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ANCIENT THEATRES - ANCIENT THEATRES' IDENTITY
THEATRE OF
ERETRIA
Information
|
Description
of the
Monument
|
Photo
Gallery
|
Scientific
Report
 |
The ancient theatre is now situated in the theatre district,
in Eretria Municipality, Evia Prefecture.
Its first building phase is probably dated to the last third
of the 4th c. BC, while the second is dated circa
300 BC. During the third and final phase, after 198 BC, the
stage building was extended, while in Roman times the
theatre was also used as an arena for gladiatorial combat. |
|
|
|
Description of the monument
The ancient
theatre is now situated in the theatre district, in Eretria Municipality, Evia
Prefecture.
Its first building phase is probably dated to the last third of the 4th c. BC, while the second is dated circa 300 BC, based on an inscription from the reign of Demetrios Poliorcetes. During the third and final phase, after 198 BC, the stage building was extended.
The theatre has the characteristic tripartite layout of Hellenistic theatres: cavea (koilon), stage building (scene) and orchestra. Of the first phase only the foundations of the stage building survive, while the plan of the orchestra and the cavea layout are unknown.
The present form of the cavea and orchestra date from the second phase. The cavea is not set on the natural hill, as is the case with Greek theatres, but on a manmade semicircular embankment. It is divided into 11 cunei (kerkides) by 12 staircases (klimakes) providing access to the seats. The theatre had a capacity of approximately 6,000 spectators, the most eminent of whom were seated in the seats of honour (proedria).
The circular orchestra is 22 m. in diameter and is delimited by a semicircular rainwater channel connected to two underground ducts. The orchestra had a plaster floor decorated with paintings in two colours depicting a vine and grapes. An underground vaulted passageway, the “Charonian steps”, connected the stage building to the orchestra. This layout, extremely rare in Greek theatres, permitted the scenic revelation of the netherworld in certain plays.
The stage building is of the type with a raised proscenium. During the third building phase, in the early 2nd c. BC, the stage was extended with the addition of two wings decorated with painted designs. A protective grille was also placed in front of the first row of seats to protect spectators during gladiatorial combats.
About one-fifth of the original carved and partially-filled cavea remains, while most of the stone seats have been looted. Of the stage building and the retaining walls supporting the cavea infill at the parodoi, only the lower courses of limestone blocks survive. Due to the sagging walls and the resulting natural erosion of the slopes and the building material, the monument is at serious risk of collapse. Immediate steps should be taken to consolidate the walls, stabilise the slopes and conserve the stone.
Access to the monument is now forbidden due to its advanced state of deterioration. It was formerly open to the public and a small number of theatrical performances had been held there at various times.
Rosina
Kolonia
Archaeologist
Photo
gallery
 |
General view of the archaeological site. |
 |
Details of the surrounding area. |
 |
Aerial photograph of the main ancient theatre. |
Scientific
Report
| Monument Name |
Theatre
of
Ancient
Eretria |
| Category |
Theatre |
| Brief Description |
The
ancient
theatre
is
now
situated
in
the
theatre
district,
in
Eretria
Municipality,
Evia
Prefecture.
Its
first
building
phase
is
probably
dated
to
the
last
third
of
the
4th
c.
BC,
while
the
second
is
dated
circa
300
BC.
During
the
third
and
final
phase,
after
198
BC,
the
stage
building
was
extended,
while
in
Roman
times
the
theatre
was
also
used
as
an
arena
for
gladiatorial
combat. |
| Images - Plans |
Full
photographic
documentation
is
held
in
the
archives
of
the
Swiss
School
of
Archaeology
in
Greece
and
the
Directorate
for
the
Restoration
of
Ancient
Monuments.
Drawings
of
the
monument
in
whole
and
in
part
are
included
in
Hans
Peter
Islet’s
monograph
Das
Theater,
Eretria
vol.
XVIII.
Separate
drawings
are
also
held
in
the
archive
of
the
Directorate
for
the
Restoration
of
Ancient
Monuments. |
| Documentation - Bibliography |
E.
Fiechter,
Das
Theater
in
Eretria
(1937),
H.P.
Isler,
Bericht
über
die
Arbeiten
in
Theater
von
Eretria,
AntK
42
(1999)
116,
H.P.
Isler,
Eretria
XVIII,
Das
Theater
(2007). |
| Location |
Theatre
district,
Eretria
Municipality,
Evia
Prefecture. |
| Dating |
The
first
building
phase
is
probably
dated
to
the
last
third
of
the
4th
c.
BC.
The
second
is
dated
circa
300
BC,
based
on
an
inscription
from
the
reign
of
Demetrios
Poliorcetes.
During
the
third
and
final
phase,
after
198
BC,
the
stage
building
was
extended. |
|
General Description of Monument
|
The
theatre
has
the
characteristic
tripartite
layout
of
Hellenistic
theatres:
cavea
(koilon),
stage
building
(scene)
and
orchestra.
