How did the ancient Roman Theatres sound?

The Roman theatre follows a natural evolution from the Greek theatre combining the acting area and the seating area into a single structure. Modifications of stage, orchestra and seating area have resulted in a considerable improvement in the quality of the acoustics. As a part of the ERATO project, the acoustics in Roman theatres and Odea (roofed theatres) have been recreated through computer simulations using the Odeon software. Computer models of five Roman theatres have been created based on data from archaeologists, architects and measurements in situ. The theatres have been modelled in their present state and as they presumably were built in the Roman era; the reconstructed parts of acoustical interest are the stage wall and top colonnade in the open-air theatres and the roof and windows in the Odea. The irregular absorption distribution in these rooms makes them challenging for acoustical simulations differing from traditional concert halls. Auralisation examples will be presented using fragments of Roman music recorded in the project.