The Theatre of Dionysus acquired its enormous size and all-stone construction based on a radial design after the middle of the 4th century BC. The diazoma, a horizontal, curved walkway, separates the koilon into the epitheatron (upper seating area) and the theatron (lower seating area). The diazoma also forms part of the Peripatos, the public pathway around the rock of the Acropolis. The seating rows are made of large, well-carved limestone from the coast of Piraeus. The largest part of the Theatre’s koilon remained unchanged during the Hellenistic period, but the skene was reconstructed during that time. During the Roman period, a new skene replaced the old construction. Under Hadrian, it was decorated with statues. The orchestra became horseshoe-shaped and was covered with marble slabs and encircled by a low vertical barrier. Various alterations made during Roman times are visible on the lower segments of the central kerkides, the wedge-shaped seating sections.
The monument suffered damage during the barbarian raids of Late Antiquity, was abandoned after the end of Antiquity and, during the Middle Ages, its traces gradually disappeared under infill which remained present almost until the end of the 19th century.
Today, the monument’s retaining walls (analemmata) are preserved at a low height, while some portions have been partially restored. The skene, which underwent successive construction phases, survives as a low ruin.
Seat portions up to and including the 34th row of the koilon survive today, while 67 seating rows are estimated to have occupied the space up to the diazoma in Antiquity. The western part of the koilon is preserved in better condition, as the eastern part has been largely modified by the hasty placement of seating fragments following the monument’s excavation.
Dr Konstantinos Boletis, architect-restorer, Εphorate of Antiquities of City of Athens
Theatre of Dionysus Eleuthereus (Dionysos Eleutherus) – Dionysiako Theatro
Greek theatre with successive Roman interventions
The Theatre of Dionysus acquired its enormous size and all-stone construction based on a radial design after the middle of the 4th century BC. The diazoma, a horizontal, curved walkway, separates the koilon into the epitheatron (upper seating area) and the theatron (lower seating area). The diazoma also forms part of the Peripatos, the public pathway around the rock of the Acropolis. The seating rows are made of large, well-carved limestone from the coast of Piraeus. The largest part of the Theatre’s koilon remained unchanged during the Hellenistic period, but the skene was reconstructed during that time. During the Roman period, a new skene replaced the old construction. Under Hadrian, it was decorated with statues. The orchestra became horseshoe-shaped and was covered with marble slabs and encircled by a low vertical barrier. Various alterations made during Roman times are visible on the lower segments of the central kerkides, the wedge-shaped seating sections.
The monument suffered damage during the barbarian raids of Late Antiquity, was abandoned after the end of Antiquity and, during the Middle Ages, its traces gradually disappeared under infill which remained present almost until the end of the 19th century.
Today, the monument’s retaining walls (analemmata) are preserved at a low height, while some portions have been partially restored. The skene, which underwent successive construction phases, survives as a low ruin.
Seat portions up to and including the 34th row of the koilon survive today, while 67 seating rows are estimated to have occupied the space up to the diazoma in Antiquity. The western part of the koilon is preserved in better condition, as the eastern part has been largely modified by the hasty placement of seating fragments following the monument’s excavation.
Construction materials and techniques
The seats are hewn from Piraeus limestone (aktitis) and rest partly on their base and partly on backfilling or on the natural rock. The length of the seats is not constant. They are laid out using simple dry masonry, without any metal joints.
The inner retaining walls are built of conglomerate stone, while the outer sides of the retaining walls are constructed of rows of Piraeus limestone blocks, except for certain sections that are entirely built of conglomerate stone. The Piraeus limestone blocks form a sturdy retaining construction of two block thickness and in certain parts three-block or four-block thickness widthwise. They are positioned in the isodomic dry masonry style, and as a rule without the use of joints. On the exterior facades of the retaining wall, headers (diatonoi) and stretchers alternate.
The distinguishable parts of the skene’s façade are made of white Pentelic marble or grey Hymettan marble following the post and lintel construction method.