Of
the
first
phase
only
the
foundations
of
the
stage
building
survive,
while
the
plan
of
the
orchestra
and
the
cavea
layout
are
unknown.
The
present
form
of
the
cavea
and
orchestra
date
from
the
second
phase.
The
cavea
is
not
set
on
the
natural
hill,
as
is
the
case
with
Greek
theatres,
but
on a
manmade
semicircular
embankment.
It
is
divided
into
11
cunei
(kerkides)
by
12
staircases
(klimakes)
providing
access
to
the
seats.
The
theatre
had
a
capacity
of
approximately
6,000
spectators,
the
most
eminent
of
whom
were
seated
in
the
seats
of
honour
(proedria).
The
circular
orchestra
is
22
m.
in
diameter
and
is
delimited
by a
semicircular
rainwater
channel
connected
to
two
underground
ducts.
The
orchestra
had
a
plaster
floor
decorated
with
paintings
in
two
colours
depicting
a
vine
and
grapes.
An
underground
vaulted
passageway,
the
“Charonian
steps”,
connected
the
stage
building
to
the
orchestra.
This
layout,
extremely
rare
in
Greek
theatres,
permitted
the
scenic
revelation
of
the
netherworld
in
certain
plays.
The
stage
building
is
of
the
type
with
a
raised
proscenium.
During
the
third
building
phase,
in
the
early
2nd
c.
BC,
the
stage
was
extended
with
the
addition
of
two
wings
decorated
with
painted
designs.
A
protective
grille
was
also
placed
in
front
of
the
first
row
of
seats
to
protect
spectators
during
gladiatorial
combats. |
| Current Situation |
About
20%
of
the
original
carved
and
partially-filled
cavea
remains,
while
most
of
the
stone
seats
have
been
looted.
Of
the
stage
building
and
the
retaining
walls
supporting
the
cavea
infill
at
the
parodoi,
only
the
lower
courses
of
limestone
blocks
survive.
Due
to
the
sagging
walls,
the
pressure
of
the
infill
and
the
resulting
natural
erosion
of
the
slopes
and
the
building
material,
the
monument
is
at
serious
risk
of
collapse.
Immediate
steps
should
be
taken
to
consolidate
the
walls,
stabilise
the
slopes
and
conserve
the
stone. |
| Excavations - Interventions |
The
theatre
was
excavated
by
the
American
School
of
Classical
Studies
between
1891
and
1895.
To
the
Swiss
archaeologist
E.
Fiechter
we
owe
a
drawing
of
the
monument
made
in
the
1930s.
The
Swiss
School
of
Archaeology
in
Greece
has
carried
out
two
exploratory
missions
in
the
theatre,
in
1980
and
1997-1998.
A
study
of
the
conservation
and
consolidation
of
the
monument
was
prepared
by
the
Swiss
School
in
1999,
and
a
study
of
the
consolidation
of
the
retaining
wall
of
the
west
parodos
was
prepared
by
the
Directorate
for
the
Restoration
of
Ancient
Monuments.
The
Directorate
has
also
prepared
a
preliminary
study
concerning
the
overall
programme
for
the
consolidation,
restoration
and
promotion
of
the
ancient
theatre,
and
has
planned
more
specific
studies
for
each
part
of
the
monument.
In
1998
wooden
supports
were
placed
against
the
sections
of
wall
at
risk
of
collapse,
with
the
intention
of
replacing
them
with
metal
supports
in
future. |
| Permitted Uses |
Due
to
the
advanced
state
of
deterioration
and
instability
of
the
walls,
access
to
the
monument
is
now
forbidden
in
order
to
protect
the
ruins
and
ensure
visitor
safety. |
|
History of Modern Uses |
Before
access
to
the
monument
was
forbidden,
it
was
open
to
the
public
and
a
small
number
of
theatrical
performances
had
been
held
there
at
various
times. |
| Further Information |
The
monument
belongs
to
the
jurisdiction
of
the
11th
Ephorate
of
Prehistoric
and
Classical
Antiquities.
Issues
of
conservation,
consolidation
and
restoration
are
handled
by
the
Directorate
for
the
Restoration
of
Ancient
Monuments. |
| Intellectual Rights |
11th
Ephorate
of
Prehistoric
and
Classical
Antiquities. |
| Jurisdiction |
The
monument
belongs
to
the
jurisdiction
of
the
11th
Ephorate
of
Prehistoric
and
Classical
Antiquities.
Issues
of
conservation,
consolidation
and
restoration
are
handled
by
the
Directorate
for
the
Restoration
of
Ancient
Monuments. |
|
Latitude |
- |
| Longitude |
- |
| Altitude |
0 |
|
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