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ANCIENT THEATRES - ANCIENT THEATRES' IDENTITY
ANCIENT
THEATRE OF
PHTHIOTIDAI
THEBES
Information
|
Description
of the
monument
|
Photo
gallery
|
Scientific
report
 |
The ancient theatre of Phthiotidai Thebes is located
east of the modern village of Mikrothives and 4 km
south of Nea Anchialos and the Pagasetic Gulf.
With a maximum capacity of 3,000 spectators, the theatre was
used for ancient drama, musical contests and, in the Roman
period, wild beast fights and gladiatorial games. |
|
|
|
Description of the monument
The Theatre of Phthiotidai Thebes, which has not yet been fully excavated, is located on the east side of the ancient town of Phthiotidai Thebes, on the north natural slope of the “Kastro” hill, east of the modern village of Mikrothives and 4 km south of the modern Municipality of Nea Anchialos and the Pagasetic Gulf.
The Theatre of Phthiotidai Thebes is Hellenistic. There was also a Roman phase, however, when large-scale interventions were carried out to turn the Theatre into an arena. There may also have been an earlier phase dated to the late 4th c. BC, as indicated by the presence of coins, stratified pottery and a section of a limestone column.
To the Hellenistic phase belong: the 15 tiers of seats of volcanic rock, the eight staircases dividing the main theatre into nine cunei, the paved passageway and the retaining walls of the parodoi. The seats are 0.33m. high, 1.40m. long and 0.60m. wide.
To the Roman period belong: the stage building - which consists of four rooms with a basement, a corridor between them and the proscenium with a monumental two-storey colonnade of columns with Ionic capitals and bases - the parascenia, the perimetric cover of the orchestra drainage duct and the protective balustrade around the orchestra, made of reused seats into which were set protective railings and awnings. In order to turn the theatre into an arena, it was necessary, apart from the protective measures, to widen the orchestra, which was achieved by removing one tier of seats, probably the seats of honour (proedriae). The Hellenistic orchestra has not been excavated. At the end of the Roman period, in Early Christian times, a one-room building was erected on the site of the theatre.
With a maximum capacity of 3,000 spectators, the Theatre of Phthiotidai Thebes was used for ancient drama, musical contests and, in the Roman period, wild beast fights and gladiatorial games.
The site of the theatre on the slope of the “Kastro” Hill ensured very good acoustics. This, combined with the uninterrupted view of the town and its harbour Pyrassos, the Pagasetic Gulf and the famous plain of Crocion, make the structure a basic witness to the aesthetics, prosperity and power of the “most splendid city” of Phthiotidai Thebes.
The Theatre of Phthiotidai Thebes was identified and excavated in 1992 and 1993 by V. Adrymi-Sismani, in the context of a Air Force General Staff (GEA) project, based on information provided by 19th-century travellers (W. Leake) and F. Stählin, and the discovery by D. Theocharis and G. Hourmouziadis (1970) of a funerary stele with the inscription “BAKXIOΣ ΔIONYΣIOΣ” (“BACCHIOS DIONYSIOS”) and a terracotta tragic mask, which were considered evidence that the town had actors and a cultural life.
The excavation in the area of the theatre has not been completed and naturally no reconstruction work has been carried out. Only a central test trench was made to locate the theatre and confirm its existence. The aim of current research is to reveal this important monument, which will then require reconstruction work, in order to open it to the public and allow it to host performances of ancient drama and other arts events. The fact that the monument is built entirely of local volcanic rock, a particularly durable material which has not been subject to stone-robbing, is an element in favour of future reconstruction and use of the monument as a theatre.
Dr. V.
Adrymi-Sismani
Archaeologist
Photo
gallery
 |
General view of the theatre |
Scientific
report
| Monument Name |
Theatre
of
Phthiotidai
Thebes. |
| Category |
Theatre |
| Brief Description |
The
theatre
has
the
characteristic
tripartite
form
of
Hellenistic
theatres:
cavea,
orchestra
and
stage
building,
and
has
undergone
extensive
rebuilding
in
Roman
times
to
make
it
suitable
for
wild
beast
fights
and
gladiatorial
games. |
| Images - Plans |
There
is a
preliminary
drawing
of
the
Theatre
and
photographs
of
the
theatre
building
as a
whole
and
section
by
section. |
| Documentation - Bibliography |
W.
M.
Leake,
Travels
in
Northern
Greece
IV,
1835,
p.
362.
Γεωργιάδης,
Θεσσαλία,
1894,
pp.
220.
N.
Γιαννόπουλος,
Δελτίο
Όρθρυος
vol.
I,
1899
pp.
26.
F.
Stahlin,
AM
1906,
p.
6;
idem,
Αρχαία
Θεσσαλία,
pp.
Δ.P.
Θεοχάρης,
Γ.
Xουρμουζιάδης,
«Aνασκαφή
τάφων
Φθ.
