New Books Network Jessica Clarke, "A New History of Ancient Roman Theatre" (Liverpool UP, 2025)
Mar 13, 2026
Jessica Clarke, historian-archaeologist of ancient Roman theatre, challenges assumptions about Rome’s early role. She maps neglected archaeological evidence and argues for vibrant Italian city theatres before Rome’s dominance. Topics include digital catalogues, theatre-temple links, slave and cook masks in visual culture, Sicily’s political-theatrical layouts, and Pompey’s place in theatrical transformation.
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PhD Project Grew Into An Archaeological Reappraisal
- Jessica Clarke began the project as a PhD that became increasingly archaeological when she found neglected material evidence.
- She combined History and Archaeology supervision at UCL and developed the research into this book.
Archaeology Rewrites Early Roman Theatre Origins
- Archaeology reframes early theatrical history by centering ruins and visual artifacts rather than late literary texts.
- Jessica Clarke mapped ~90 theatre ruins and ~928 theatrical artifacts across Italy to show Rome was peripheral until the late Republic.
Theatre Temples Show Religious Roots Of Italian Performance
- Early Italian theatres were deeply tied to religion and often formed part of temple complexes called theatre temples.
- Clarke identifies at least seven theatre temples among 16 central Italian theatres, e.g., Praeneste's huge theatre to Fortuna.
