Le fonti grafiche e iconografiche per la lettura delle trasformazioni degli edifici ludici e teatrali di età classica

The reading of the cartographic, graphic, and iconographic evidence represents the main tools for gaining knowledge of amphitheaters and theatres over the centuries. This investigation is essential for correctly interpreting the transformations as an indispensable premise for conserving and enhancing this heritage. Indeed, through the documents, it is possible to understand the role that they have played in their history, as well as the degree of appreciation by the cultures and societies that, in specific periods, have registered their presence or kept silent about their existence. Different moments can be identified in which the representation has assumed a significant role in the socio-economic and cultural context. This has contributed to the fact that substantial testimonies of these buildings have been handed down, guaranteeing the preservation of their historical memory. However, the complexity of the topic requires limiting the discussion to sources ranging from the classical age to the Renaissance, with the commitment to take up this topic elsewhere, completing the temporal excursus up to the reading of even more recent documents.