Theatre of Aptera

Theatre of Aptera

Theatre

The Theatre of Aptera is located at the Paliokastro site, in Suda Municipality, Chania Prefecture. It was built in two phases: the first is dated to Hellenistic times and the second to the 1st c. AD. Modifications undertaken after the completion of the monument are visible in parts of the stage building. The monument has the characteristic layout of Hellenistic theatres: cavea, orchestra and stage building. It is built of the local limestone, which has been used for the monuments of the city in general.

There is full photographic documentation of the section which has been revealed, drawings of parts of the orchestra, the stage building, the west parodos and part of the east parodos, and ¾ of the cavea. These have been deposited in the archives of the 25th Ephorate of Prehistoric and Classical Antiquities. Work is in progress, undertaken by the 25th Ephorate of Prehistoric and Classical Antiquities with funding from the 3rd Community Support Fund-Regional Operational Programme of Crete. The Ministry of Culture-Archaeological Receipts and Expropriations Fund is also in the process of expropriating the adjacent field, into which the east part of the monument extends.

Only references, the main one being: Ηeinrich Drerup, “Palaeokastro – Aptara, Bericht über eine Untersuchung und Vermessung des Standgebietes” in: F. Matz, Forschungen auf Kreta 1942, Berlin 1951, pp. 93-94.

Paliokastro site, Megala Chorafia area, Chania Municipality, Chania Prefecture.

The monument was built in two phases, the first in the Hellenistic period and the second in the 1st c. AD. Later modifications are apparent in parts of the stage building.

The monument is built of the local limestone, which has been used for the monuments of the city in general. It has the characteristic layout of Hellenistic theatres: cavea, orchestra and stage building. To date, the visible features of the first building phase are the lines of the Hellenistic parodoi and the drainage ducts, while the retaining wall of the stage and part of the cavea has been located, built in the fortification style of large stone blocks, similar to those of the Hellenistic fortifications. The drawing of the cavea was realised with the aid of a centrepoint in the orchestra. Six radiating staircases divided it into five cunei. There appear to have been 13 rows of seats, although it is obvious that the upper rows have not been preserved due to modern interventions designed to level the area for agricultural cultivation. The modern form of the stage, the proscenium and the postscenium belong to the second phase, with some later modifications to parts of the stage. At the lowest row of seats is preserved the Roman rainwater drainage duct with some of the cover slabs in situ.

The theatre of ancient Aptera is built on a natural slope, facing south with an uninterrupted view of the White Mountains. It is situated near the south wall of the city, close to its southeast entrance. The form of the theatre today dates from the Roman phase, although traces of the earlier, Hellenistic phase can be seen. Forty-three seats were revealed in situ, mainly in the central part of the cavea around the later limekiln. Part of the central staircase is preserved, with steps carved into the seats. The seats are set into stepped masonry of undressed stones, each level of which is coated in a thin layer of plaster for setting the seats into.

The 13 lowest foundation bases have come to light, although it is clear that the upper ones have been destroyed by later interventions to level the area for cultivation. Below the first row of seats is a step 39 cm high intended as a footrest, consisting mainly of architectural members in second use. Below the footrest was a wide passageway formed of two rows of trapezoid slabs, with cambered edges converging on the centre of the orchestra, many of which are preserved in situ. The first row on the cavea side also function as the covering slabs for a built semicircular duct 52 cm deep and 61 cm wide.

The floor of the orchestra is made of beaten earth. At its centre was discovered the stone foundation of a circular altar. The orchestra and cavea were laid out on a single centre. The radius of the orchestra is 5.45 m to the stone passageway and 7.25 m as far as the footrest.

The retaining walls of the cavea did not withstand the great pressure of the earth and collapsed, as is the case with most ancient theatres, probably in the great earthquake of 365 AD which levelled the ancient city. Their architectural members fell in successive courses, from top to bottom, so that what were originally the upper members now lie under the lower ones.

The walls of the parodoi extend approximately 20 m east and west respectively, where there are strong corners, symmetrical to the axis of the theatre. This forms a cavea 54.68 m in diameter, corresponding to 26 rows of seats. However, the east perimeter wall is not laid out in a circle on the centre of the theatre but extends north, enlarging the central part of the theatre.

