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ANCIENT THEATRES - ANCIENT THEATRES' IDENTITY
THEATRE OF
LARISSA II
Information
|
Description of the Monument
|
Photo Gallery
|
Scientific Report
 |
The Second Ancient Theatre of Larissa extends across the
southwest slope of the low “Pefkakia” hill, at the junction
of Ergatikis Protomagias and Tagmatarchou Velissariou
Streets. The theatre was intended
for both
theatrical performances and other cultural events. It is
very probable that, after the splendid First Theatre was
turned into a Roman arena, it was also used for literary,
dancing and musical competitions, a hypothesis borne out by
ancient inscriptions. |
|
|
|
Description of the monument
The Second
Ancient Theatre of Larissa extends across the southwest slope of the low
“Pefkakia” hill, at the junction of Ergatikis Protomagias and Tagmatarchou
Velissariou Streets. A Christian church stood on the site, followed during the
period of Turkish rule by the famous Hassan Bey Mosque depicted in various
copperplate engravings. According to inscriptions, a Temple of Demeter stood on
the “Pefkakia” hill where the theatre was founded.
The theatre was discovered by chance in 1978 and excavated systematically in 1985 and 1986, bringing the stage building, the orchestra, the cavea, the right parodos and part of the left parodos to light. It was built at the end of the 1st century BC, during the reign of Caesar Augustus.
The stage is 15.70 m. long in total and consists of three rooms. Its walls, preserved to a height of 0.60 m., are built of small rough stones and mud. The upper course was of raw brick. Behind the stage is a strong retaining wall, 50 m. long, built to hold back the earth of the slope. The orchestra has a diameter of 29.70 m. Its floor consists of two layers of river pebbles. On the right side was found a white marble stand, the stepped thymele (altar to Dionysos) of the theatre. South of the thymele, a cubic marble block was found in situ. It had tenons on its upper surface and was probably used as a statue base. The cavea had a total of 13 cunei (kerkides) with two tiers of marble seats in each, and 14 staircases. The remainder of the cavea was probably filled with wooden seats known as “ikria”. The material used for the cavea of the Second Ancient Theatre was not quarried but came from an earlier building of the 3rd c. BC. On one surface, the stones bear inscriptions commemorating the emancipation of slaves, which pre-existed in the older building and have nothing to do with the theatre. The inscriptions are dated to the late 3rd c. BC and are of great historical significance, as they are the oldest emancipatory inscriptions in Thessaly.
The Second Ancient Theatre was intended for both theatrical performances and other cultural events. It is very probable that, after the splendid First Theatre was turned into a Roman arena, it was also used for literary, dancing and musical competitions. This hypothesis is borne out by ancient inscriptions, which clearly state that, during the period of Roman rule in Thessaly, such competitions were held along with the horse races at the great Panthessalic festival of Larissa, the “Eleutheria” in honour of the Eleutherian Zeus.
Athanasios Tziafalias
Archaeologist
Photo
Gallery
 |
General view of the theatre |
 |
General view of the theatre |
Scientific
report
| Monument Name |
Ancient
Theatre
of
Larissa
II |
| Category |
Theatre |
|
Brief Description |
The
theatre
has
the
characteristic
tripartite
form
of
Hellenistic
theatres:
cavea,
orchestra
and
stage
building. |
|
Images - Plans |
There
are
full
photographical
records
and
drawings. |
|
Documentation - Bibliography |
1.
Τζιαφάλιας
Α,
Αρχαιολογικές
έρευνες
στη
Λάρισα.
Πρακτικά
του
Συμποσίου
«Λάρισα:
Παρελθόν
και
Μέλλον»
Λάρισα
1985,
56 |
| Location |
Junction
of
Ergatikis
Protomagias
and
Tagmatarchou
Velissariou
Streets,
in
the
city
of
Larissa. |
| Dating |
- |
|
General Description of Monument |
The Second Ancient Theatre of Larissa extends across the southwest slope of the low “Pefkakia” hill, at the junction of Ergatikis Protomagias and Tagmatarchou Velissariou Streets. A Christian church stood on the site, followed during the period of Turkish rule by the famous Hassan Bey Mosque depicted in various copperplate engravings. According to inscriptions, a Temple of Demeter stood on the “Pefkakia” hill where the theatre was founded. The theatre was discovered by chance in 1978 and excavated systematically in 1985 and 1986, bringing the stage building, the orchestra, the cavea, the right parodos and part of the left parodos to light. It was built at the end of the 1st century BC. The stage is 15,70 m. long in total and consists of three rooms. Its walls, preserved to a height of 0.60 m., are built of small rough stones and mud. The upper course was of raw brick. Behind the stage is a strong retaining wall, 50 m. long, built to hold back the earth of the slope. The orchestra has a diameter of 29.70 m. Its floor consists of two layers of river pebbles. On the right side was found a white marble stand, the stepped thymele (altar to Dionysos) of the theatre. South of the thymele, a cubic marble block was found in situ. It had tenons on its upper surface and was probably used as a statue base.
The
cavea
had
a
total
of
13
cunei
(kerkides)
with
two
tiers
of
marble
seats
in
each,
and
14
staircases.
The
remainder
of
the
cavea
was
probably
filled
with
wooden
seats
known
as “ikria”.
The
material
used
for
the
cavea
of
the
Second
Ancient
Theatre
was
not
quarried
but
came
from
an
earlier
building
of
the
3rd
c.
BC.
On
one
surface,
the
stones
bear
inscriptions
commemorating
the
emancipation
of
slaves,
which
pre-existed
in
the
older
building
and
have
nothing
to
do
with
the
theatre.
The
inscriptions
are
dated
to
the
late
3rd
c.
BC
and
are
of
great
historical
significance,
as
they
are
the
oldest
emancipatory
inscriptions
in
Thessaly. |
| Current Situation |
- |
| Excavations - Interventions |
- |
| Permitted Uses |
- |
|
History of Modern Uses |
- |
| Further Information |
- |
|
Intellectual Rights |
- |
|
Jurisdiction |
- |
|
Latitude |
- |
|
Longitude |
- |
|
Altitude |
0 |
| Google Earth |
39.64043,22.411884 |
