The existence of a Roman theatre in Tarraco has been known since 1884.

Located on the southern slope of the city, near the port, it was built at the beginning of the 1st century AD. Today the three elements essential to this type of building are partially preserved: the cavea (or tiers of seating), the orchestra pit and the stage. We can see in situ the first six rows of the cavea, built of stone blocks covered with marble, and also the balteus or railing that separated the audience from the orchestra pit. The altar, dedicated to divinity of Augustus and used to make sacrifices before a performance, was probably located in the middle of the orchestra pit.

The theatre performances took place on a platform elevated above the level of the orchestra pit with a monumental facade as a background (scaenae frons).

Excavations have revealed a large part of the architectural and ornamental elements that made up the scaenae frons. Most notable are the marble sculptures representing togaed emperors and many decorative parts of the building such as capitals, column tambours, architraves and cornices, all made of local stone. Some of these fragments show traces of stucco work and paint.