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ANCIENT THEATRES - ANCIENT THEATRES' IDENTITY
THEATRE OF
MYTILENE
Information
|
Description
of the
Monument
|
Photo
Gallery
|
Scientific
Report
 |
The Theatre of Mytilene stands on the western edge of the
ancient city, on the hill of Agia Kyriaki. The earliest
surviving architectural members indicate that the theatre
was built in Early Hellenistic times. The form in which it
is preserved today corresponds to its final building phase,
that of the Late Roman period. |
|
|
|
Description of
the monument
The Theatre of Mytilene stands on the western edge of the ancient city, on the hill of Agia Kyriaki. The earliest surviving architectural members indicate that the theatre was built in Early Hellenistic times. The form in which it is preserved today corresponds to its final building phase, that of the Late Roman period.
The theatre is considered one of the greatest works of architecture of the ancient world. According to Plutarch (Life of Pompey 42.4), Pompey copied its design in the theatre he built in Rome in 55 BC, making it the model for Roman theatres. The cavea of the Theatre of Mytilene is now ruined, while what little remains of its stage and parodoi dates from the final building phase of the monument, that of the Late Roman period.
The theatre is built on particularly friable volcanic rock, which has not preserved any traces of the cavea structure. The horseshoe-shaped cavea, 107 m in diameter at its base and seating approximately 10,000 spectators, had marble seats of which there are some samples on the site, while others remain built into the walls of the medieval Castle of Mytilene. From the proedria of the cavea came a throne, now housed in the Old Museum of Mytilene, which was originally intended for the priest of Apollo and finally for the orator Potamo, son of the philosopher Lesbonax (75 BC - 15 AD).
Around the perimeter of the circular orchestra (approximately 24.20 m in diameter) runs a high stone wall (1.30 m high), which had external marble facing and was crowned with inscribed marble slabs. The floor of the orchestra was of beaten earth laid on the levelled bedrock. On the west side of the orchestra are two rooms carved out of the rock of the cavea. The orchestra wall and the two rooms are probably linked to the conversion of the theatre into an arena during the Roman period, when part of the cavea was also removed. The stage building consists of four structures separated by three corridors, but its excavation is incomplete.
The most serious damage is the erosion of the soil on the slope on which the cavea was built. The surface layer of earth has become looser and thinner, revealing the bedrock, which has begun to crumble due to climate and other erosion factors, as well as its geological composition. The buttresses of the parodoi which supported the fill of the cavea have also largely collapsed.
The monument has been used on occasion for poetry and music events and theatrical performances. Visits to the archaeological site are permitted, as is the organisation of special, small-scale cultural events, with moveable seats being placed on the flat area outside the cavea.
Olga Philaniotou
Archaeologist
Photo
Gallery
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View of the cavea |
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View of the cavea |
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View of the cavea |
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Retaining wall |
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View of the orchestra and the stage building |
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View of the theatre and its environs |
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Scientific
report
| Monument Name |
Ancient
Theatre
of
Mytilene |
| Category |
Theatre |
| Brief Description |
The
ancient
Theatre
of
Mytilene,
built
on
the
western
edge
of
the
ancient
city,
on
the
hill
of
Agia
Kyriaki,
is
considered
one
of
the
greatest
works
of
architecture
of
the
ancient
world. |
| Images - Plans |
Full
photographic
records
are
held
in
the
archive
of
the
20th
Ephorate
of
Prehistoric
and
Classical
Antiquities.
A
plan
of
the
orchestra
and
sections
of
the
wall
of
the
orchestra
and
the
rooms
on
its
west
side
are
included
in
the
Archaeologikon
Deltion
22
(1967)
Chron.
Β2,
pp.
451-458.
Further
drawings
are
held
in
the
archive
of
the
20th
Ephorate
of
Prehistoric
and
Classical
Antiquities. |
| Documentation - Bibliography |
1.
Α.
CONZE,
Reise
auf
der
Insel
Lesbos,
Hanover
1865,
p.
9.
2.
R.
KOLDEWEY,
Die
antiken
Baureste
der
Insel
Lesbos,
Berlin
1890,
p.
8-9.
3.
Δ.
ΕΥΑΓΓΕΛΙΔΗΣ,
ΑΔ
11
(1927/28),
Annexe,
pp.
14-17,
figs
1-7.
4.
Δ.
ΕΥΑΓΓΕΛΙΔΗΣ,
ΠΑΕ
1958,
pp.
230-232,
pl.
172-175.
5.
Δ.
ΕΥΑΓΓΕΛΙΔΗΣ,
Έργον
1958,
pp.
169-172,
figs
178-179.
6.
Β.
ΠΕΤΡΑΚΟΣ,
ΑΔ
22
(1967)
Χρον.
Β2,
pp.
451-458,
figs
3-11,
pl.
334-336.
7.
Ι.Δ.
ΚΟΝΤΗΣ,
Λεσβιακό
Πολύπτυχο,
Athens,
1973,
pp.
85-87,
262
n.
84,
figs
47.
8.
Ι.Δ.
