International Congress “Performance Buildings in Roman Lusitania”

The International Congress “Performance Buildings in Roman Lusitania” takes place at the Fado Museum, Largo Chafariz de Dentro 1, on 24 and 25 March.

The holding of an international congress specifically dedicated to performance buildings in the Roman province of Lusitania seeks to update knowledge as regards this construction type. On the one hand, research has progressed thanks to new studies and archaeological excavations; on the other hand, the aim is to analyse such buildings from the provincial territory in order to characterise them in terms of this type of monumental public building, considering this geographic extent as a single whole even if today divided into two political units. This congress, which brings together multiple researchers who have focused on the trilogy of these Roman public spaces – theatres, amphitheatres and circuses – also seeks to offer a comprehensive view not limited to Lusitania, but framed within the Roman Empire into which it was integrated. In addition to monographic works, the aim is to offer a broader view of this building type, spanning both their technical aspects, related to construction methods and systems, and the costs associated with their construction. Current usages, or reusages of these spaces is also on the agenda, an increasingly pressing issue due to the mass tourism that impacts on some of these archaeological sites but also legitimising their historical function and dignity.