Sculptural, paintedandornamentalelementsofnotepertainingtoorpositionedinthemonument
The south end of the orchestra is demarcated by the “Bema of Phaedrus”, a logeion (pulpitum) possibly erected at the end of the 4thcentury AD. It was decorated with slabs bearing reliefs depicting scenes from the life of Dionysus. Many significant sculptures unearthed during the 19th and 20th-century excavations are exhibited under a special canopy at the present-day entrance to the archaeological site (such as the sculptures attributed to the refurbishment of the skene by Emperor Hadrian), while other artefacts are housed at the National Archaeological Museum of Athens or the Acropolis Museum.
Inscriptions in situ or in the area
Inscribed architectural members (epistyles, seats etc.), thronoi (seats of honour) and pedestals of honorary and choragic statues, votive monuments etc. are situated in the space occupied by the parodoi of the skene and the theatre’s koilon.
Full photographic documentation exists in separate archives (1st Ephorate of Prehistoric and Classical Antiquities, Committee of the Theatre & Sanctuary of Dionysos, etc.) Drawings of parts of the orchestra, the stage of the structure, parodoi and sections of the cavea are included in the published material on the monument. There are also separate drawings in the archives of the Committee of the Theatre of Dionysos. The detailed plans of the cunei of the cavea and the orchestra by W. Wurster in collaboration with topographer Konstantinos Kazamiakis, as well as separate additional plans by M. Korres, form the basic design background for the study of the theatre to this day.
Καλλιγάς, Π. 1994. «Η περιοχή του Ιερού και του Θεάτρου του Διονύσου στην Αθήνα», in: Η. Coulson, Ο. Palagia, The Archaeology of Athens and Attica under the Democracy, Proceedings of International Conference, 4-6 December, 1992, pp. 25-30.
Κορρές, M. 1982-1988. Η Aκρόπολη και η νότια κλιτύς της, Ιστορική ανάλυση και προτάσεις (unpublished). Κορρές, M. 1980. «A΄ Εφορεία Προϊστορικών και Κλασικών Αρχαιοτήτων Aκροπόλεως, Εργασίες στα μνημεία», ΑΔ 35, pp. 9-21.
Κορρές, M. 1981. «A΄ Εφορεία Προϊστορικών και Κλασικών Αρχαιοτήτων Ακροπόλεως, Εργασίες στα μνημεία», ΑΔ 36, pp. 5-7.
Κορρές, M. 1982. «A΄ Εφορεια Προϊστορικών και Κλασικών Αρχαιοτήτων Ακροπόλεως, Εργασίες στα μνημεία», ΑΔ 82, pp. 15-18.
Κορρές, M. 1983. «A΄ Εφορεία Προϊστορικών και Κλασικών Αρχαιοτήτων Ακροπόλεως, εργασίες στα μνημεία», ΑΔ 38, pp. 10-11.
Κορρές, M. 2002. «Aθηναϊκή πολεοδομία, αρχαίος οικιστικός χώρος», in: Goette, H. (ed), Ancient Roads in Greece, Proceedings of a Symposion Organized by the Cultural Association Aigeas (Athens) and the German Αrchaeological Institute (Athens) with the Support of the German School at Athens, Nov. 1998 (Hamburg), pp. 1-31.
Κουμανούδης, Στ. 1878-82. «Έκθεσις εν τω έτει 1879 πεπραγμένων από του συμβουλίου» ΠΑΕ, pp. 6-15 , 18 -19.
Μπαρδάνης, Μ. 1997. Ο πειραϊκός λίθος στα μνημεία της Ακροπόλεως. Ακτίτης λίθος και λίθος της Μουνυχίας. Αρχαιολογική και γεωλογική έρευνα. Μελέτη των ιδιοτήτων και της παθολογίας του λίθου. Προτάσεις συντηρήσεως, ΤΕΙ of Athens, School of Fine Arts and Design, Conservation of Antiquities and Works of Art Department, dissertation.
Παπαθανασόπουλος, Θ. 1987. «Το θέατρο του Διονύσου, η μορφή του κοίλου», in: ΥΠΠΟ, Αναστύλωση – Συντήρηση – Προστασία μνημείων και συνόλων, II, pp. 31-60.
Ρουσσόπουλος, Α. pp. 1862-1874. «Νεώταται Ανακαλύψεις», ΑΕ.
