Mechane
Type of machine used in Ancient Greek theatre
A mechane (/ˈmɛkəniː/; Ancient Greek: μηχανή, romanized: mēkhanḗ) or machine was a crane used in Greek theatre, especially in the 5th and 4th centuries BC. Made of wooden beams and pulley systems, the device was used to lift an actor into the air, usually representing flight. This stage machine was particularly used to bring gods onto the stage from above, hence the Latin term deus ex machina ("god from the machine"). Euripides' use of the mechane in Medea (431 BCE) is a notable use of the machine for a non-divine character. It was also often used by Aeschylus.
01Use in ancient Rome
Stage machines were also used in ancient Rome, e.g. during the sometimes highly dramatic performances at funerals. For Julius Caesar's funeral service, Appian reports a mechane that was used to present a blood-stained wax effigy of the deceased dictator to the funeral crowd. The mechane was used to turn the body in all directions. Geoffrey Sumi proposes that the use of the mechane "hinted at Caesar's divinity". This is highly unlikely because Appian doesn't describe the mechane as a genuine deus-ex-machina device. Furthermore Caesar's apotheosis wasn't legally conducted until 42 BCE and Caesar had only been worshipped unofficially as divus during his lifetime. First and foremost, Marcus Antonius attempted to arouse the masses as a means to strengthen Caesar's esteem as well as his own political power.
02Religious significance
In Christian liturgy the mechane has also been identified with the cross. Ignatius calls the cross the "theatre mechane" of Jesus Christ.
Sources and credits
This article is adapted from the Wikipedia article “Mechane”, written by its contributors and licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Fathomly has changed the layout, removed citation markers, navigation and maintenance notices, and adjusted punctuation. This adapted version is shared under the same license. For references, see the original article.
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