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.

Athenae (Athina)

ATHENAE (Athina), ancient Achaia, modern Greece.

COORDENATES: 37º58’30.86’’N // 23º43’23.28’’E

TIPOLOGY: Roman odeon, known as Odeon of Agrippa. Urban.

DATE: Last I B.C.
TRANSFORMATIONS: In 150 A.D. was transformed for public lectures.
CAPACITY: 1.000 spectators.
CAVEA: Facing north. Auditorium square 25 x 25 m., 19 rows of seats in 6 cunei. Overall dimensions of the building 51,3 x 43,2 m.
ORCHESTRA: 18,5 m., paved in polychrome marble.
STAGE BUILDING: Pulpitum 25 x 3 m. Proscaenium rectilinear. Scaenae frons is rectilinear too, with three doors. There are three marble statues in the place, well preserved, they were part of the decoration; drum columns too of the Corinthian order.
LOCATION: The Roman odeon of Agrippa is in the Agora.
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: In Athens the Gods are still alive, but they are deaf to the cries of their people... “Because gods perceive future things, men what is happening now, but wise men perceive approaching things” wrote Philostratus in his “Kife of Apollonius of Tyana”... but, where are the wise men nowadays?

Elis (Ilida)

ELIS (Ilida), ancient Eleia / Acaya, modern Greece.

COORDENATES: 37º53’36.65’’N // 21º22’32.33’’E

TIPOLOGY: Greek theatre. Urban.

DATE: First half IV B.C.

TRANSFORMATIONS:

CAPACITY: 8.000 spectators.

CAVEA: Facing north-west. 104 m. diameter. Cavea exceeds semicircle. Built on natural slope. Rows of earth terraces in steps, divided into 7 cunei; later stones steps placed on top of ramps. Paradoi remains well preserved.

ORCHESTRA: 21 m. diameter.

STAGE BUILDING: Proscaenium supported by Ionic columns. Stage was 22x2,8 m. The scene building was 22 m. long but with wings at sides, ramps, 46 m.

LOCATION: Ancient theatre is north of agora, close to Dionysos temple.

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. // Mee, Christopher; Spawforth, Anthony; “Greece. Oxford archeological guides”. Oxford University Press, 2001. // Arias, Paolo Enrico; “Il teatro greco fuori di Atene”. Firenze, G.C. Sansoni, 1934.

 

 

OUT OF PRINT: When I visited Elis ancient theatre there were scholars and archeologists working on it... it was like a group of Childs making a castle in the sand... that seems to be Elis one, a theatre of sand.

Chaeronea (Heronia)

CHAERONEA (Heronia), ancient Beotia, modern Greece.

 

COORDINATES: 38º29’34.79’’N // 22º50’24.56’’E

TIPOLOGY: Archaic Greek theatre. Urban.

DATE: Late V B.C.

TRANSFORMATIONS: Curved cavea from IV B.C. Some transformations from Roman times.

CAVEA: Facing north.Rock cut.  Earlier cavea 30 m. diameter, with 5 rows of seats, separated by podium from 3 rows of seats. Later cavea, shallow irregular curve, 37 m. diameter, with 10 rows of seats in 2 cunei, separated from 4 rows by rock cut wall.

ORCHESTRA:

STAGE BUILDING: Ther´s not remains.

LOCAION: At the foot of north summit of Mt. Petrachos, in modern Heronia, 50 klm. east from Delphi.

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:

"This landscape is hard as silence

tightens in his breast his fiery stones

tightens to light their orphans olive groves and vineyards

tightens the jaws. No water. Only light."

                        -Yannis Ritsos-

 

Corinth (Corinto)

CORINTH (Corinto), ancient Corintia, modern Greece.

COORDINATES: 37º54’21.36’’N // 22º52’38.26’’E

TIPOLOGY: Greco-roman odeon.

DATE: Last I A.D.

TRANSFORMATIONS: It was restored by Herod Atticus in 175 A.D. Last III it was transformed in arena

CAPACITY: 3.000 spectators.

CAVEA: Facing north. 63 m. diameter. Maenianum: Ima cavea with 13 rows of seats in 4 cunei; Summa cavea with 13 rows of seat too in unknown cunei. Carved on slope, first steps carved on rock.

ORCHESTRA: 17, 2 m. diameter.

STAGE BUILDING: Proscaenium 1,2 m. high. Pulpitum 26,7 x 8,2 m. Sacenae frons 30,3 m. long, it was rectilinear. Aditus maximi 2,8 m. wide.

LOCATION: Close to the theatre, west of Apolo´s temple.

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.