Σωτηριάδης, Γ. 1897. In: Παπαναστασίου Π. «Έκθεσις του ταμείου της Αρχαιολογικής Εταιρείας», 1897, pp. 12-14.
Τραυλός, Ι. 1953-4. «Η παλαιοχριστιανική Βασιλική του Διονυσιακού Θεάτρου», ΑΕ, 1953-4, II, 156-62. Τραυλός, Ι. 1960. «Πολεοδομική εξέλιξη των Αθηνών».
Bieber, M. 1961. The history of Greek and Roman Theater, (Princeton N.J.).
Bulle, H. “Untersuchungen an griechieschen Theatern, Das Dionysos Theater”, Abhandal der Bayer. Academ. der Wissenschaften, xxxiii, 15-81.
De Bernardi Ferrero, d. 1966-1974. Teatri classici in Asia Μinore, 4 vols, (Roma).
Dinsmoor, W.B. 1928. “The Athenian Theater of the fifth century”, Studies presented to D.M. Robinson, pp. 309-330 (Munich).
Dörpfeld, W. 1896. Das griechische Theater, 2nd ed. (1966).
Dörpfeld, W. 1925-6. “Die im Januar 1925 in Dionysos-Theater in Athen unternommenen Grabungen”, ΠΑΕ, 25-32.
Fiechter, E. 1935. Das Dionysοs-Theater in Athen, Ι, Die Ruine, Αntike Griechische Theaterbauten heft 5.
Gogos, S. 1998 “Bemerkungen zu den Theatern von Priene und Epidauros sowie zum Dionysostheater in Athen”, Jahrsheften des österreichischen archäologischen Institutes, 67 , pp. 67-106.
Haigh, A.E. 1898. The Attic Theatre, (Oxford).
Heilmeyer, W.D. 1987. “Vom modernen Mißverstädnis antiker Theaterbauten”, Antike Welt, 18 , p. 22-28.
Leake, W. M. 1841. The topography of Athens, (London).
Kunze, E. 1967. “Die Arbeiten vom Herbst 1958 bis zum Sommer 1962”, Olympia – Bericht, VIII, 1-15.
Makri, H. 1987. “The Theatre of Dionysos, Athens: The rehabilitation of the auditorium retaining walls along and adjoining the eastern parodos” (summary) (Athens).
Maass, M. 1972. Die Prohedrie des Dionysostheaters in Athen, (München). Mitens, K. 1988. Teatri greci e teatri ispirati all’ architettura greca in sicilia e nell’ Italia meridionale c. 350-50 a.c., Analecta romana institute danici supplementum xiii (Roma).
Modona, A. N. 1961. Gli edifici teatrali greci e romani, (Firenze).
Rossetto, P. C.-Sartorio, G. P. 1994. Teatri antichi greci e romani, 3 vols, (Rome).
Pickard-Cambridge, A.W. 1946. The Theatre of Dionysus in Athens, (Oxford).
Polacco, l. 1990. Il teatro di Dioniso Eleutereo ad Atene, Monografie della Scuola Archeologica di Atene e delle missioni italiane in Oriente iv.
Townsend, R.F. 1982. Aspects of Athenian Architectural Activity in the Second Half of the Fourth Century B.C., PhD at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Townsend, R. 1986. “The fourth-century skene of the theater of Dionysos at Athens, Hesperia, 55 , pp. 421-440.
Wilson, P. 2000. The Athenian Institution of Khoregia, (Cambridge).
Wurster, W. 1979. “Die neuen Untersuchungen am Dionysostheater in Athen”, Architectura, 9, pp. 58-76.
Wurster, W. 1993. “Die Architektur des griechischen Theaters”, Antike Welt, 24, pp. 20-42.
Greece, Attica, Athens (Acropolis Southern Slope)
Orientation
The koilon faces S, deviating 36⁰ to the W from its symmetry axis, from the direction N-S.
Context/Environment
On the south slope of the Acropolis, the cultural centre of ancient Athens developed gradually. As well as the Theatre of Dionysus, it included another two spaces: the Odeon of Pericles (middle of the 5th century BC) and the Odeon of Herodes Atticus (2nd century AD).