ΚΟΝΤΗΣ,
Η
Λέσβος
και
η
Μικρασιατική
της
περιοχή,
Αρχαίες
ελληνικές
πόλεις,
Athens
1978,
pp.
223-224,
fig.
41. |
| Location |
Mytilene,
hill
of
Agia
Kyriaki. |
| Dating |
The
earliest
surviving
architectural
members
indicate
that
the
theatre
was
built
in
Early
Hellenistic
times.
The
form
in
which
it
is
preserved
today
corresponds
to
its
final
building
phase,
that
of
the
Late
Roman
period. |
|
General Description of Monument
|
The
ancient
Theatre
of
Mytilene,
built
on
the
western
edge
of
the
ancient
city,
on
the
hill
of
Agia
Kyriaki,
is
considered
one
of
the
greatest
works
of
architecture
of
the
ancient
world.
According
to
Plutarch
(Life
of
Pompey
42.4),
Pompey
copied
its
design
in
the
theatre
he
built
in
Rome
in
55
BC,
making
it
the
model
for
Roman
theatres.
The
cavea
of
the
Theatre
of
Mytilene
is
now
ruined,
while
what
little
remains
of
its
stage
and
parodoi
dates
from
the
final
building
phase
of
the
monument,
that
of
the
Late
Roman
period.
The
theatre
is
built
on
particularly
friable
volcanic
rock,
which
has
not
preserved
any
traces
of
the
cavea
structure.
The
horseshoe-shaped
cavea,
107
m in
diameter
at
its
base
and
seating
approximately
10,000
spectators,
had
marble
seats
of
which
there
are
some
samples
on
the
site,
while
others
remain
built
into
the
walls
of
the
medieval
Castle
of
Mytilene.
From
the
proedria
of
the
cavea
came
a
throne,
now
housed
in
the
Old
Museum
of
Mytilene,
which
was
originally
intended
for
the
priest
of
Apollo
and
finally
for
the
orator
Potamo,
son
of
the
philosopher
Lesbonax
(75
BC -
15
AD).
Around
the
perimeter
of
the
circular
orchestra
(approximately
24.20
m in
diameter)
runs
a
high
stone
wall
(1.30
m
high),
which
had
external
marble
facing
and
was
crowned
with
inscribed
marble
slabs.
The
floor
of
the
orchestra
was
of
beaten
earth
laid
on
the
levelled
bedrock.
On
the
west
side
of
the
orchestra
are
two
rooms
carved
out
of
the
rock
of
the
cavea.
The
orchestra
wall
and
the
two
rooms
are
probably
linked
to
the
conversion
of
the
theatre
into
an
arena
during
the
Roman
period,
when
part
of
the
cavea
was
also
removed.
The
stage
building
consists
of
four
structures
separated
by
three
corridors,
but
its
excavation
is
incomplete. |
| Current Situation |
The
most
serious
damage
is
the
erosion
of
the
soil
on
the
slope
on
which
the
cavea
was
built.
The
surface
layer
of
earth
has
become
looser
and
thinner,
revealing
the
bedrock,
which
has
begun
to
crumble
due
to
climate
and
other
erosion
factors,
as
well
as
its
geological
composition.
The
buttresses
of
the
parodoi
which
supported
the
fill
of
the
cavea
have
also
largely
collapsed. |
| Excavations - Interventions |
General
information
on
the
monument
is
provided
by
Conze
and
Koldewey.
The
first
attempt
at a
more
systematic
study
was
by
D.
Evangelides,
with
a
small
excavation
in
1927.
The
monument,
however,
had
already
been
badly
looted
for
building
materials
and
lead.
In
1958
Evangelides
renewed
his
investigations,
aided
by
Vavritsas.
In
1967
the
excavated
sections
were
cleaned
and
studied
by
V.
Petrakos,
and
the
orchestra
was
drawn
by
Ch.
Bouras.
In
1968
the
wall
and
rooms
of
the
orchestra
were
restored.
In
the
1990s
the
parodoi
were
partially
restored.
The
monument
has
not
yet
been
systematically
excavated
and
published.
Today
the
20th
Ephorate
of
Prehistoric
and
Classical
Antiquities
is
preparing
a
study
for
the
protection
and
promotion
of
the
ancient
theatre. |
| Permitted Uses |
Archaeological
site
visit
-
organisation
of
special,
small-scale
cultural
events,
with
moveable
seats
being
placed
on
the
flat
area
outside
the
cavea. |
|
History of Modern Uses |
The
monument
has
been
used
on
occasion
for
poetry
and
music
events
and
theatrical
performances. |
| Further Information |
Access
to
the
monument
is
open
and
safe.
There
is a
water
and
electricity
supply
and
a
telephone
line
(22510
22741).
The
monument
is
floodlit. |
| Intellectual Rights |
- |
| Jurisdiction |
The
monument
belongs
to
the
jurisdiction
of
the
Ministry
of
Culture
- 20th
Ephorate
of
Prehistoric
and
Classical
Antiquities,
which
is
responsible
for
matters
regarding
its
reconstruction
and
conservation |
|
Latitude |
- |
| Longitude |
- |
| Altitude |
- |
| Google Earth |
39.110679,26.546981 |
