Restoring Roman Structural Masses: The Case Study of NE versura of Nikopolis’ Theatre-Theoretical and Structural Issues

Abstract

The aim of this article is the presentation of the varied benefits that can be derived from the investigation of remaining parts of one Roman theatre of large scale: the Roman theatre of Nikopolis. The case study of presentation is the NE versura of that imposing building. The focal point of this process of restoration study is the thorough examination of the available material that is constituted mainly by heavy structural masses. Examining the features of those structural masses, it would be able to obtain information relating to their position in the construction. As a matter of fact, these strong inconsistency structural masses are valuable document of this devastated Roman building. The restoration of this material will reintroduce some of the monument’s lost magnitude that is now hard even to be imagined, having lost its large scale and luxurious coatings and being covered from its own dispersed material. This project has the ambition to become the starting point for the restoration of a larger area of the theatre as also for other monuments with the same type of construction.