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ANCIENT THEATRES - ANCIENT THEATRES' IDENTITY
THEATRE OF
VERGINA
Information
|
Description
of the
Monument
|
Photo
Gallery
|
Scientific
Report
Information
 |
The theatre of the ancient city of Aigai is located in
Vergina, Imathia Prefecture. The theatre and the
neighbouring palace form a single building complex designed
and built in the second half of the 4th century
BC. |
|
|
|
Description
of the monument
The theatre of the ancient city of Aigai is located in Vergina, Imathia
Prefecture. The theatre and the neighbouring palace form a single building
complex designed and built in the second half of the 4th century BC.
Based on recent dating of the palace and its corresponding features, the theatre
must have been built at the end of Philip’s reign; he was murdered here in 336
BC. The theatre was never completed and was abandoned in the mid-2nd
century BC,
when the city
of Aigai was destroyed.
The theatre is a short distance north of the palace of Aigai - Vergina. The monument had few stone parts from the outset, while a large part of the cavea was earthen. The parodoi, the simple stage building and the first tier of seats with the circular well of the orchestra are all built of stone.
The east side of the cavea is formed by the low natural slope, while the west side appears to have been an artificial construction, probably made by filling in the area. This explains the uneven length and half-finished construction of the aisles of the cunei. These technical works were obviously never completed and the theatre remained unfinished.
The stage building is in the simplest known form, with two adjacent areas linked by an open stoa. At the centre of the orchestra is preserved the base of the thymele, the theatre altar in honour of Dionysos.
The cavea and orchestra have been laid out along three centres, while the parodoi are constructed in different ways: the east parodos consists of two limestone walls, while the west, of which only the foundation survives, must have included only the large retaining wall.
The monument is in a good state of preservation, given that its has few stone parts and an earthen cavea. However, the limestone of the built sections is constantly subject to erosion and requires conservation. The theatre area is open to the public but cannot be used due to the lack of certain basic practical requirements (electricity, water supply, drainage).
Stella Drougou
Archaeologist
Photo
Gallery of
the Monument
 |
General view of the archaeological site |
Scientific
Report
| Monument Name |
Theatre
of
Ancient
Aigai
(Vergina) |
| Category |
Theatre |
| Brief Description |
The
theatre
of
the
ancient
city
of
Aigai
is
located
in
Vergina,
Imathia
Prefecture.
The
theatre
and
the
neighbouring
palace
form
a
single
building
complex
designed
and
built
in
the
second
half
of
the
4th
century
BC. |
| Images - Plans |
There
are
full
drawing
and
photographical
records
of
the
monument
(Vergina
excavation
archive,
Aristotle
University
of
Thessaloniki). |
| Documentation - Bibliography |
1.
Μ.
Ανδρόνικος,
Οι
βασιλικοί
τάφοι
και
άλλες
αρχαιότητες 2. Σ. Δρούγου, ΠΑΕ 1982 3. Σ. Δρούγου, ΑΕΜΘ 3, 1989, 13 ff. 4. S. Drougou, AM 112, 1997, 281 ff. 5. Σ. Δρούγου, το Αρχαίο Θέατρο της Βεργίνας 2006 6. Σ. Δρούγου, Χρ. Σαάτσογλου-Παλιαδέλη, 1999, 18 ff.
7.
Σ.
Δρούγου,
Χρ.
Σαάτσογλου-Παλιαδέλη
(2006,
126
ff). |
| Location |
Vergina,
Municipality
of
Vergina,
Imathia
Prefecture |
| Dating |
The
theatre
and
the
neighbouring
palace
form
a
single
building
complex
designed
and
built
in
the
second
half
of
the
4th
century
BC.
Based
on
recent
dating
of
the
palace
and
its
corresponding
features,
the
theatre
must
have
been
built
at
the
end
of
Philip’s
reign;
he
was
murdered
here
in
336
BC.
The
theatre
was
never
completed
and
was
abandoned
in
the
mid-2nd
century
BC,
when
the
city
of
Aigai
was
destroyed. |
|
General Description of Monument
|
The
theatre
is a
short
distance
north
of
the
palace
of
Aigai
-
Vergina.
The
monument
had
few
stone
parts
from
the
outset,
while
a
large
part
of
the
cavea
was
earthen.
The
parodoi,
the
simple
stage
building
and
the
first
tier
of
seats
with
the
circular
well
of
the
orchestra
are
all
built
of
stone.
