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ANCIENT THEATRES - ANCIENT THEATRES' IDENTITY
ANCIENT
THEATRE OF
DELFI
Information
|
Description
of the
Monument
|
Photo
Gallery
|
Scientific
Report
 |
The ancient theatre of Delphi is situated within the Temple
of the Pythian Apollo, in the northwest corner against the
temenos wall. The first stone theatre was built of local
limestone in the 4th c. BC. In 160/159 BC,
Eumenes II of Pergamon funded repairs to the theatre, which
acquired a more monumental form. The modern form of the
theatre dates to the early Roman period (1st c.
AD). |
|
|
|
Description of the Monument
The ancient theatre of Delphi is situated within the Temple of the Pythian Apollo. It is the largest structure in the Temple of Apollo and forms an integral part of it, directly connected to the myths and cult of the god. It hosted the singing and instrumental music contests of the Pythian Games.
The first stone theatre was built of local limestone in the 4th c. BC. In 160/159 BC, Eumenes II of Pergamon funded repairs to the theatre, which acquired a more monumental form. The modern form of the theatre dates to the early Roman period (1st c. AD).
The deep, amphitheatral cavea, circular in plan and with a total capacity of 5,000 spectators, is divided laterally into two zones of uneven size by a horizontal passageway, the diazoma, which facilitates the spectators’ movement within the cavea. The lower cavea, or theatron (theatre) has 27 rows of seats and is divided by radiating symmetrical staircases into 7 wedge-shaped cunei, while the upper cavea, or epitheatron (epitheatre), has 8 rows of seats and is divided into 6 cunei.
Many seats bear incised letters, a form of seat numbering in Roman times. There are also official titles in the genitive case, such as amphictyonon (“belonging to the members of the amphictyonian council”) and symboulon (“belonging to the counsellors”), as well as proper names of distinguished individuals.
The orchestra, 18.50 m in diameter, is encircled by a 2.20-metre-wide passageway allowing the spectators to move around, below which runs a rainwater drainage duct, the euripos. The horseshoe shape and paving of the orchestra floor with unevenly-sized slabs are modifications of the Roman period. Many inscriptions commemorating the emancipation of slaves were carved on the retaining walls of the parodoi between the 2nd c. BC and the 1st c. AD.
Opposite the cavea and orchestra rose the stage of the theatre. Of this rectangular stage building only the foundations remain, at a level lower than that of the orchestra. To the north of the main stage rose the proscenium, a small stoa with columns or half-columns, facing the orchestra. In the 1st c. AD the proscenium façade was decorated with a marble frieze carved in relief.
The removal of earth and the first excavations in the area of the theatre were originally undertaken in 1895, by the French School of Archaeology at Athens under the directorship of T. Homolle. During the interwar period, as part of the First Delphic Festival in May 1927, an ancient tragedy was performed in an ancient theatre, its natural setting, for the first time in 2,000 years. The instigator of the revival of the ancient theatre was the poet Angelos Sikelianos, together with his American wife, Eva Palmer.
Photo
Gallery
|
General view of the Theatre |
|
Plan of the Theatre and the surrounding area |
|
Plan of the Theatre |
|
General view of the Theatre |
Scientific
Report
| Monument Name |
Ancient
theatre
of
Delfi |
| Category |
Theatre |
| Brief Description |
The
ancient
theatre
of
Delphi
is
situated
within
the
Temple
of
the
Pythian
Apollo,
in
the
northwest
corner
against
the
temenos
wall.
It
is
the
largest
structure
in
the
Temple
of
Apollo
and
forms
an
integral
part
of
it,
directly
connected
to
the
myths
and
cult
of
the
god.
It
is
one
the
ancient
Greek
theatres
preserved
in
good
condition. |
| Images - Plans |
Ι΄
ΕΠΚΑ
/
Γαλλική
Σχολή
Αθηνών |
| Documentation - Bibliography |
10th Ephorate of Prehistoric and Classical Antiquities / École Française d’Athènes Documentation - Bibliography 1. Bommelaer, J.-F. «Das Theater», in Maas, M. (ed.), Delphi. Orakel am Nabel der Welt, Karlsruhe 1996: 95-105. 2. Bommelaer J.-F., Laroche D., Guide de Delphes - Le Site, Paris 1991: 207-212 3. Κολώνια, Ρ., Το Αρχαιολογικό Μουσείο των Δελφών, Αθήνα 2009 4. Κολώνια, Ρ., «Αρχαίο θέατρο Δελφών» at http://odysseus.culture.gr/h/2/gh251.jsp?obj_id=4932 5. Πεντάζος, Ε., «Οι Δελφοί και ο Σικελιανός», Αρχαιολογία και Τέχνες 44 (September 1992): 72-75 Weir, R., “Nero and the Herakles Frieze at Delphi”, BCH 123 (1999): 396-404 |
| Location |
Delphi,
Municipality
of
Delphi,
Phocis
Prefecture. |
| Dating |
The
first
stone
theatre
was
built
of
local
limestone
in
the
4th
c.
BC.
In
160/159
BC,
Eumenes
II
of
Pergamon
funded
repairs
to
the
theatre,
which
acquired
a
more
monumental
form.
The
modern
form
of
the
theatre
dates
to
the
early
Roman
period
(1st
c.
