Beth Shean - Theater

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Performances at the theater in Beth Shean were presented in the daytime. As was the usual practice in the Roman world, the seats faced north so that the spectators always had their backs to the sun. Comedies and tragedies were rarely included in the repertoire. Like most of the inhabitants of the Roman Empire, the people of Beth Shean preferred lighter entertainment, mainly pantomimes and imitations. Occasionally, athletic competitions and acrobatic acts were presented, and sometimes the theater simply served as a gathering place where the citizens could air their views on social and political issues.