The Theatre of Dionysus dominates the site with its size and emblematic character. Its overall shape is irregular due to spatial planning constraints. To the north, it is demarcated by the Katatome (“the Cutting”), the vertically hewn face of the rock of the Acropolis, where the Choragic Monument of Thrassylus (Thrassylos) was erected in 320/19 BC.
Works of visual art decorated the Theatre’s side entrances, the parodoi, and choragic monuments occupied various locations, mostly around the Sanctuary of Dionysus, which spread south of the theatre or alongside the Odos Tripodon (“Street of the Tripods”) which led to the sanctuary’s entrance, the propylon.
To the west of the theatre, the Sanctuary of Asclepius (Asklepios) was founded in 420/19 BC. Before the middle of the 2nd century BC, a large stoa was erected. This covered walkway was a donation of King Eumenes II of Pergamum. Remains of all the above monuments survive at the present-day archaeological site. Most of them have undergone conservation and restoration work.
6th century BC –period of Peisistratus (Peisistratos): establishment of the sanctuary of Dionysus and an early form of the theatre on the south slope of the Acropolis.
5th century BC- Age of Pericles: construction of a wooden theatre which acquired stone proedria, the front row seats of honour.
338 until 326 – period of the great orator and statesman Lycurgus (Lykourgos): extensive construction and refurbishment programme of the space along a radial design.
2nd century BC or earlier: construction of the two-storey Hellenistic skene (the building behind the orchestra).
After the middle of the 1st century AD -time of Nero: full remodelling of the skene.
2nd century AD: possibly the time of Hadrian: placement of statues on the skene and statues on pedestals in the lower parts of the koilon (seating area).
Post 267 AD: repairs to the Theatre of Dionysus estimated to have taken place following the invasion of the Herules.
Towards the end of the 4th century AD: construction of the “Bema of Phaedrus”.
After the middle of the 5th century AD: construction of a single-nave basilica with an apse in the eastern parodos, the side entrance into the orchestra.
The theatre of the Sanctuary of Dionysus Eleuthereus is the largest monument of the South Slope of the Acropolis, although only a small part of this originally vast monument survives today. In the 6th century BC, it comprised an orchestra made of flattened earth, situated marginally to the south of the present-day orchestra. The inclined slope to the NW, N and SE of the orchestra hosted the spectators and was subsequently fitted with rows of seats, becoming the koilon. As to the form of the Theatre during the 5th century BC, the peak of Ancient Drama, a number of scientific opinions have been put forward at times: simpler, possibly wooden for the most part and not semi-circular, it occupied only a part of the area it spans today.
The refurbishment of the theatre during the second half of the 4th century BC is linked to the name of the statesman and orator Lycurgus. Between 326-324 BC, the koilon acquired vast proportions and was covered with stone seats.
Establishing the outline of the Theatre of Dionysus based on a radial design on the east side of the South Slope, which presented multiple spatial planning challenges, presupposed highly developed geometric knowledge.
Significant milestones in the evolution of mathematics predate the “refurbishment” of the Theatre of Dionysus as well as the propagation of large, radially designed, theatre spaces.
To the north, the monument reaches the rock of the Acropolis, which was hewn to adjust its upper curved boundary. To the east, the shape of the theatre adjusted to accommodate the pre-existing Odeon of Pericles.The eastern retaining wall is shaped like a broken line. Part of it is perpendicular to the wall of the eastern parodos. The next two segments, which form a right angle with one another, were parallel to the walls of the Odeon. The shape of the western retaining wall arises from the need to preserve the pathway coming into the west of the theatre, which was one end of the Notia Odos, the road connecting the area of the sanctuaries of Ilissus with the Acropolis.
The western retaining wall is made up of three distinct segments. The southernmost is a straight line directed perpendicularly to the western parodos wall. The next two segments are arched.
Only a single diazoma divided the koilon into two unequal parts, with the lower part being evidently larger. This wide walkway was simultaneously a street of the city of Athens, the Peripatos, replacing a preexisting straight-line pathway which used to lay a little to the south. Two long ramps rose on either end of the Peripatos.
