The Silence Stages

Since 2005 I have been visiting more than 430 ancient greek and roman theatres around 18 countries, taking photographs and information. These blog is dedicated to all that experience.



Desde 2005 he visitado más de 430 teatros y odeones, griegos y romanos en 18 países, tomando fotografías y recopilando información. Este blog está dedicado a toda esta experiencia.



Sunday 8 May 2011

Gadara (Hamat Gader)

GADARA (Hamat Gader), ancient Arabia, modern Israel.
 

COORDINATES: 32º41’00.86 N // 35º39,55.99 E
TIPOLOGY: Roman ritual theatre. Not-urban.
DATE: First half III A.D.
TRANSFORMATIONS:
CAPACITY: 1.500 spectators.
CAVEA: Facing north-east . 35 m. diameter. Maenianum: It had two maeniana although only 15 rows of seats are preserved from ima. Summa cavea was probably suported by aggestus.

ORCHESTRA: 26,20 m. diameter, paved in basalt.

STAGE BUIDING: Pulpitum was 29,6 x 5,8 m. There are visible remains.
LOCATION: Theatre is in a sanctuary, 200 m. north-east from baths. 3,3 klm. from ancient Gadara (in modern Jordan); 20 klm. south-east from Tiberias.
MY BEDSIDE TABLE: Segal, Arthur; “Theatres in Roman Palestine & provincia Arabia”. New York, E.J. Brill., 1995. // Sear, Frank; “Roman theatres: an architectural study”. Oxford University Press, 2006. // Ciancio Rossetto, Paola; Giuseppina Pisani Sartorio (eds); “Teatri Greci e Romani: alle origini del linguaggio rappresentato”. Rome: SEAT, 1995. 

  

OUT OF PRINT: When I was in 2008 in ancient Gadara, in modern Jordan, I could only visit two of the three theatres the city had. I peered into the valley trying to identify the sanctuary where the third theatre is located, 3 klm. down from Gadara. It was frustrating to know that I could not see it because, although I could almost touch it with my hand the third Gadara´s theatre is in Israel. In 2011, I traveled to Israel, when I could finally visit the enigmatic theatre of Hamat Gader, the third theatre of ancient Gadara I look up, to the hill, to the Jordan side, and I felt the urge to return to the theatres of Gadara... I will never know if the soldiers would have understood my reasons... I think borders do not know about dialoguing rules... Gadara, an ancient break city... to walk three kilometers I had to wait three years and give a round of thousands... so many questions without answers...

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