The inscription (1926) can be read in the remains of the Theatre of Marcellus. The theatre was originally built by Augustus and dedicated to his nephew and intended successor, who died unexpectedly at the early age of 19 in 23 BC. The theatre was inaugurated in 13 BC. The author of the inscription is Raffaello Santarelli.

The inscription is carved in Roman square capitals and retraced with red colouring (‘rubricated’) on a plaque that is fixed to the inner wall of fornix no. 12 of the theatre’s upper storey (this area is currently not accessible to the public).

The text celebrates the beginning of the works at the Theatre of Marcellus in 1926. Their purpose was to ‘free’ the Roman theatre from later additions and overbuilding and to restore it. The excavation and restructuring were led by the Institute for Public Housing (Istituto per le Case Popolari, ICP) and its president, the architect Alberto Calza Bini (1881–1957). At the time, the theatre was surrounded and covered by simple houses and taverns that had been built there over the centuries. The lower storey was almost entirely below the ground level. After completion of the works on the site, it was inaugurated on 28 October 1932. Urban planning and restructuring in the area continued until 1940 and included, among other things, the Via del Mare (now Via del Teatro di Marcello). 

The inscription shows phrasings and stylistic features typical of Santarelli’s style, but also contains some peculiarities. The expression antiquitatis cultui magnopere intendens specifically refers to the Fascist cult of romanità; the words theatrum Marcelli nomine decorum recall Augustus’ words in Res Gestae 21 (Theatrum ad aedem Apollinis […] feci, quod sub nomine M. Marcelli generi mei esset); the dating after the foundation of Rome is added to the Christian date (the use of Fascist dating was introduced only in 1927); the governor of Rome, Filippo Cremonesi (1872–1942), who was special royal commissioner of the city until 28 October 1925, is called gubernator instead of praefectus Urbi(s), which Santarelli used in later inscriptions.

Bibliography

Calza Bini, Alberto. 1953. ‘Il teatro di Marcello: forma e strutture’. Bollettino del Centro di Studi per la Storia dell’Architettura, 7: 3–46.

Fidenzoni, Paolo. 1927. ‘La liberazione del Teatro Marcello e lo scoprimento di una casa Medioevale’. Capitolium 3 (10): 594–600.

———. [1970?]. Il teatro di Marcello. Rome: Liber, 89.

Nastasi, Antonino. 2019. Le iscrizioni in latino di Roma Capitale (1870-2018). Rome: Edizioni Quasar, 198–200.

Pisani Sartorio, Giuseppina. 2015. ‘Restauro archeologico e lavori di isolamento a Roma nella prima metà del Novecento: il teatro di Marcello (1926-1940)’. Civiltà Romana 2: 127–57.

Antonino Nastasi