14 narrow klimakes (audience stairways) divide the koilon (seating area) into 13 segments, the kerkides (wedge-shaped seating sections).The marble thronos of the priest of Dionysus dominates the middle of the proedria, the seats of honour. On either side and extending to the outermost kerkides, 33 proedria seats line either side of this thronos. The kerkides are arranged semi-circularly, except for the two outermost kerkides which are aligned straight. Sixty-seven seating rows are estimated to have occupied the space up to the Peripatos, not including the proedria.
Each row of seats corresponds to only one step of the klimax (audience stairway), whose upper surface inclines towards the orchestra and is grooved to prevent slipping during descent.
The front of the seating rows is etched with thin vertical lines, which can be categorized into two groups. The first group includes etchings at distances varying between 40 and 43 centimetres and corresponds to the division of each row into seats of approximately equal width. This division means the number of spectators that could be seated may be calculated. They amount to more than 19,000. The second group of lines consists of etchings made at regular intervals of 33.3 cm, arranged symmetrically along the length of each row. The distance between every line etched corresponds to the measuring unit of one Doric foot.
The proedria seats possibly belong to the Lycurgian construction phase and are made from Pentelic marble. The thronos of the Priest of Dionysus is located in the middle of the proedria row. It bears decorative reliefs pertaining to the cult of Dionysus. The surviving inscriptions on the thronoi date from a later period and refer to the place in society occupied by the spectator they corresponded to. The theatre’s side entrances, the parodoi, were decorated with statues of the great ancient poets on pedestals.
The front seating row was significantly altered during the Roman period when its front part was hewn down by approximately 35 cm to create a corridor for the second row of thronoi.
At the same time, the upper surface of the first step of each klimax was slightly lowered so that its front path would be even with the corridor zone of the original front row, and a marble slab was added at the beginning of each klimax. In this way, a continuous corridor was created in front of the second row of thronoi.
Extensive alterations during the Roman period are visible in the lower parts of the koilon, particularly the central kerkides. They include the placement of marble thronoi—new or originating from the proedria—as well as inscribed pedestals. Between kerkides VII and IX, a monumental stairway which appears to have led to a gallery has blocked the access of the ninth klimax.
The additional structures have been placed by either partially destroying the seating rows or sculpting the added elements in such a way as to fit the pre-existing seating.
The seating areas preserve inscriptions from various historical periods. Moreover, many joints and holes indicate alterations made during the Hellenistic and Roman periods to enable the placement of podiums, support beams and to secure ropes. During the Roman period, the orchestra acquired its semicircular shape, was paved with marble slabs and encircled by a parapet.
At the time of Lycurgus, the skene of the Theatre of Dionysus became a long stone building with paraskenia (side stages) on either side for the first time, replacing the previous structure made from a wooden frame and adobe, which formed the skene during the Periclean phase of the monument.
It was then converted into a two-storey structure; its façade was decorated with columns, and the projection of the paraskenia was reduced to widen the parodoi (2nd century BC or earlier).
The full Romanization of the building took place at the time of Nero (61/2 AD) and included the construction of a two-storied scaena frons (front of the stage house),and a pulpitum(theatre stage). Under Hadrian, the skene was decorated with statues and statues on pedestals were placed in the lower parts of the koilon.
Before the end of Antiquity, as part of the repairs estimated to have taken place after invasions and the accompanying destruction, the “Bema of Phaedrus”, a tall logeion, was erected, possibly at the end of the 4th century AD. The Bema of Phaedrus was constructed using stones taken from various other monuments along the southern boundary of the semi-circular orchestra of Roman times.
All that remains of the cavea today is small parts of the gigantic original work: the lower tiers of seats, the lower parts of the retaining walls and, much higher up, the great cutting in the rock along an arc of a circle, known as the katatome. The orchestra is preserved in better condition, while the scenic structure, with scattered members, is a low ruin.
Dimensions (initial plan, preserved part)
The theatre occupies an area of approximately 13 hectares. The basic layout of the seating rows of the koilon is radial, its centre located approximately 1.2 meters to the south of the orchestra centre. The radius varies between a length of 13.5 m to the proedria and 85 meters to its northernmost point. The two outer kerkides of the koilon are aligned in a straight line. Based on the surviving lower segments of the monument, the koilon has an incline of 40.2%, otherwise 1:2.4.
