SHARRYLAND
Ikuvium, the ancient Gubbio
A journey into the memories of ancient Romans and Umbrians
Where is
What it is and where it is
In Gubbio, just outside the walls, stands the Guastuglia archaeological site that includes the Roman Theater, the Antiquarium and the Mausoleum of Pomponius Grecino. What must have been the ancient late-Republican quarter of the 2nd-1st century B.C. is now home to one of the city's most important and impressive archaeological remains.
Why it is special
The theater consisted of two tiers of overlapping arcades, with an elegant portico at the upper level. The cavea was four-sided by corridors that were to be occupied by wooden staircases that allowed spectators to reach the seats, while the entire exterior structure and the flooring of the orchestra were made of local limestone. There was even a pulpitum for collecting rainwater under the orchestra, and from the proscenium opened two quadrangular side niches and a central semicircular one.
Not to be missed
But there are not only Roman remains here in Gubbio: inside the Palazzo dei Consoli, home of the city's Civic Museum, is a very rich collection of inscriptions, sculptures and decorations that testify to the history of Gubbio and the territory between the first century B.C. and the third century A.D. Among all the finds, the Eugubine Tablets certainly stand out : seven bronze tablets, discovered in the 15th century, on which are inscriptions in Latin and the ancient Umbrian language, relating to religious rituals and daily life of the time.
A bit of history
The Roman theater of Gubbio is very well preserved today thanks to an impressive restoration work carried out between the 19th and 20th centuries, but already in ancient times it must have been proposed as an immense building of great importance. The design and construction were carried out in the first century B.C. between 55 and 20 B.C. completed under the direction of the magistrate Gnaeus Satrius Rufus.
Trivia
At the time of its heyday, the Roman theater of Gubbio could hold six to seven thousand people (more than the contemporary theater of Pompeii, which could hold five thousand), while today it is still used for the many classical performances that take place there, especially in the summertime.
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