Roman Theatre, Cartagena

The Roman Theatre of Cartagena is a Roman theatre in the Roman colonia of Carthago Nova—present-day Cartagena, Spain [1]. Built between the years 5 and 1 BCE, it had a capacity of some 6,000 spectators and was used for Roman theatrical performances [1]. In Cartagena, under the rule of Augustus (31 B.C.-14 A.D.), taking advantage of the slope of the hill of La Concepción and in a position close to the port, the Theater was built so that from the sea the magnificent building could be seen [1]. The Theater, inaugurated in 1 B.C., functioned as such for two centuries, although partial restorations were necessary during that time [1]. Prior to the theatre, in the area where it is currently located, there was a Roman house built at the end of the second century B.C., which was intentionally demolished for the construction of the Roman Theater in the time of Augustus [1]. After a fire that caused a large part of its architectural framework to disappear, in the 5th century A.D. what was left standing of the Theater was dismantled and its architectural elements were used to build a market [1].