Ancient Greek Theatre Architecture

The ancient Greek theatre was shaped by the literaryor along the sides of the platform, in the side-wings. In
evolution of the plays. Threshing floors, where the ruralthe stage building behind the platform, there were
Dionysiac troups first held their feasts, constituted theareas where the actors changed their masks and
early pattern of the round orchestra (playing area) incostumes and where these props were kept after the
subsequent theatres. In the centre of this orchestraperformance.
was the thymeli, the altar of the god, demonstrating theThe architecture of the theatre was perfected in the
origins of the theatre in ritual. In the initial dithyramic4th century, the primary example being that of
assemblies, devotees stood around the threshing floor.Epidaurus. But all around the Mediterranean, theatres of
In the theatre, the spectators' seats filled theall sizes bring back echoes of ancient Greece.
amphitheatric auditorium which was built into the naturalIn neighbouring Rome, performances of drama began
slope of a hill and usually divided into two horizontalin the middle of the 3rd century at the Hippodrome, on
diazomata (sections) and many wedge-shapedmovable platforms. Stern Roman senators were not
kerkides (blocks of seats) the number of whichparticularly fond of free-thinking Greek plays, and thus
changed according to the size of the orchestra. Thethe building of permanent theatres was expressly
tiers in the upper section were twice the size of thoseforbidden, until Pompey visited Mytilene and was so
in the lower. The auditorium covered 2/3 of a full circle,impressed by its stone theatre that he built a similar
making it necessary to build retaining walls to supportone in Rome in 55 BC. But the all- powerful Senate
the side sections. The seats were semicircular rows offorbade the building of seats, and for this reason the
steps. The first row had comfortable, throne-typefirst spectators had to bring their own chairs. During the
seats with backs, places of honour. When womenyears that followed, given the influence of Hellenic
were permitted to attend a certain performance, theneducation on Roman society, many theatres were built
they sat in a separate section. The places in the upperwhich differ in many ways from those of Greece.
diazomata were for foreigners. Slaves did not appearIn Roman theatres, the auditorium covered only half of
to have the right to attend performances.a circle and the rows of permanent seats were initially
The orchestra (playing area) was the soul of theintended only for senators. Later other rows of seats
theatre. All the other parts grew up around it, as itswere added for minor notables, even though social
final circle was surrounded by the auditorium. The altar,differences were very strict. The upper sections filled
which was right in the centre, had to be equidistantwith crowds. Above the last row of seats there was
from all sections. The side doors beside the retaininga covered portico around the entire semi-circle. The
walls of the auditorium were called the parodoi, throughseats were raised well above the orchestra, since this
which the spectators entered the theatre. Thearea was frequently flooded with water for the
appearance of actors through these entrances waspresentation of mock naval battles, as Roman
significant for the plot of the play: the public wasspectacles were gradually replacing classical Greek
aware of the convention that when an actor enteredworks of philosophical simplicity.
from the right-hand door, he was coming from the city;Another innovation was that in the place of the ancient
the use of the opposite door meant that he wasGreek side entrances, boxes were built for the
arriving from some distant place. The members of theemperor on one side and the Vestal Virgins on the
chorus always stayed in the orchestra, even laterother. At the end of the performance, the curtain
when a platform and stage buildings were added to itswould fall between these boxes. But the stage, too,
open side. There was a strict mathematical relationshipdiffered from the Greek shape, because Roman
between stage, altar and auditorium, which was relatedpresentations needed more space to accommodate
to the effort to perfect the acoustics.those taking part in the pantomimes and grandiose
With the creation of the stage, steps were built leadingplays with large casts. In Rome, the wooden scenes
up from the orchestra to the logeio (platform), whereof the Greek theatre became a three storey wall, with
the actors recited their parts. At the back there was aopenings and niches for statues, the height of which
large wooden facade, movable and painted, whichwas the same as the height of the portico above the
depicted an outdoor backdrop. This facade waslast series of seats in the auditorium. This feature
always the same according to the play: in tragedy anmade it easier to install a movable covering and
official building was shown, usually a palace or temple;machinery to spray perfumed water to refresh the
in comedy smaller, rural buildings tended to be used; inpublic on hot days.
satyric drama, the scenery required a cave entrance.The spectators enjoyed the performances free of
As the performances were held during the day, nocharge, as part of the infallible "bread and circuses"
artificial lighting was necessary, although there weremeasures for controlling the crowds. But in the harsh
various sound effects used, such as metallicRoman society, where circuses were stronger than
containers full of water to increase the volume of thebread, the public preference always lay in the
speeches, and pebbles were shaken around in bronzeamphitheatres, in the oval arena where combats with
jars to sound like thunder. The technicians who wieldedwild beasts and doomed gladiators prevailed.
these vessels would either stand behind the scenery