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ANCIENT THEATRES - ANCIENT THEATRES' IDENTITY
ANCIENT
THEATRE OF
SICYON
Information
|
Description
of the
Monument
|
Photo
Gallery
|
Scientific
Report
 |
The theatre of ancient Sicyon lies at the foot of the
Hellenistic acropolis, in the natural hollow of the hill,
west of the ancient agora. It is dated to the late 4th
or early 3rd c. BC and was restructured during
the Roman period, probably after 146 BC. |
|
|
|
Description of the monument
The theatre of ancient Sicyon lies in the Local Department of
Vassiliko, in Sicyonion Municipality, Corinthia
Prefecture.
Based on the
architectural features and structure of the theatre, which comprised the stage
building with the two ramps and posterior stoa, the parodoi, the retaining walls
of the cavea, and the orchestra with the proedriae, and taking into account the
fact that it is not incorporated into the “Hippodamean” city plan, the theatre
is dated to the late 4th or early 3rd c. BC. It was
restructured during the Roman period, probably after 146 BC.
The theatre of Sicyon lies at the foot of the Hellenistic acropolis, in the
natural hollow of the hill, west of the ancient agora. It shares the
architectural layout common to all ancient theatres. It consists of three parts:
the cavea, the orchestra and the stage building.
Structurally,
it combines two techniques: a) it is built using local poros stone, and b) parts
of the theatre are carved out of the bedrock. The cavea, 125 m. in diameter,
faces northeast. Two horizontal passageways divide it into three sections. Only
part of the lowest section has been excavated, where 16 stepped corridors
delimit 15 cunei.
There must have been 60 rows of seats in total. In the front row are the seats
of honour (proedriae) of the priests and other city officials (rulers, generals,
etc.) The proedriae, of poros stone, are throne-shaped and decorated. A
characteristic feature of the theatre is the two vaulted passageways at the ends
of the first section, 16 m. long, 2.55 m. wide and 2.60 m. high, which formed
the main audience entrances.
The orchestra, 24.04 m. in diameter, is slightly larger than half the
circumference of a perfect circle and its floor is of beaten earth. Its basic
feature is its drainage system, a marvellous work of engineering. A drainage
channel 1.25 m. wide and 1.00 m. deep, covered with slabs where it met each
staircase, ran around the orchestra in front of the seats of honour and conveyed
the rainwater into a shallow channel which crossed the orchestra, parallel to
the proscenium wall. The water then ran into a third channel which crossed the
orchestra at right angles and ended at a small staircase behind the set.
The stage building consists of the proscenium and the main stage, which was two storeys high and richly adorned with carvings and architectural features. Two symmetrical ramps carved into the rock led to the logeion. In the 4-metre-wide parodoi to left and right were gateways modelled on those of the theatre of Epidaurus. Behind the stage (on the northeast side) was built a Doric stoa of 13 columns, with a fountain structure at its northwest end.
In the Roman period the stage building was extended, covering part of the
orchestra, and a new, low logeion (pulpitum) was built in place of the
proscenium.
Apart from
hosting ancient dramatic competitions, the theatre was also used as an
assembly-place for the citizens of Sicyon, where political decisions were made.
The state of
preservation of the excavated sections of the ancient theatre is mediocre. There
is serious damage to the seats, the stage building and the west passageway.
The theatre has been used for theatrical and musical events in the past. After
2000, however, its use for performances and events was prohibited and only
simple visits are allowed.
K. Kissas
Archaeologist
Photo
gallery
 |
General view of the theatre. |
 |
View of the seats of honour (proedriae). |
 |
The famous passageway of the theatre. |
 |
View of the theatre from above. |
 |
The stage building. |
 |
View of the parodoi. |
 |
View of the orchestra. |
Scientifoc
report
| Monument Name |
Ancient
theatre
of
Sicyon |
| Category |
Theatre |
| Brief Description |
The
Theatre
of
Sicyon
lies
at
the
foot
of
the
Hellenistic
acropolis,
in
the
natural
hollow
of
the
hill,
west
of
the
ancient
agora.
It
shares
the
architectural
layout
common
to
all
ancient
theatres.
It
consists
of
three
parts:
the
cavea,
the
orchestra
and
the
stage
building. |
| Images - Plans |
Partial photographic documentation is held in separate archives (37th Ephorate of Prehistoric and Classical Antiquities, photographic archive of Sicyon Museum), while there are also aerial photographs. The ancient theatre was drawn by topographic engineer Michalis Gelis as part of his thesis at the National Technical University of Athens, at the recommendation of the 37th Ephorate. Separate plans and drawings of the orchestra, stage building, parodoi and part of the cavea are included in the publications on the monument.
A
3-D
model
of
the
Theatre
is
in
preparation
(laser
scanning). |
| Documentation - Bibliography |
1. Fossum, a. 1905 “The theater at Sikyon”, AJA 9, p.263-276 2. Griffin, a.1982. Sikyon. Oxford. 3.ΥΠΠΟ, ΔΑΑΜ 2004, Τεχνική Έκθεση θεάτρου Σικυώνας. |
| Location |
Agora
of
ancient
Sicyon,
in
the
Local
Department
of
Vassiliko
(ancient
Sicyon),
Sicyonion
Municipality,
Corinthia
Prefecture. |
| Dating |
Based
on
the
architectural
features
and
structure
of
the
theatre,
which
comprised
the
stage
building
with
the
two
ramps
and
posterior
stoa,
the
parodoi,
the
retaining
walls
of
the
cavea,
and
the
orchestra
with
the
proedriae,
and
taking
into
account
the
fact
that
it
is
not
incorporated
into
the
“Hippodamean”
city
plan,
the
theatre
is
dated
to
the
late
4th
or
early
3rd
c.