OUT OF PRINT: From Corinth´s ancient odeon you can see one of the most mysterious and enigmatic places of antiquity, the Acrocorinth hill, the place of the sacred whores.

Palaia Epidauros (Palaia Epidauros)

PALAIA EPIDAUROS (Palaia Epidauros), ancient Argolida, modern Greece.

COORDINATES: 37º38’00.07’’N // 23º09’36.62’’E

TIPOLOGY: Greek theatre. Urban.
DATE: Mid IV B.C.
TRANSFORMATIONS: Hellenic proscaenium. Roman transformations. Theatre was abandoned in IV A.D.
CAPACITY: 3.000 spectators.
CAVEA: Facing south-west. 55,6 m. diameter. Maenianum: Ima cavea with 18 rows of seats in 9 cunei. Probably had a summa cavea. The cavea is asymmetric, the wings are cut.
ORCHESTRA: 18,9 m. diameter. A little roman shrine preserved.
STAGE BUILDING: it was digged in 2008.
LOCATION: Palaia Epidauros ancient theatre is 14 klm. east from ancient Epidauros, inside a modern urbanization in Neo Epidauros village.
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.

OUT OF PRINT: The theatre was dedicated to Dyonisos, the post is dedicated to him, of course it´s a pleasure stage for him that corner of the world. Mountain, the sea, a greek Amstel and readinh Elytis´Dignum Est.

Thebae Phthiotides (Mikrothives)

THEBAE PHTHIOTIDES (Mikrothives), ancient Thessaly, modern Greece.

COORDINATES: 39º16’18.23’’N // 22º45’59.07’’E

TIPOLOGY: Greek theatre. Urban.

TRANSFORMATIONS:

CAPACITY:

CAVEA: Facing east. About 32 m. diameter. 11 rows of seats visible, in 7? cunei.Parts of outer wall are visible.

ORCHESTRA: About 10 m. diameter.

STAGE BUILDING: Parts of the stage building are visible, have been excavated and protected with a roof.

LOCATION: The ancient greek theate is 1,5 klm. north-east from modern Mikrothives, 20 klm. south-west from Volos.

MY BEDSIDE TABLE:

OUT OF PRINT: Always, when you leave the travel takes your steeps, it will rewarded you with the biggest surprise. I knew that there were notices about an ancient theatre in a place called Thebae Phthiotides, but I did not know well the place it was and thought it was not excavated yet, so I supposed it was only a literary notice. When I was driving from Demetrias ancient theatre, near Volos, to Delphi, I suddenly see, like a miracle, a sign on a dirt road adjacent to the main road that said “to the ancient theatre”...!!!! Oh my Gods , you put that sign for me... I take that road, left  the car and started very excited to the theatre place... sometimes the journey hides unimaginable secrets!!!!

Cassope (Kamarina)

CASSOPE (Kamarina), ancient Epiro, modern Greece.

COORDINATES: 39º08’48.28’’N // 20º40’18.90’’E

TIPOLOGY: Greek theatre. Urban.

DATE: First III B.C.

TRANSFORMATIONS:

CAPACITY: 6.000 spectators.

CAVEA: 81 m. diameter. Facing south east. Rest on natural slope. Two maeniana; ima cavea with 23 rows of seats in 10 cunei; summa with 12 rows in 10 cunei.

ORCHESTRA: Horse shape. 18 m. diameter.

STAGE BUILDING: 8 m. depth.

LOCATION: In the north-west of the ancient city. 2 klm. north from modern Kamarina, 45 klm. west from Arta.

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.

OUT OF PRINT: “In the beginning the light and the first hour in which the lips, still in the mud, taste the things of the world”... words by Odysseas Elytis, a Greek poet; in the begining of the day I found the big one theatre of Cassope.

Argos (Argos)

ARGOS (Argos), ancient Argolis, modern Greece.

COORDINTES: 37º37’53.65’’N // 22º43’40.47’’E

TIPOLOGY: Greek theatre.

DATE: III B.C.

TRANSFORMATIONS: II A.D.

CAPACITY: 20.000 spectators.

CAVEA: Facing east. It´s far for completing a semicircle, so it was built extending up, radius maximum of cavea is 77,28 m. Greek cavea had two maeniana, ima cavea with 49 rows of seats in 4 cunei and summa with 37 rows of seats in 4 cunei. In roman times cavea was transformed in 4 maeniana, with 13, 41, 11 and 17 rows of seat, respectively from bottom to top, with 4,6,2 and 2 cunei respectively.

ORCHESTRA: 14,5 m. diameter., 26m. including euripus.

