Aug\ustR\, patr\ono\ colo\niae\,
d\ecurionum~\ dfcretdf — ‘[Dedicated] in accordance with a
decree of the city council to Marcus Holconius Rufus the son
of Marcus, five times duumvir with judiciary authority, twice
quinquennial duumvir, military tribune by the choice of the
The two Holconii lived in the time of Augustus. The elder,
Rufus, was duumvir for the fourth term in 3-2 b.c. The work
on the Theatre was probably done about that time; for soon
afterwards, before his fifth duumvirate, a statue in his honor
was erected in the Theatre, as we learn from an inscription.
Later, in 13-14 a.d., the younger Holconius also, when he had
been chosen quinquennial duumvir, was honored with a statue.
The masonry of the corridor and of the exterior arches support-
ing it, as well as of the tribunals, well agrees with that in
vogue in the Augustan Age; we find brick-shaped blocks of
tufa and reticulate work. The marble seats in the cavea may
be assigned to the same period; in the original structure the
benches* must have been of tufa. About the same time the
present wall at the back of the stage was built, in the place of
an older and much simpler fagade, but not by the Holconii; if
this also had been rebuilt by them, it would have been mentioned
in the inscription.
Possibly the tribunals were an addition due to the Hol-
conii. The corridor under the gallery, however, must have
been built in the place of an earlier corridor, for the piers on
the outside rest on foundations similar in character to the
oldest parts of the building. As these piers served no other
purpose than to sustain the passage opening into the section
of seats above the corridor, this must have formed a part of the
original plan.
The statues of both the Holconii probably stood in niches
in the wall at the back of the stage. Holconius Rufus was
further honored with a monument of some sort in the cavea.
The lowest seat of the media cavea had at the middle, directly
opposite the stage, a double width for a distance of about five
feet, gained by removing a portion of the next seat above.
Here was an inscription in bronze letters: M. Holconio M. f.
Rufo, II. v. i. d. quinquiens, iter\um\ quinq\uennal!\, trib\uno\
a p[opnld\, flamini Aug\ustR\, patr\ono\ colo\niae\,
d\ecurionum~\ dfcretdf — ‘[Dedicated] in accordance with a
decree of the city council to Marcus Holconius Rufus the son
of Marcus, five times duumvir with judiciary authority, twice
quinquennial duumvir, military tribune by the choice of the