The Theatre
In the early 19th century, the remains of a Roman amphitheater and theater were uncovered and partially explored in Parma, thanks to the support of Duchess Maria Luigia. Both buildings, likely part of an urban planning project from the Augustan era, aimed at monumentalizing the city and were thus located along key access roads, providing an impressive scenic backdrop for travelers. An oblique road, part of the Roman grid, connected the two structures.
The Roman theater was situated at the southern end of the Cardo Maximus (the main north-south road of the city), where today we find Piazzale Santafiora and Piazzale Sant’Uldarico, with the seating area built against the stream’s embankment. It was first identified in 1844 during sewer works and excavated between 1845 and 1846, with further investigations taking place in the 1930s. The sculptures and architectural details suggest the theater was built during the Augustan-Tiberian period, with later additions and restorations carried out during the Julio-Claudian era and in the 2nd century AD.
The theater, with a capacity of around 16,000 spectators, likely boasted an impressive stage setup. Along with pilaster capitals and small Corinthian half-columns, excavations uncovered theatrical masks, oscilla, and fragments of figurative reliefs, including the beautiful Augustan-era torso of Neptune in an archaizing style. There were also remains of bronze and marble statues. One particularly striking piece, a marble statue of Leda with the swan, dating to the 1st century AD, still shows traces of reddish color on the cloak. Microscopic analysis revealed that the swan was painted white, and vivid colors were found on other pieces of the architectural decoration.