COORDINATES: 34º45’40.12’’N // 32º24,50.11’’E
TIPOLOGY: Greek theatre. Urban.
DATE: Late IV or first III B.C.
TRANSFORMATIONS: It was damaged by earthquake of 15 B.C. The cavea was extended late first I B.C. and meddle of II A.D. The theatre was abandoned after earthquake of 364 A.D.
CAPACITY: 8.000 spectators.
CAVEA: Facing south. 88 m. diameter. Built against low hill. Maenianum: 33 rows of seats in 6 cunei.
ORCHESTRA: 22,4 m. diameter. It was transformed in kolymbretha in roman late times for water games.
STAGE BUILDING: Different elements sign different construction and reconstructions phases. There is a tunnel, charonian, who runs from the stage building to the orchestra, like in Eretria, that was used in ancient Greek theatre for the actors appearances.
LOCATION: The ancient Greek theatre is in “Fabrika” hill, 600 m. east from ancient odeon, in Kato Paphos.
MY BEDSIDE TABLE: Sear, Frank; “Roman theatres: an architectural study”. Oxford University Press, 2006. // http://www.paphostheatre.com/index.html // Wood Conroy, Diana; “The fabric of the ancient theatre”. Lefkosia, Moufflon Publications, 2004.
OUT OF PRINT: When I visited Cyprus I read Diana Wood Conroy´s “The fabric of the ancient theatre”, excavation journals of the ancient Greek theatre of Paphos and another archaeological remains in Cyprus and the eastern Mediterranean. Diana Wood worked some summers in the excavations of the theatre. The book includes comments on the theatre excavations as well as references to other historical and archaeological sites in Cyprus. I have to confess my jealousy... to lay bare the remains of the theatre, bring them out, to collect daily impressions... who could.