Θηβών»,
AAA
III
1970,
p.
206.
B.
Aδρύμη-Σισμάνη,
AΔ
1991;
idem,
«Νεότερες
έρευνες
στις
αρχαίες
Φθιώτιδες
Θήβες»,
Αχαιοφθιωτικά
Β.
Πρακτικά
του
Β΄
Συνεδρίου
Αλμυριώτικων
Σπουδών.
3-4
June
1995,
Almyros
1997,
121-135. |
| Location |
“Kastro”
Hill,
on
the
right
of
the
Volos-Athens
road,
near
the
modern
village
of
Mikrothives
and
approximately
4 km
south
of
Nea
Anchialos
and
the
Pagasetic
Gulf. |
| Dating |
The
Theatre
of
Phthiotidai
Thebes
is
Hellenistic.
There
was
also
a
Roman
phase,
however,
when
large-scale
interventions
were
carried
out
to
turn
the
Theatre
into
an
arena.
There
may
also
have
been
an
earlier
phase
dated
to
the
late
4th
c.
BC,
as
indicated
by
the
presence
of
coins,
stratified
pottery
and
a
section
of a
limestone
column. |
|
General Description of Monument
|
To the Hellenistic phase belong: the seat steps of volcanic rock (15), the eight staircases dividing the main theatre into nine cunei, the paved passageway and the retaining walls of the parodoi. The seats are 0.33m. high, 1.40m. long and 0.60m. wide. To the Roman period belong: the stage building - which consists of four rooms with a basement, a corridor between them and the proscenium with a monumental two-storey colonnade of columns with Ionic capitals and bases - the parascenia, the perimetric cover of the orchestra drainage duct and the protective balustrade around the orchestra, made of reused seats into which were set protective railings and awnings. In order to turn the theatre into an arena, it was necessary, apart from the protective measures, to widen the orchestra, which was achieved by removing one tier of seats, probably the seats of honour (proedriae). The Hellenistic orchestra has not been excavated. At the end of the Roman period, in Early Christian times, a one-room building was erected on the site of the theatre. With a maximum capacity of 3,000 spectators, the theatre of Phthiotidai Thebes was used for ancient drama, musical contests and, in the Roman period, wild beast fights and gladiatorial games. The site of the theatre on the slope of the “Kastro” Hill ensured very good acoustics. This, combined with the uninterrupted view of the town and its harbour Pyrassos, the Pagasetic Gulf and the famous plain of Crocion, make the structure a basic witness to the aesthetics, prosperity and power of the “most splendid city” of Phthiotidai Thebes. |
| Current Situation |
The
Theatre
of
Phthiotidai
Thebes
was
identified
and
excavated
in
1992
and
1993
by
V.
Adrymi-Sisamaki,
in
the
context
of a
Air
Force
General
Staff
(GEA)
project,
based
on
information
provided
by
19th-century
travellers
(W.
Leake)
and
F.
Stählin,
and
the
discovery
by
D.
Theocharis
and
G.
Hourmouziadis
(1970)
of a
funerary
stele
with
the
inscription
“BAKXIOΣ
ΔIONYΣIOΣ”
(“BACCHIOS
DIONYSIOS”)
and
a
terracotta
tragic
mask,
which
were
considered
evidence
that
the
town
had
actors
and
a
cultural
life. |
| Excavations - Interventions |
The
excavation
in
the
area
of
the
theatre
has
not
been
completed
and
naturally
no
reconstruction
work
has
been
carried
out.
Only
a
central
test
trench
was
made
to
locate
the
theatre
and
confirm
its
existence.
The
aim
of
current
research
is
to
reveal
this
important
monument,
which
will
then
require
reconstruction
work,
in
order
to
open
it
to
the
public
and
allow
it
to
host
performances
of
ancient
drama
and
other
arts
events.
The
fact
that
the
monument
is
built
entirely
of
local
volcanic
rock,
a
particularly
durable
material
which
has
not
been
subject
to
stone-robbing,
is
an
element
in
favour
of
future
reconstruction
and
use
of
the
monument
as a
theatre. |
| Permitted Uses |
Archaeological
site
visit.
The
area
of
the
theatre
is
open
to
visitors
by
agreement
with
the
13th
Ephorate
of
Prehistoric
and
Classical
Antiquities. |
|
History of Modern Uses |
There
are
no
modern
uses
of
the
monument. |
| Further Information |
The
monument
belongs
to
the
jurisdiction
of
the
13th
Ephorate
of
Prehistoric
and
Classical
Antiquities. |
| Intellectual Rights |
The
copyright
has
been
granted
to
the
excavator
of
the
monument,
archaeologist
Dr.
Adrymi-Sismani,
Director
of
the
Archaeological
Institute
of
Thessalian
Studies,
Volos. |
| Jurisdiction |
- |
|
Latitude |
39ο
15΄ |
| Longitude |
-0ο
45΄ |
| Altitude |
0 |
