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.