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ANCIENT THEATRES - ANCIENT THEATRES' IDENTITY
THEATRE OF
AMPHIPOLIS
Information
|
Description
of the
Monument
|
Photo
Gallery
|
Scientific
Report
 |
The ancient theatre of Amphipolis, as yet
unexcavated, lies northeast of the ancient
Gymnasium, within the long walls of ancient
Amphipolis and towards their eastern section. |
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Description of the monument
The ancient theatre of Amphipolis, as yet unexcavated, lies northeast of the
ancient Gymnasium, within the long walls of ancient Amphipolis and towards their
eastern section.
Amphipolis was established in 437 BC by Athenian colonists, with Hagnon as its
founder, on the site of the earlier settlement of “Ennea Hodoi” (“Nine Roads”).
Its exceptional strategic and economic importance determined and formed the
history of the city, from its foundation to the final years of the Byzantine
state, as it is sketched by written sources and excavation finds. Amphipolis was
a bone of contention between Athenians and Spartans during the Peloponnesian
War, the target of Philip II of Macedon, the naval base of Alexander the Great
for his conquest of Asia and a place of exile for his wife Roxana and his young
son following his death, the capital of the Roman province of Macedonia Prima,
part of the ancient Egnatian Way, an episcopal seat in Christian times, and a
fortified town after the 14th century AD.
One of the most important building complexes to have come to light, with a lifetime stretching perhaps from the end of the Classical period to early Roman times, is the ancient Gymnasium, immediately adjoining and connected to the ancient theatre of Amphipolis. A large stone drainage duct, revealed during the excavation of the Gymnasium, runs from the theatre area across the Gymnasium.
A first test trench was excavated by D. Lazaridis thirty years ago on the site of the theatre “orchestra”, to a depth of several metres (7-8 m), in the area now covered by an olive grove, next to the ancient Gymnasium. The cavea has not survived, but its layout is clearly visible because the cavea seats were used as building material by the inhabitants of Amphipolis and the surrounding area from the 1920s onwards. The locals called the area “Skalakia” (“Little Stairs”) due to the cavea, and the local landowner sold off the stones for use as building material. The orchestra and some of the front rows of seats of the cavea are thought to survive deep down, and their excavation could contribute to a satisfactory portrayal of the ancient theatre. The theatre itself is set in a prominent amphitheatrical position, with a view of the mouth of the River Strymon and the surrounding mountains.
It should be noted that, in order for the site of the ancient theatre to be excavated, the olive grove covering a major part of it must be purchased or expropriated, and sufficient funds must be made available for the excavation and restoration of the monument.
Katerina Peristeri
Archaeologist
Photo
gallery
 |
The cavea of the ancient theatre is visible in the background. |
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Wonderful view (with the mouth of the River Strymon) of the theatre from the site of the unexcavated cavea. |
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View of the Gymnasium of Ancient Amphipolis, with the cavea of the ancient theatre rising in the background. |
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Ancient buried staircase, now known as “Skalakia” (“Little Stairs”). |
Scientific
report
| Monument Name |
Ancient
Theatre
of
Amphipolis |
| Category |
Theatre |
| Brief Description |
Τhe
ancient
theatre
of
Amphipolis
(Phyllida
Province,
Amphipolis
Municipality,
Serres
Prefecture),
which
unfortunately
remains
unexcavated,
lies
northeast
of
the
ancient
Gymnasium,
within
the
long
walls
of
ancient
Amphipolis
and
towards
their
eastern
section,
in a
prominent
amphitheatrical
position,
with
a
view
of
the
mouth
of
the
River
Strymon
and
the
surrounding
mountains.
It
lies
within
the
wider
archaeological
site
of
Amphipolis,
the
most
important
in
Serres
Prefecture.
A
first
test
trench
was
excavated
by
D.
Lazaridis
thirty
years
ago
on
the
site
of
the
theatre
“orchestra”,
to a
depth
of
several
metres
(7-8
m),
in
the
area
now
covered
by
an
olive
grove,
next
to
the
ancient
Gymnasium. |
| Images - Plans |
No
excavated
parts
of
the
theatre
are
visible. |
| Documentation - Bibliography |
Κ.
Λαζαρίδη,
Το
Γυμνάσιο
της
Αμφίπολης,
ΑΕΜΘ
3,
1989,
p.
50
Δ.
Λαζαρίδης,
ΠΑΕ
1965,
p.
48,
para.
6. |
| Location |
The
ancient
theatre
of
Amphipolis,
as
yet
unexcavated,
lies
northeast
of
the
ancient
Gymnasium,
within
the
long
walls
of
ancient
Amphipolis
and
towards
their
eastern
section.
The
locals
called
the
area
“Skalakia”
(“Little
Stairs”)
due
to
the
cavea. |
| Dating |
Unfortunately
any
attempt
at
dating
is
uncertain
due
to
lack
of
data.
The
theatre
may
be
connected
to
the
complex
of
the
ancient
Gymnasium,
which
it
adjoins. |
|
General Description of Monument
|
The
ancient
theatre
of
Amphipolis,
as
yet
unexcavated,
lies
northeast
of
the
ancient
Gymnasium,
within
the
long
walls
of
ancient
Amphipolis
and
towards
their
eastern
section.
Amphipolis
was
established
in
437
BC
by
Athenian
colonists,
with
Hagnon
as
its
founder,
on
the
site
of
the
earlier
settlement
of
“Ennea
Hodoi”
(“Nine
Roads”).
Its
exceptional
strategic
and
economic
importance
determined
and
formed
the
history
of
the
city,
from
its
foundation
to
the
final
years
of
the
Byzantine
state,
as
it
is
sketched
by
written
sources
and
excavation
finds.
One
of
the
most
important
building
complexes
to
have
come
to
light,
with
a
lifetime
stretching
perhaps
from
the
end
of
the
Classical
period
to
early
Roman
times,
is
the
ancient
Gymnasium,
immediately
adjoining
and
connected
to
the
ancient
theatre
of
Amphipolis:
a
large
stone
drainage
duct,
revealed
during
the
excavation
of
the
Gymnasium,
runs
from
the
theatre
area
across
the
Gymnasium.
The
orchestra
and
some
of
the
front
rows
of
seats
of
the
cavea
are
thought
to
survive
deep
down,
and
their
excavation
could
contribute
to a
satisfactory
portrayal
of
the
ancient
theatre. |
| Current Situation |
The
site
of
the
theatre
is
now
covered
by
an
olive
grove.
The
cavea
has
not
survived,
but
its
layout
is
clearly
visible
because
the
cavea
seats
were
used
as
building
material
by
the
inhabitants
of
Amphipolis
and
the
surrounding
area
from
the
1920s
onwards. |
| Excavations - Interventions |
A
first
test
trench
was
excavated
by
D.
Lazaridis
thirty
years
ago
on
the
site
of
the
theatre
“orchestra”,
to a
depth
of
several
metres
(7-8
m),
in
the
area
now
covered
by
an
olive
grove,
next
to
the
ancient
Gymnasium. |
| Permitted Uses |
- |
|
History of Modern Uses |
- |
| Further Information |
- |
| Intellectual Rights |
- |
| Jurisdiction |
The
ancient
theatre
lies
on
private,
unexpropriated
land,
within
the
designated
archaeological
area
of
Amphipolis
(Ministry
of
Culture
decision
ΥΠΠΟ/ΑΡΧ/Α1/Φ18/68159/3413/4-12-1979,
Govt.
Gazette
93/Β/31-1-1980). |
|
Latitude |
- |
| Longitude |
- |
| Altitude |
- |
|
Google
eatrh
link |