Five metres south of the centre of the theatre is the façade of the proscenium, with a total length of 20.50 m. The proscenium wall was clad with rectangular limestone slabs set upright on a wall base (toichobate). The wall was crowned with a wavy cornice. The height of the proscenium from the floor was 1.66 m. There are three niches in the façade of the proscenium: a semicircular one in the centre, on the axis of the theatre, and two rectangular ones below. Narrow monolithic staircases leading to the wooden floor of the stage (pulpitum) were set at each end of the wall next to the parascenia.

The front of the stage (scenae frons) has three large niches corresponding to three entrances. The central niche has curved narrow sides while the two below are rectangular. Good-quality architectural members from the decoration of the scenae frons were found fallen north of the wall. Cornices, lintels and bases were discovered, probably from the columns forming the façade. East and west of the proscenium are the parascenia, while south of the stage wall rises the strong external south wall of the stage.

The older Hellenistic theatre underwent radical modification during the Roman period in order to adapt it to the new audience needs. The seats were removed, a new built base was constructed and the seats were replaced. The old Hellenistic stage was replaced by the more imposing Roman one and its architectural members reused. Elements of the Hellenistic building phase preserved in situ include the two sections of duct whose extensions converge, north of the proscenium, forming the extension of the earlier perimetric duct of the orchestra; the 7-metre-long mud wall south of the proscenium, which probably formed the inner wall of the Hellenistic stage; and the strong retaining wall uncovered south of the north wall of the stage, which is probably the outer wall of the Hellenistic stage.
Roughly in the centre of the surviving cavea is a limekiln. It is circular and built of rough stones held together with mud, and incorporates architectural members of the theatre, one of which is inscribed and dated to the Hellenistic period. The limekiln was presumably the main cause of the destruction of the ancient theatre, as the limestone seats were used as raw material for lime production.

Work undertaken in the framework of the Regional Operational Programme of Crete (July 2008 to June 2009).

Work began in July 2008 based on the study approved by the Central Archaeological Council, with funding from the ROP of Crete. The work was completed in the greater part of the theatre, in the expropriated field, up to the end of 2008, and continued in 2009 in the east section of the cavea, stage and proscenium, on the neighbouring property which is in the process of expropriation.

The work included:

– Removal of the rubble covering the cavea and the orchestra, the result of many years’ operation of the limekiln and use of the neighbouring olive grove.

– Collection, identification, photographing, drawing and recording of the 450 scattered archaeological members.

– Excavation of the larger part of the theatre (apart from a small part of the cavea in the field to be expropriated).

– Conservation, photographing and entry of finds in a database.

– Topographical mapping of the field and theatre, and addition of this to the wider mapping of the Aptera archaeological site.

– Detailed drawing of the monument at a scale of 1:20 in plan, section and elevation.

– Covering of the fragile built foundation of the seats with a protective coating of pure crushed stone, geotextile fabric and a final, visible layer of sterile soil.

– Construction of a walkway of crushed stone and rough stones, leading from the site guard’s office to the theatre.

– Tidying up the area and replacement of the old fencing.

– Drawing up a study for the conservation of the damaged stone members, the plasters and the fragile walls, by conservators A. Galanou and G. Dogani in collaboration with Professors Ν. Kallithrakas-Kontos and P. Maravelaki of the Technical University of Crete.

Rescue work is vital for parts of the theatre which are close to collapse:

– Conservation of the burnt stone seats. These are 11 seats which have been damaged by fire, cracked and broken, and are temporarily held together with metal scaffolding to prevent collapse.

– Conservation of the walls of the proscenium and parascenia. These must be pointed and coated immediately with a sacrifice layer where possible.

– Conservation of the plasters of the stage.
The study for the restoration of the ancient theatre is already underway and will be completed by February 2010.

Archaeological site visit.

The monument already attracts large numbers of visitors.

The monument belongs to the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Culture/25th Ephorate of Prehistoric and Classical Antiquities. Entrance is free of charge.

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Ministry of Culture/25th Ephorate of Prehistoric and Classical Antiquities.

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