A great Roman theatre

The Roman theatre at Orange was built according to traditional theatre design : tiered seats, an orchestra, stage and stage wall.  

The tiered seats arranged in a semi-circle, known as a "cavea", were carved out of the side of the Saint-Eutrope hill and can accommodate up to 10,000 spectators.
The audience occupied particular areas of seating in strict accordance with their rank and status.
At the front and nearer the stage, were important people in both civic and military life. At the back and further away, were people from humbler backgrounds. The social hierarchy of the city was therefore perfectly reflected here in the theatre.

A large awning, called a "vellum" was stretched over the audience to protect them from the sun.
The wooden stage stands high over the "orchestra", the semi-circular area around which the tiered seats are grouped. On either side of the stage are the "basilicae", two storey towers from which the minor actors made their entrances and which were also used to store stage sets.