AD). |
|
General Description of Monument
|
The monument is higher than it is wide. This was dictated by the particular nature of the terrain, with its steep slope and, above all, the limited space available on the spot where the theatre was erected, in the northwest corner of the temple, between the temenos wall to the west and an earlier structure to the east. The deep, amphitheatral cavea, circular in plan and with a total capacity of 5,000 spectators, is seated partly on the natural slope (on the north and west) and partly on artificial infill, i.e. raised mounds of earth (on the south and east), buttressed by strong retaining walls. The outer diameter of the cavea measures 36 m and the inner 9.25 m. It is divided laterally into two zones of uneven size by a horizontal passageway, the diazoma, which facilitates the spectators’ movement within the cavea. The lower cavea or theatron (theatre) has 27 rows of seats and is divided by radiating symmetrical staircases into 7 wedge-shaped cunei, while the upper cavea or epitheatron (epitheatre) has 8 rows of seats and is divided into 6 cunei. Around the uppermost row of seats runs a rainwater drainage gutter, above which rose the north retaining wall of the cavea. The height difference between the floor of the orchestra and the last row of seats is 15.11 m, with a 54-degree inclination, ensuring that all the spectators were afforded an uninterrupted view. At each end of the diazoma was a door for the spectators. Most of the stone seats are 0.69 m wide and 0.37 m high. Many seats bear incised letters 11-15 cm high, a form of seat numbering in Roman times. There are also official titles in the genitive case, such as amphictyonon (“belonging to the members of the amphictyonian council”) and symboulon (“belonging to the counsellors”), as well as proper names of distinguished individuals. The orchestra, 18.50 m in diameter, is encircled by a 2.20-metre-wide passageway allowing the spectators to move around, below which runs a rainwater drainage duct, the euripos. The horseshoe shape and paving of the orchestra floor with unevenly-sized slabs are modifications of the Roman period. The orchestra was originally circular, with a 7-metre radius. The low encircling balustrade on the side of the cavea was added in the Roman period. Many inscriptions commemorating the emancipation of slaves were carved on the retaining walls of the parodoi between the 2nd c. BC and the 1st c. AD. Unfortunately their text has been lost due to surface wear of the stonework. A large base set in front of the west parodos supported the statue of Dionysus, tutelary deity of the theatre, dedicated, according to Pausanias, by the Knidians. Opposite the cavea and orchestra rose the stage of the theatre. Of this rectangular stage building only the foundations remain, at a level lower than that of the orchestra. From the south is visible a platform measuring 9 x 4 m, with central arched niches in the outer wall and two lateral projecting wings, which bore columns and functioned as parascenia. To the north of the main stage rose the proscenium, a small stoa with columns or half-columns, facing the orchestra. In the 1st c. AD the proscenium façade was decorated with a marble frieze carved in relief, approximately 10 m long and 0.85 m high, depicting the Labours and other deeds of Hercules. These were probably added during the repairs to the theatre on the occasion of Nero’s visit to Delphi in 67 AD. |
| Current Situation |
Conservation
work
has
been
carried
out
on
the
monument
in
the
past.
However,
most
of
the
damage
has
not
been
repaired,
while
many
architectural
members
(seats
and
parodos
wall
tiles)
are
scattered
around
the
whole
area
of
the
Delphic
Temple.
The
cavea
presents
some
subsidence,
while
the
stones
are
badly
eroded
and
cracked,
resulting
in
the
loss
of
large
pieces
of
limestone. |
| Excavations - Interventions |
The
removal
of
earth
and
the
first
excavations
in
the
area
of
the
theatre
were
originally
undertaken
in
1895,
by
the
French
School
of
Archaeology
at
Athens
under
the
directorship
of
T.
Homolle. |
| Permitted Uses |
The
theatre
is a
monument
open
to
the
public
in
the
Delphi
archaeological
site. |
|
History of Modern Uses |
During
the
interwar
period,
as
part
of
the
First
Delphic
Festival
in
May
1927,
an
ancient
tragedy
was
performed
in
an
ancient
theatre,
its
natural
setting,
for
the
first
time
in
2,000
years.
The
instigator
of
the
revival
of
the
ancient
theatre
was
the
poet
Angelos
Sikelianos,
together
with
his
American
wife,
Eva
Palmer.
Aeschylus’
Prometheus
Bound
was
played
under
the
artistic
direction
of
Eva
Palmer.
Three
years
later,
during
the
Second
Delphic
Festival
in
May
1930,
the
theatre
hosted
a
performance
of
Euripides’
Suppliants. |
| Further Information |
The
theatre
hosted
the
singing
and
instrumental
music
contests
of
the
Pythian
Games.
The
importance
of
this
festival
makes
the
Theatre
of
Delphi
the
cultural
and
artistic
peer
of
the
sporting
ideal
symbolised
by
the
ancient
stadium
at
Olympia.
The
theatre
also
hosted
the
festival
of
the
Soteria,
in
honour
of
Zeus
Soter
and
Apollo,
whose
celebration
was
instigated
following
the
victory
of
the
Aetolians
over
the
Gauls
in
279/278
BC. |
| Intellectual Rights |
Ministry
of
Culture
and
Tourism
(10th
Ephorate
of
Prehistoric
and
Classical
Antiquities). |
| Jurisdiction |
Ministry
of
Culture
and
Tourism
(10th
Ephorate
of
Prehistoric
and
Classical
Antiquities). |
|
Latitude |
38°29’0,96’’
Β |
| Longitude |
22°29’15,84’’
Α |
| Altitude |
584-592
m
asl |
