Nysa (Sultanhisar)

NYSA (Sultanhisar), ancient Caria / Asia Minor, modern Turkey.

COORDINATES: 37º54’05.44’’N // 28º08’49.30’’E

TIPOLOGY: Bouleuterion / Greek odeon. Urban.

DATE: I B.C.

TRANSFORMATIONS: Rebuilt in half II A.D.

CAPACITY: 650 spectators.

CAVEA: Facing south. 12 rows of seats in 4 cunei.

ORCHESTRA: 7,2 m. diameter.

STAGE BUILDING: Proscaenium was 0,8 m. high. pulpitum 24,7x3,1 m. Statues of Marcus Aurelius, Lucius Verus and two Faustinas from scaenae frons.

LOCATION: In north west corner of agora.

MY BEDSIDE TABLE: Izenour, George. Roofed Theaters of Classical Antiquity. Yale University Press, 1992.// 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.//  Bean, George; “Turkey beyond the Maeander”. London, Ernst Benn, 1971.

 

OUT OF PRINT: Two times in different years I was in ancient Nysa, two times I meet the rain. A slow rain that showed me the ancient theatre, the stadium and the bouleuterion. I sat in the steps of it, hearing the rain monologue, a slow monologue that  comfort.

Singilia Barba (Antequera)

SINGILIA BARBA (Antequera), ancient Hispania Baetica, modern Spain.

COORDINATES: 37º02’05.34’’N // 4º37’52.44’’W

TIPOLOGY: Roman theatre. Urban.

DATE: First I A.D.¿?

TRANSFORMATIONS:

CAPACITY: 1.200 ¿? spectators

CAVEA: Facing north-northwest. 52 m. diameter. Built against hillside. The theatre is not excavated. Only two edges of summa cavea is visible. It´s supposed that there would be about 18 rows of seats.

ORCHESTRA: c. 15,5 m. diameter

STAGE BUILDING:

LOCATION: Ancient Singilia Barba is inside a private property, north-west from modern Antequera; the theatre is on north slope of Cerro Castillón, in an olive tree field.

MY BEDSIDE TABLE: “Teatros romanos de Hispania” Universidad de Murcia, Murcia, 1993.// 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: David lives on Antequera. I contacted with him searching information about Singilia Barba. I tried to contact in two times with archaeologist of Antequera town hall but was not possible. David, a man in love of the ancient past of Antequera offered me to visit the ancient town. It was a great evening, giving a round by ancient Singilia with him. About the theatre... what to tell... it´s not excavated but is there, I am sure there are good remains of it but not money for it.

Lindus (Lindos)

LINDUS (Lindos –Rhodes Island), ancient Asia Minor, modern Greece.

COORDINATES: 36º05´23.55’’N // 28º05’13.38’’E

TIPOLOGY: Greek theatre. Urban.
DATE: IV B.C.
TRANSFORMATIONS:
CAPACITY:

CAVEA: Built against hillside, rock cut. Facing west-south west. 45m. diameter. exceeds semicircle. Maenianum: Ima cavea with 19 rows of seats in 9 cunei; summa cavea probably with 6 rows in 3 cunei.

ORCHESTRA: 14 m. diameter.
STAGE BUILDING: Scene building was 19x4,8 m.
LOCATION: East of modern Lindos, on Acropolis hill.

MY BEDSIDE TABLE: 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. // Arias, Paolo Enrico; “Il teatro greco fuori di Atene”. Firenze, G.C. Sansoni, 1934.

 

OUT OF PRINT: I do not cross Mediterranean sea for being near, I try and try to search the way to be close, although shadows dogs try to discourage me. Always I wanted to be in that theatre, when I were there I knew why... all the words reject...

Libarna (Serravalle Scrivia)

LIBARNA (Serravalle Scrivia), ancient Regio IX, modern Italy.

COORDINATES: 44º42’24.31’’N // 8º51’54.08’’E

TIPOLOGY: Roman theatre. Urban.

DATE: Last I first II A.D.

TRANSFORMATIONS: III A.D.

CAPACITY: 3.800 spectators.

CAVEA: Facing north-east. 57,7 m. diameter

ORCHESTRA: 15 m. diameter.

STAGE BUILDING: There are slot visible from aulaeum. Pulpitum was 35 x 4,7 m.

LOCATION: West of the ancient city. The ancient city is 1,5 klm south from modern Serravalle Scrivia, about 50 klm. north from Genova.

MY BEDSIDE TABLE: 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. // Tosi, Giovana; “Gli edificio per spettacoli nell’Italia romana”. Roma, Quasar, 2003. / Courtois, Catherine; “Le bâtiment de scène des théâtres d’Italie et de Sicile”. Providence, Louvain-la.Neuve, 1989.

 

OUT OF PRINT: The morning I visited Libarna I had a bigger pleasure than visiting the ancient theatre... I eat the best crostata I have ever eaten... marvelous pleasure for levitate... I can not forget it, you can taste it in “Il Fornio”.

Megalopolis (Megalopoli)

MEGALOPOLIS (Megalopoli), ancient Arkadia, modern Greece.

COORDENATES: 37º24´36.52’’N // 22º07’37.76’’E

TIPOLOGY: Greek theatre. Urban.

DATE: IV B.C.

TRANSFORMATIONS: Late Roman stage.

CAPACITY: 17.000 spectators.

CAVEA: Facing north. 131 m. diameter. Built against hillside. Maenianum: Ima cavea, 9 rows survives but it has 20 in 9 cunei Media cavea with 20 rows in 9 cunei too. Summa cavea with 15 rows of seats divided in 16 cunei.