BC.
It
was
restructured
during
the
Roman
period,
probably
after
146
BC. |
|
General Description of Monument
|
The
theatre
of
Sicyon
lies
at
the
foot
of
the
Hellenistic
acropolis,
in
the
natural
hollow
of
the
hill,
west
of
the
ancient
agora.
It
shares
the
architectural
layout
common
to
all
ancient
theatres.
It
consists
of
three
parts:
the
cavea,
the
orchestra
and
the
stage
building.
Structurally,
it
combines
two
techniques:
a)
it
is
built
using
local
poros
stone,
and
b)
parts
of
the
theatre
are
carved
out
of
the
bedrock.
The
cavea,
125
m.
in
diameter,
faces
northeast.
Two
horizontal
passageways
divide
it
into
three
sections.
Only
part
of
the
lowest
section
has
been
excavated,
where
16
stepped
corridors
delimit
15
cunei.
There
must
have
been
60
rows
of
seats
in
total.
In
the
front
row
are
the
seats
of
honour
(proedriae)
of
the
priests
and
other
city
officials
(rulers,
generals,
etc.)
The
proedriae,
of
poros
stone,
are
throne-shaped
and
decorated.
A
characteristic
feature
of
the
theatre
is
the
two
vaulted
passageways
at
the
ends
of
the
first
section,
16
m.
long,
2.55
m.
wide
and
2.60
m.
high,
which
formed
the
main
audience
entrances.
The
orchestra,
24.04
m.
in
diameter,
is
slightly
larger
than
half
the
circumference
of a
perfect
circle
and
its
floor
is
of
beaten
earth.
Its
basic
feature
is
its
drainage
system,
a
marvellous
work
of
engineering.
A
drainage
channel
1.25
m.
wide
and
1.00
m.
deep,
covered
with
slabs
where
it
met
each
staircase,
ran
around
the
orchestra
in
front
of
the
seats
of
honour
and
conveyed
the
rainwater
into
a
shallow
channel
which
crossed
the
orchestra,
parallel
to
the
proscenium
wall.
The
water
then
ran
into
a
third
channel
which
crossed
the
orchestra
at
right
angles
and
ended
at a
small
staircase
behind
the
set.
The
stage
building
consists
of
the
proscenium
and
the
main
stage,
which
was
two
storeys
high
and
richly
adorned
with
carvings
and
architectural
features.
Two
symmetrical
ramps
carved
into
the
rock
led
to
the
logeion.
In
the
4-metre-wide
parodoi
to
left
and
right
were
gateways
modelled
on
those
of
the
theatre
of
Epidaurus.
Behind
the
stage
(on
the
northeast
side)
was
built
a
Doric
stoa
of
13
columns,
with
a
fountain
structure
at
its
northwest
end.
In
the
Roman
period
the
stage
building
was
extended,
covering
part
of
the
orchestra,
and
a
new,
low
logeion
(pulpitum)
was
built
in
place
of
the
proscenium.
Apart
from
hosting
ancient
dramatic
competitions,
the
theatre
was
also
used
as
an
assembly-place
for
the
citizens
of
Sicyon,
where
political
decisions
were
made. |
| Current Situation |
The
state
of
preservation
of
the
excavated
sections
of
the
ancient
theatre
is
mediocre.
There
is
serious
damage
to
the
seats,
the
stage
building
and
the
west
passageway. |
| Excavations - Interventions |
The
excavated
section
of
the
theatre
(stage
building,
orchestra
and
cavea)
was
revealed
by
the
excavations
of
the
American
School
of
Classical
Studies
from
1886
to
1898,
while
other
works
and
the
excavation
of
part
of
the
cavea
were
carried
out
by
the
Archaeological
Society
at
Athens
in
1952
and
1982.
In
2006-2007,
with
funding
from
the
3rd
Community
Support
Fund,
and
under
self-supervision,
the
37th
Ephorate
of
Prehistoric
and
Classical
Antiquities
carried
out
restoration
work
on
the
east
vaulted
passageway
of
the
ancient
theatre,
while
the
west
vaulted
passageway
was
temporarily
shored
up. |
| Permitted Uses |
By
decision
ΥΠΠΟ/ΑΡΧ/Α1/Φ42/6145/330/19-4-2000
of
the
Ministry
of
Culture
and
as
part
of a
list
of
theatres,
the
use
of
the
ancient
theatre
of
Sicyon
for
performances
and
events
was
prohibited. |
|
History of Modern Uses |
The
theatre
has
been
used
in
the
past,
prior
to
2000,
for
theatrical
and
musical
events
by
Athenian
theatre
groups,
and
particularly
local
school
theatre
groups
and
the
Sikyonia
Theatriki
Skene
(Sicyonian
Stage). |
| Further Information |
The
monument
belongs
to
the
jurisdiction
of
the
Ministry
of
Culture
and
the
Archaeological
Service
responsible
for
Corinth
Prefecture. |
| Intellectual Rights |
- |
| Jurisdiction |
- |
|
Latitude |
- |
| Longitude |
- |
| Altitude |
- |
| Google Earth |
37.984139,22.710575 |
