The ruins of the ancient Theatre of Sparta on May 15, 2019

Forfatter/Opretter:

George E. Koronaios

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The ancient theatre of Sparta is situated at the southern slope of the Acropolis Hill. The existence of a theatre at the city of Sparta since the 5th century B.C. is testified by ancient authors and is closely connected with the celebration of religious ceremonies such as Gymnopaediai. It is not confirmed whether the theatre of classical times was founded at the same position as the one visible to modern visitors.

The construction of the theatre is dated to the Late Hellenistic or Early Roman period, possibly around 30 to 20 B.C., and is closely connected with the hegemony of Gaius Julius Eyrykles, a close friend of Octavian (Emperor Augustus). The Spartan theatre is unique on account of its size and the quality of its construction, evident from the use of the local marble. This huge building could host 17,000 spectators. The theatre had a cavea of 141m in diameter and was one of the biggest theatres in Peloponnese. By the end of the 1st century A.D. the theatre was furnished with a monumental marble skene of the Corinthian order, the erection of which was founded by Emperor Vespasian. The marble façade of the retaining wall of the east parodos, where catalogues of Spartan officials and cursus honorum were recorded, is a rare inscribed structure.

The theatre was in use, with some alterations and conversions, by the end of the 3rd to the beginning of the 4th century A.D. By that time the Late Roman fortification had been erected, which incorporated the west wall of the skene. After a period of abandonment, a Byzantine settlement was established at the area of the theatre (10th to 14th century A.D.). Marble seats from the theatre and some of their porous stone bases were used as building material for the construction of Byzantine houses. By the establishment in 1834 of the modern city stones were looted for use as building material for the construction of modern Sparta. Text: Inscription at the archaeological site.

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