The Roman theatres (continues Fosbroke) were of a similar D form.  Two lofty arched doorways entered into the pit.  In front of the stage, which was very shallow, was a pew-like orchestra.  The proscenium was very narrow, and instead of a drop scene was the elisium, a house, narrow, with a kind of bow window front in the centre, and a door on each side:  for Pollux says that a house with two stories formed part of the stage, whence old women and panders used to look down and peep about them.  Within the house were apartments.  Around the back of the stage was a porticus.  At Herculaneum, on a balustrade which divided the orchestra from the stage, was found a row of statues, and on each side of the pulpitum, an equestrian figure.  Below the theatre (great and small) was a large square constructed, says Vitruvius, for the reception of the audience in bad weather.  It consisted of Doric columns, around an open area, forming an ample portico for this purpose, whilst under it were arranged cellae, or apartments, amongst which were a soap manufactory, oil mill, corn mill, and prison.  An inner logia was connected with a suite of apartments.  There was also an exedra, or recess.

Among the Romans, theatrical approbation was signified by an artificial musical kind of noise, made by the audience to express satisfaction.  There were three species of applause denominated from the different noises made in them, viz.:  Bombus, Imbrius, and Testae.

First, a confused din, made either by the hands or mouth.  The second and third, by beating on a sort of sounding vessel placed in the theatres for that purpose.  Persons were instructed to give applause with skill—­and there were even masters who professed to teach the art.  The proficients in this way let themselves out for hire to the poets, actors, &c., and were so disposed as to support a loud applause.  These they called Laudicena.  At the end of the play, a loud peal of applause was expected, and even asked of the audience either by the chorus or by the person who spoke last.  The formula was “Spectatore Claudite,” or “Valete et Plaudite.”  The applauders were divided into Chori, and disposed in theatres opposite to each other, like the choristers in cathedrals, so that there was a kind of concert of applause.  The free admission tickets were small ivory death’s heads, and specimens of these are to be seen in the Museum of Naples.  From this custom, it is stated, that we derive our word “Deadhead,” as denoting one who has a free entrance to places of amusement.

With the dawn of the Roman Empire, Pantomime, in Italy, is first authentically mentioned.  The Emperor Augustus always displayed great favour to the Art, and even by some writers he has been credited with being the originator of Pantomime.  This, of course, as we have seen, is impossible, and to use a familiar and trite saying, the Pantomimic Art is “as old as the hills” themselves.  Again, Bathyllus and Pylades (both freed slaves, the former born in Cilicia, and the latter came from Alexandria), and Hylas, the principal exponents of Pantomime during the reign of Augustus, have also been credited with the honour of originating Pantomime.