It is seldom questioned that ancient Rome was an imperial power base in the Mediterranean. When we think of Rome, we imagine a gleaming city of marble ruling its provinces with an iron fist. But was Rome always so powerful? As Dr Jessica Clarke reveals in A New History of Ancient Roman Theatre, the position of the Roman Republic was perhaps much more precarious than we have previously thought.

Ancient theatres were the biggest and most significant political, religious, and cultural hubs in an ancient city – bringing together thousands of people for a single event.

In 55 BCE, Rome was still to build itself a theatre. Across Italy, theatres had been springing up for centuries. Huge buildings of carved stone, perched on top of hillsides or constructed in the centre of bustling Italian cities. Around these theatres grew up thriving merchandise trades, where audiences could buy a figurine of a favourite actor, or commission a mosaic for their dining rooms of a favoured play.

Yet, in Republican Rome, there was no permanent theatre and almost no evidence of any merchandise trade.

Why did Rome lag behind its neighbours? Why did it take so long to build a theatre? Was Republican Rome perhaps less powerful and less culturally advanced, in comparison to its Italian neighbours, than we have previously assumed?