Virtual Acoustics of the Roman Theatre of Italica (original) (raw)
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Acoustical computer simulations of the ancient Roman theatres
ERATO Project Symposium
The objective of this work (under WP5 of the ERATO project) has been to create and analyse acoustical models of the selected theatres and odea by means of a computer simulation programme (named ODEON). Models have been created of the monuments both as originally built (to ...
acoustical society of America, 2023
In ancient Rome, gladiator fights were very popular. The places where these shows took place were called amphitheaters, due to the particular shape of the elliptical building. Amphitheaters were constructed in every city. This paper describes the virtual acoustic reconstruction of the amphitheater of Avella, located near Naples, Italy. The amphitheater, discovered several decades ago and partially reconstructed, is now used for musical performances during the summer season. Acoustic measurements were carried out and the main acoustic parameters were determined according to the standard ISO 3382. Based on the dimensions and geometries of similar architectures of other amphitheaters, a virtual reconstruction of the original shape was performed. The virtual model was developed using Ramsete architectural acoustics software to obtain the acoustic characteristics of the amphitheater as it was in the Roman period. In particular, the spatial distribution of the acoustic properties on the cavea where the spectators sat is described and discussed.
The acoustics of the Ancient Theatre of Beneventum has been object of attention by the authors since five years ago when measurements were carried out in the aim of its characterization in the present state. This theatre was built by Emperor Hadrian in the 1st century A.D. Later, historical events as barbarian invasions, earthquakes and floods determined its abandonment. A large part of the materials of the construction was used to build defensive walls in the Lombard period and for the embellishment of churches and palaces. During the course of subsequent centuries the theatre became the settlement of humble dwellings. At the start of the 20th century the crumbling houses were demolished to start the reconstruction of the theatre which was completed, as it appears in the present state, in 1950. This paper reports a computer simulation of the acoustics of the Roman Theatre performed by Odeon software. Calculated results are compared with those stemmed from the previous measurements carried out by the authors in the unoccupied theatre. Furthermore, a simulation of the effects of audience occupation on the acoustics is presented.
Virtual Sound Field of the Roman Theatre of Malaca
2021
In Hispania (present-day Spain and Portugal), there are 25 structures documented of classical Roman open-air theatres, of which 10 are in the south, in the Roman Baetica (Andalusia). The Baetica embraced the progress of urbanisation in the time of the Roman emperor Augustus, where theatres, built in stone, were the foci of entertainment, performance, and propaganda of the empire. The Roman theatre in Malaga presents the archaeological remains of the main vestige of the Roman Malaca. It is located in the historical centre of the city, at the foot of the hill of the Muslim Alcazaba and was discovered in 1952. It is a medium-sized theatre whose design corresponds to a mixed construction that combines making use of the hillside for the terraces, in the manner of Greek theatres, with a major construction where rock is non-existent, thereby creating the necessary space for the stands. In this paper, the production process, adjustment, and validation of the 3D model of the theatre are anal...
2007
Archaeologists face up with the problem of the historical reconstruction of ancient theatres that show different state of conservation and, during the centuries, have suffered for changes in their structures. The acoustics can play a very important role in supporting the choice of the best or almost the more acceptable reconstruction among different possible alternatives. Computeraided simulation can provide a well-estabilished tool for this task. The roman theatre of Ostia Antica is and was the subject of many studies devoted to the reconstruction of its architecture during the centuries, for the original construction of Agrippa (beginning of II° century B.C.), with the capacity of 3000 people, to the enlargment till to 4000 seats made by Commodo (at the end of the II° century), to the restoration by Celso (IV° century) and its adaptation to "tetinimi" (water play) and, at the the end, the drastic reconstruction of 1927. The paper presents different hypotheses of virtual ...
Virtual acoustic reconstruction of the Roman amphitheater of Avella, Italy
2023
In ancient Rome, gladiator fights were very popular. The places where these shows took place were called amphitheaters, due to the particular shape of the elliptical building. Amphitheaters were constructed in every city. This paper describes the virtual acoustic reconstruction of the amphitheater of Avella, located near Naples, Italy. The amphitheater, discovered several decades ago and partially reconstructed, is now used for musical performances during the summer season. Acoustic measurements were carried out and the main acoustic parameters were determined according to the standard ISO 3382. Based on the dimensions and geometries of similar architectures of other amphitheaters, a virtual reconstruction of the original shape was performed. The virtual model was developed using Ramsete architectural acoustics software to obtain the acoustic characteristics of the amphitheater as it was in the Roman period. In particular, the spatial distribution of the acoustic properties on the cavea where the spectators sat is described and discussed.
The acoustic of Roman theatres in Southern Italy and some reflections for their modern uses
Applied Acoustics, 2020
Ancient Roman theatres represent a unique cultural heritage which is still used nowadays to host a variety of cultural activities and performances. Acoustic measurements show that the acoustics of these theatres does not always support the listening of music, which is common in modern performances. Although the acoustics of these theatres for modern use performances may be challenging, this cultural heritage offers a unique experience to the audience who can assist to a performance on the same seats once used by Romans. Nowadays, these unroofed theatres, whose walls behind and at the sides of the stage have rarely been restored, are often criticized for the weak sound strength. Moreover, these theatres are often exposed to urban modern background noise. The significant sound absorption due to the presence of the audience on the seating area (named cavea) and to the tapestries used in modern scenes makes challenging to support the acoustic reverberation in these theatres. In this paper, these aspects are described focusing on five ancient Roman theatres located in Southern Italy. The study reports acoustic measurements followed by virtual simulation results. As it was impossible to perform acoustic measurements with full audience occupancy, the presence of the audience was simulated using room acoustic software. The paper compares the acoustic characteristics of these five theatres considering their architectural characteristics, and discusses the role that the material used for their restoration had on their acoustics. Finally, some considerations about some reversible interventions to improve the acoustics of these ancient theatres for modern uses are reported.
Acoustic virtual reconstruction of the Roman theater of Posillipo, Naples
Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, 2017
On the Hill of Posillipo, during the Imperial times, a sumptuous villa overlooking the sea was built. This villa contained an odeon and a theater. Over the centuries, the villa was destroyed and only towards the end of the 800s, the discovery of some of the archaeological heritage of this site started. Today, the theater has the lower part of the cavea, while the scene and the stage have not been reconstructed yet. In the central part of the orchestra, there is a pool that was perhaps used for aquatic events. The purpose of this work is to reconstructi the acoustics of the theater as it appeared during the Imperial period. For this scope, a software for room acoustics was used. The acoustic measurements were carried out in situ for the evaluation of acoustic characteristics in the current state, and then the virtual model was tuned to the results of impulse response measurements. The acoustic analysis is finally carried out using the acoustic properties of the auditorium in its present state.
Acoustic study of a roman theatre in Hispania: Colonia Clunia Sulpicia
This work presents the most excellent conclusions of the acoustic study made in the Theatre of Clunia, a Roman city (conventus iuridicus) situated near Coruña del Conde, in the province of Burgos (200 km North from Madrid, Spain). The work is developed in several parts: • General description of the theatre. Its dimensions and geometry have been compared with the construction guidelines bequeathed by the Roman Architect Vitruvius. • Presentation of the simulation results using the CATT Acoustic software, which covers a geometrical analysis of the trajectories of the source-receiver sound rays and an evaluation of the parameters that define its acoustic quality. The software was used to analyze the acoustics as if it were an enclosed area and not an open area, which has been solved in the modelling closing the theatre with a ceiling of maximum absorption, as if it were an open window. Several ceilings have been tried with similar results.