To the east of the Jewish Ghetto, the Teatro di Marcello is the star turn of this dusty archaeological area. This 20,000-seat mini-Colosseum was planned by Julius Caesar and completed in 11 BC by Augustus, who named it after a favourite nephew, Marcellus. In the 16th century, a palazzo, which now contains several exclusive apartments, was built on top of the original structure.
Beyond the theatre, the Portico d’Ottavia , currently covered in scaffolding, is the oldest quadriporto (four-sided porch) in Rome. The dilapidated columns and fragmented pediment once formed part of a vast rectangular portico, supported by 300 columns, that measured 132m by 119m. Erected by a builder called Octavius in 146 BC, it was rebuilt in 23 BC by Augustus, who kept the name in honour of his sister Octavia. From the Middle Ages until the late 19th century, the portico housed Rome’s fish market.
