Theatre of Marcellus

Completed around 13 BC and dedicated by Augustus to his nephew Marcellus, this open-air theatre once seated tens of thousands and served as a model for later amphitheatres, including the Colosseum. Its curved outer wall of arches on Doric and Ionic columns still stands, though in the Middle Ages a fortress and later a palace were built directly on top of the ancient tiers. Residents still occupy apartments within the upper structure today. Ancient temple columns rise nearby, and the site is often used as a summer concert venue in the evenings.