The
east
side
of
the
cavea
is
formed
by
the
low
natural
slope,
while
the
west
side
appears
to
have
been
an
artificial
construction,
probably
made
by
filling
in
the
area.
This
explains
the
uneven
length
and
half-finished
construction
of
the
aisles
of
the
cunei.
These
technical
works
were
obviously
never
completed
and
the
theatre
remained
unfinished.
The
stage
building
is
in
the
simplest
known
form,
with
two
adjacent
areas
linked
by
an
open
stoa.
At
the
centre
of
the
orchestra
is
preserved
the
base
of
the
thymele,
the
theatre
altar
in
honour
of
Dionysos.
The
cavea
and
orchestra
have
been
laid
out
along
three
centres,
while
the
parodoi
are
constructed
in
different
ways:
the
east
parodos
consists
of
two
limestone
walls,
while
the
west,
of
which
only
the
foundation
survives,
must
have
included
only
the
large
retaining
wall. |
| Current Situation |
The
monument
is
in a
good
state
of
preservation,
given
that
its
has
few
stone
parts
and
an
earthen
cavea.
However,
the
limestone
of
the
built
sections
is
constantly
subject
to
erosion
and
requires
conservation
(see
relevant
study). |
| Excavations - Interventions |
The
Theatre
of
Aigai
was
first
discovered
and
excavated
in
1982-3.
Excavations
were
repeated
in a
small
area
in
1989.
In
2000
work
was
carried
out
to
support
the
east
limestone
wall
of
the
east
parodos
and
drain
away
the
rainwater.
At
the
same
time
began
the
removal
of
the
cavea
infill,
in
order
to
reveal
the
original
ancient
surface.
Although
this
work
was
not
completed,
the
absence
of
stone
or
other
built
seats
except
in
the
first
row
was
confirmed.
The
monument
is
cleared
annually
as
part
of
the
excavation
by
the
University
of
Thessaloniki,
and
an
information
sign
was
erected
in
2000.
In
2000
an
integrated
study
for
the
preservation
of
the
stone,
the
rainwater
drainage
and
the
general
organisation
of
the
area,
in
order
to
allow
visitors
to
the
monument,
was
submitted
to
the
Central
Archaeological
Council
(Ministry
of
Culture).
The
study
was
not
implemented
due
to
lack
of
funds,
while
work
on
the
promotion
of
the
neighbouring
palace
means
that
the
future
course
of
the
study
for
the
promotion
of
the
theatre
is
uncertain. |
| Permitted Uses |
Today,
despite
the
simplicity
of
the
monument
with
its
few
stone
parts,
the
theatre
cannot
be
used
due
to
the
lack
of
basic
practical
requirements
(electricity,
water
supply,
drainage).
These
conditions
will
probably
be
fulfilled
by
the
relevant
work
on
the
palace,
when
all
that
will
remain
is
the
necessary
consolidation
of
the
stone
parts
of
the
theatre.
Today
the
site
is
open
to
the
public
and
its
use
is a
basic
requirement
of
the
archaeological
site.
The
historical
significance
of
the
monument,
in
addition
to
the
fact
that
this
is
one
of
the
oldest
theatres
in
Greece,
justify
the
need
to
promote
it,
alongside
another
important
issue,
that
of
the
role
of
the
theatre
in
other
parts
of
Greece
outside
Attica. |
|
History of Modern Uses |
No
use
except
visits
and,
exceptionally,
theatre
games
by
the
children
of
Vergina
Primary
School. |
| Further Information |
The
monument
has
been
excavated
by
the
archaeological
team
of
the
Aristotle
University
of
Thessaloniki
(Μ.
Andronikos
- S.
Drougou),
is
open
to
the
public
and
is
under
the
control
of
the
Ministry
of
Culture
(17th
Ephorate
of
Prehistoric
and
Classical
Antiquities).
Closed
in
2008-9
due
to
work
on
the
palace. |
| Intellectual Rights |
Ministry
of
Culture
(17th
Ephorate
of
Prehistoric
and
Classical
Antiquities) |
| Jurisdiction |
Ministry
of
Culture
(17th
Ephorate
of
Prehistoric
and
Classical
Antiquities) |
|
Latitude |
40.478976677276
(Google
maps) |
| Longitude |
22.321992806428
(Google
maps) |
| Altitude |
0 |
|
- |
