The Roman Theater of Cartagena is a theater from Roman times, built between the years 5 and 1 BC. C. in the city of Carthago Nova, current Cartagena.
It had capacity for about 7000 spectators, and was in use until the third century, after which several buildings were superimposed.
In 1988 it was discovered by the archaeologist of the University of Murcia Sebastián Ramallo Asensio and the excavations directed by him managed to exhume it to be able to be visited within the framework of the Museum of the Roman Theater.
The Roman theater was built in the time of Emperor Augustus. In 44 a. C. the city had been elevated to the rank of Roman colony, and shortly after, the emperor Augustus launched an ambitious plan of Romanization and urbanization of the city.
The city already had a great amphitheater, from the republican period, and now the emperor endows it with a great forum and a large theater.
The theater was dedicated to Lucius and Gaius Caesar, princes of youth and grandsons of Octavian Augustus, whose names appear on two large gray marble lintels located on the eastern and western entrances of the theater. For this reason, it is known that it was built between the years 5 and 1 BC. C.
It was built with various materials: limestones and marbles from Cabezo Gordo (Torre-Pacheco), sandstones from local quarries, and the columns made of Mula's red travertine stand out, and especially all the sculptural ornamentation of the theater that was made in marble. White pentelic from Greece and quite possibly carved in imperial workshops in Rome itself and expressly imported into the city for the construction of the theater.