ORCHESTRA: 31,5 m. diameter. Unpaved.

STAGE BUILDING: Proscaenium supported by 14 columns. Portico of Thersilion stood directly opposite cavea and could served as scene building of theatre. Skanotheka 35 x 8,3 m.

LOCATION: North west from modern Megalopolis.

MY BEDSIDE TABLE: 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. // Izenour, George. Roofed Theaters of Classical Antiquity. Yale University Press, 1992.

 

OUT OF PRINT: “Megara: Husband, let me tell you again, Misfortune does not have many friends”. from Herakles, by Euripides... I hosted Megalopolis ... maybe it was the fatigue of the day.

Balbura (Katara)

BALBURA (Katara), ancient Lycia / Asia Minor, modern Turkey.

COORDENATES: 36º57’14.59’’N // 29º34’56.73’’E

TIPOLOGY: Greek theatre. Urban.

DATE: Mid – II B.C.

TRANSFORMATIONS:

CAPACITY: 1.800 spectators.

CAVEA: facing south. 36 m. diameter, exceeeds semicircle. Maenianum: 16 rows of seat are visible on 3 cunei.

ORCHESTRA: 11 m. diameter.

STAGE BUILDING: It´s the best preserved a complete wall built on slope of polygonal rusticated masonry.

LOCATION: Balbura has two theatres, these is called “upper theatre” and it´s located on south slope of north hill, 6 klm. south-east from Altinyayla, 25 klm. south from Gölishar

MY BEDSIDE TABLE: Yilmaz, Yasar; “Anadolu Antik Tiyatrolari”. Istanbul, Yem Yanin, 2010.// 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 // Bean, George; “Lycian Turkey”. London, Ernst Benn, 1978. // Freely, John; “The Western Mediterranean coast of Turkey”. Istanbul, Matbaacilik ve Yayincilik A.S., 1997.

 

 

OUT OF PRINT: These is one of these theatres that you spent time to find it. In my first travel to Lycia, I was not able to find it, I only had very poor references in Bean´s book, it was a day in which I lived with the snow on road and to take references was very difficult, I did not have a gps either. Anyway I found it in my second travel, it was difficult but too much exciting... the bad new was that I did not have references to look for the second one theatre, I tried to recognize the land was it was not possible... maybe, I hope, there will be a third time, another travel to Lycia, and I will try it again, of course.

Dora (Dor)

DORA (Dor), ancient Palestina, modern Israel.

COORDENATES: 32º37’12.06’’N // 34º55’07.48’’E

TIPOLOGY: Roman theatre. Urban.

DATE: II or III A.D.

TRANSFORMATIONS:

CAPACITY:

CAVEA: Facing north-north-west. 60 m. diameter. Aditus maximi visible remains.

ORCHESTRA: Paved in stone.

STAGE BUILDING: Columns remains of grey and coloured marble. Corinthian capitals found.

LOCATION: 200 m. north of northern edge of town. Dor is 60 klm. north from Tel Aviv.

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: Somebody that I found in my visit to ancient Dora told me that the ancient theatre remains are actually the private WC of the bathers... well some latin comedy was always full of eschatology.

Teate Marrucinorum (Chieti)

TEATE MARRUCINORUM (Chieti), ancient Regio IV, modern Italy.

COORDENATES: 42º20’49.18’’N // 14º09’48.21’’E

TIPOLOGY: Roman theatre. Urban.

DATE: Second half of I A.D. or first II A.D.

TRANSFORMATIONS: Orchestra was transformed in colimbetra for water games.

CAPACITY:

CAVEA: Facing north-north-west. 84 m. diameter. Built against slope the centre of cavea.

ORCHESTRA:

STAGE BUILDING: Under modern buildings.

LOCATION: In south-west part of town.

MY BEDSIDE TABLE: Tosi, Giovana; “Gli edificio per spettacoli nell’Italia romana”. Roma, Quasar, 2003.// 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: If you pretend to find some columnatio in the  scaenae frons you will find clothes drying in the sun, anyway I have always thought both are pretty.

Side (Side)

SIDE (Side), ancient Pamphylia / Asia Minor, modern Turkey.

COORDENATES: 36º46’04.92’’N // 31º23’26.32E

TIPOLOGY: Roman theatre. Urban.

DATE: Last II A.D.

TRANSFORMATIONS: It may probably have been an earlier Greek theatre. In III A.D. it was transformed in amphitheatre.

CAPACITY: 10.000spectators.

CAVEA: Facing north-east. 120 m. diameter. Bilt against slope, although summa cavea have 2 levels of substructures. 23 radial barrel-vaults appear on façade. Maenianum: Ima cavea with 30 rows of seats in 11 cunei. Summa cavea with 25 rows in 24 cunei.

ORCHESTRA: 29 m. diameter, surrounded by podium.

STAGE BUILDING: Pulpitum have trapezoidal shape. Scaenae frons was rectilinear, with 5 doors; 2 storey for columnatio. Postscaenium with 9 rooms. Podium of scaenae frons with relief sculptures.

LOCATION: Side is 65 klm. east from Antalya.

MY BEDSIDE TABLE: Yilmaz, Yasar; “Anadolu Antik Tiyatrolari”. Istanbul, Yem Yanin, 2010 // 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. // Bean, George; “Turkey´s southern shore”. London, Ernest Benn Limited, 1968.

 

 

OUT OF PRINT: In Side ancient theatre I played jigsaw... you only have to look at the scattered relief sculpture remains of the podium and let the mind to fly.