STAGE BUILDING: Greek stage building was 6 m. width. Roman pulpitum was 35x5,6 m. and 1,20 m. high.

LOCATION: In Larissa hill, south-west from modern city.

MY BEDIDE TABLE: Moretti, Jean-Charles; “Théâtres d’Argos”. Paris, École française d’Athenes, 1993. // Lange, Judith; Bosnakis, Dimitris; “Ancient theatres”. Athens, Itanos, 1996. // Maximos, Platon; “Ancient Hellenic theatres”. Athens, 1998. // Maximos, Platon; “Fair competition: ancient stadia – ancient theatres”, Athens,  , 2004. // Mee, Christopher; Spawforth, Anthony; “Greece. Oxford archeological guides”. Oxford University Press, 2001. // Arias, Paolo Enrico; “Il teatro greco fuori di Atene”. Firenze, G.C. Sansoni, 1934. // Cailler, Pierre; Cailler, Diky; Bettex, Ivan; “Les Théatres gréco-romains de Grèce”. Laussane. Style. 1966. // 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: Argos has five ancient theatrical structures, the the big ancient Greek theatre is one of my favourite ancient theatres. When I visited it I was a bit hypnotized, I was not conscious about the time I spent there. I sat down in the last row, in the upper cavea and could see the modern city in front of me, from the ancient theatre. It was strange, I could feel like a frontier between the theatre and the modern city, like it was two different layers, overlapping, coexisting in the same space but at the same time, independent, autonomous, indifferent to each other... it seemed that Greek Gods, in modern times, had given a respite to humans and had decided no to interfere more in earthly affairs, although, indeed, from the ancient theatre of Argos they still observe our madness... our unjustifiable reluctance life, lamenting a time where the theatre made them visible, made them close to men, made them imperfect, capricious, earthly.

Stratos (Stratos)

STRATOS (Stratos), ancient Acarnania, modern Greece.

COORDINATES: 38º40’18.43’’N // 21º19’10.44’’E

TIPOLOGY: Greek theatre. Urban.
DATE: Last IV B.C.
TRANSFORMATIONS:
CAPACITY: 5.000 spectators.
CAVEA: Facing south. Built in a low slope. It seems only one maeniana with near 40 rows of seats in 11 cunei; first row with stone back.
ORCHESTRA: Visible remains of I B.C. skene.
STAGE BUILDING: There are remains of the greek scene.
LOCATION: 0,5 klm. north from modern Stratos; 80 klm. south from Arta.

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.

OUT OF PRINT: Sometimes the silence is a danger echo, like a mute burst...  the quiet, but fast, movement of a scorpion.

Sikyon (Kiato)

SIKYON (Kiato), ancient Corinth / Argolis/ Achaea, modern Greece.

COORDINATES: 37º59’02.97’’N // 22º42’40.88’’E

TIPOLOGY: Greek theatre. Urban.
DATE: First half III B.C.
TRANSFORMATIONS: Last I B.C. or first I A.D. the scene building was rebuilt.
CAPACITY: 7.000 ? spectators.

CAVEA: 125 m. diameter. Facing north-east. Nine rows of seats survives in ima cavea but the total number of rows was about 60, most of which were cut from the rock..

ORCHESTRA: 24,3 m. diameter. In proedria there are honor seats.
STAGE BUILDING: Proscaenium was 3,25 m. high; the Hellenistic stage 23,7 x 3 m. but was transformed in roman times. Stage building was 24,5x 12,1 m.
LOCATION: Ancient Sikyon is about 4 klm. from modern Kiato, and about 17 klm. north-west from Corinth.

MY BEDSIDE TABLE: Lange, Judith; Bosnakis, Dimitris; “Ancient theatres”. Athens, Itanos, 1996. // Maximos, Platon; “Ancient Hellenic theatres”. Athens, 1998. // Maximos, Platon; “Fair competition: ancient stadia – ancient theatres”, Athens,  , 2004. // Mee, Christopher; Spawforth, Anthony; “Greece. Oxford archeological guides”. Oxford University Press, 2001. // Arias, Paolo Enrico; “Il teatro greco fuori di Atene”. Firenze, G.C. Sansoni, 1934. // Cailler, Pierre; Cailler, Diky; Bettex, Ivan; “Les Théatres gréco-romains de Grèce”. Laussane. Style. 1966. // 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: Sikyon has always broke my breath. In two ways. First, it was one of those theatres I always wanted to visit. The other reason... there is a film by Akira Kourosawa in which the Japanese director show us seven dreams that he had in his life, in one of them a group of polar expeditionary are in the meddle of a storm, they can hardly walk, by effects of cold and fatigue, their slowness is extreme, and the interpretation and the film is so good that me, like spectator, when I saw the film I started to have trouble with my breath... that what I felt in Sikyon´s ancient theatre, problems to breath, a mixture of pleasure and fatigue... not good to visit a greek theatre with forty degrees, at two in the afternoon, in July...

Larissa (Larisa)

LARISSA (Larisa), ancient Thessaly / Macedonia, modern Greece.

COORDINATES: 39º38’24.92’’N // 22º24’43.73’’E

TIPOLOGY: Greek theatre. Urban. It´s the so call “second theatre” or “north theatre” or “small theatre”; in Larissa there are another Greek theatre.

DATE: I B.C. It was not finished.

TRANSFORMATIONS: Converted in open-air odeon in roman times.

CAPACITY:

CAVEA: Facing south-east. Bigger than semicircle. Unknown diameter. It has 13 cunei and the first two rows of seats are preserved.

ORCHESTRA: 29,7 m. diameter. It has an altar.

STAGE BUILDING: The scene building is 15,7 m. long.

LOCATION: North of modern town, in Velissariou street. 300 m west from big Greek theatre.

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.

OUT OF PRINT: When I visited Larissa I lived in Spain in a small attic; when I opened the window and held out the wet clothes for drying up, I found always, in front of me, a big wall from a higher building. When I looked Larissa´s small Greek theatre I thought that it would be great to open the window and held out the clothes here... these ancient theatre is a popular courtyard theatre.

Aegeira (Egira)

AEGEIRA (Egira), ancient Achaea, Peloponeso, modern Greece.

COORDINATES: 38º07’42.67’’N // 22º22’40.00’’E

TIPOLOGY : Greek theatre. Urban.
DATE: First half of III B.C.
TRANSFORMATIONS: II A.D.
CAPACITY: 3.000 spectators.
CAVEA: Facing nort-east. 55 m. diameter. Two third of seat carved on the rock. Maenianum: Ima cavea: 12 rows of seats in 11 cunei. Summa cavea: unknow number of rows and cunei, although it was smaller than semicircle.
ORCHESTRA: 14,40 m. diameter.
STAGE BUILDING: Greek stage was 15,4 x 2,9 m. while Roman stage was 16,7 x 5,6 m. Roman scaenae frons had five niches and a two storeys columnatio.
LOCATION: Part of Zeus sanctuary. In Palaiokastro hill. About 60 klm. west from Corinth.
MY BEDSIDE TABLE: Lange, Judith; Bosnakis, Dimitris; “Ancient theatres”. Athens, Itanos, 1996. // Maximos, Platon; “Ancient Hellenic theatres”. Athens, 1998. // Maximos, Platon; “Fair competition: ancient stadia – ancient theatres”, Athens, 2004. // Mee, Christopher; Spawforth, Anthony; “Greece. Oxford archeological guides”. Oxford University Press, 2001. // Arias, Paolo Enrico; “Il teatro greco fuori di Atene”. Firenze, G.C. Sansoni, 1934. // Cailler, Pierre; Cailler, Diky; Bettex, Ivan; “Les Théatres gréco-romains de Grèce”. Laussane. Style. 1966.// 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: From Aegeira ancient theatres you have a not words view, you can see the golf of Corinth, the north of the Akrata headland and the opposite shore of central Greece. I think in ancient times the Greek gods mastered Hellas without much effort, counting the hours pass.

Mantinea (Paleopoli)

MANTINEA (Paleopoli), ancient Arcadia, modern Greece)

COORDINATES: 37º37’05.19” N / 22º23’32.09” E

TIPOLOGY : Greek theatre. Urban.

DATE: Mid – IV B.C.

TRANSFORMATIONS: II B.C.

CAPACITY: 2.500 ? spectators.

CAVEA: Facing east. Larger than a semicircle. 67 m. diameter. It was built on flat site, resting in artificial embankment. Maenianum: Ima cavea 2 preserved rows of seats –very narrow- but unknow number of steps.

ORCHESTRA: 21,7 m. diameter.

STAGE BUILDING: It was 21,07 x 5,5 m.

LOCATION: Theatre is close to the agora. The remains are 15 klm. north of modern Tripolis.

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: Mantinea´s ancient greek theatre is very near Ayia Photeini , the most curious church I have ever seen, a mixture of styles, colours and forms made it with ancient  Mantinea´s remains, colums, friezes, pilastres... like a three-dimensional mosaic, like a jigsaw of mixtures and tones, the work of a mad genius... it was built in 1968.