Restoration
In the years 2002, 2005 the restoration works of the retaining walls of the eastern and western parodos respectively were completed, followed by the restoration of the Choragic Monument of Thrasyllus in 2017. In 2016, two ongoing subprograms were received by the Athens Ephorate of Antiquities as ongoing projects incorporated in the Public Investment Program. These concern the eastern side retaining wall and the central segment of the theatre’s koilon
On the south slope of the Acropolis, the cultural centre of ancient Athens developed gradually. As well as the Theatre of Dionysus, it included another two spaces: the Odeon of Pericles (middle of the 5th century BC) and the Odeon of Herodes Atticus (2nd century AD).
The Theatre of Dionysus dominates the site with its size and emblematic character. Its overall shape is irregular due to spatial planning constraints. To the north, it is demarcated by the Katatome (“the Cutting”), the vertically hewn face of the rock of the Acropolis, where the Choragic Monument of Thrassylus (Thrassylos) was erected in 320/19 BC.
Works of visual art decorated the Theatre’s side entrances, the parodoi, and choragic monuments occupied various locations, mostly around the Sanctuary of Dionysus, which spread south of the theatre or alongside the Odos Tripodon (“Street of the Tripods”) which led to the sanctuary’s entrance, the propylon.
To the west of the theatre, the Sanctuary of Asclepius (Asklepios) was founded in 420/19 BC. Before the middle of the 2nd century BC, a large stoa was erected. This covered walkway was a donation of King Eumenes II of Pergamum. Remains of all the above monuments survive at the present-day archaeological site. Most of them have undergone conservation and restoration work.
Even before the foundation of the independent Greek state, an informal exploratory excavation of the infill at the upper parts of the monument’s koilon had been undertaken by Lord Elgin’s group of artists during 1800-1.
The first excavation in the area of the Theatre of Dionysus after the establishment of the Independent Greek State was undertaken by Roussopoulos and the German architect Strack in 1862 and lasted for three years. Excavations were continued in 1877-8 by S. Koumanoudes. The German Archaeological Institute, under Dörpfeld’s supervision, subsequently undertook to complete the excavations, which continued in 1885-6, 1889, 1893 and 1895. There followed searches of the skene and the orchestra in 1923, the excavation of a large part of the Odeon of Pericles in 1925, and supplementary explorations by Dörpfeld in the southwest corner of the koilon.
The German Archaeological Institute under Ε. Fiechter and his associates G. Hertog and E. Koengeter continued research on the orchestra and the skene in 1927, 1929 and 1933. The contributions of Haigh and Pickard-Cambridge, who published their opinions in 1898 and 1946, respectively, are also worth noting.
In 1951, I. Travlos investigated the area southeast of the monument, where a small Early Christian basilica of the 6th century was discovered.
In 1897, under the supervision of Sotiriades, then curator of the Acropolis, the first works for the protection and promotion of the monument were undertaken. Following a long hiatus, small-scale works were undertaken in the 1960s.
In the early years following the restoration of democracy, pressed by the state of near collapse to which the east parodos retaining wall had been reduced, the Ministry of Culture formed a scientific committee which assigned the study of the monument to W. Wurster.
After 1980, work on the monument was carried out under the supervision of M. Korres, who continued Wurster’s work, alongside interventions and further investigation.
In 1984 the Committee for the Conservation of the Theatre of Dionysus was set up, continuing restoration work on various parts of the monument.
Most publications concerning the Theatre of Dionysus primarily focus on topics pertaining to the depiction of its various phases and the various viewpoints expressed as to their dating. These phases signify important changes in the Theatre both as space and art and understandably attract wide-ranging scientific and historical interest.
Simple visit.
Many art photos taken at the Theatre during the first decade of the 20th century exist, and its orchestra was used as a rehearsal space for the Delphic festivals during 1927 and 1930. Post-war, practical considerations relating to audience safety, organizing and presenting a performance, the fragile construction material of the seats and, primarily, the special historical and artistic value of the Theatre as the cradle of Ancient Drama played a significant part in its disuse. The pressures to host performances in the area of the Acropolis shifted post-war to the partially renovated Odeon of Herodes Atticus. Additionally, a number of newer buildings formed a neighbourhood on the eastern side of the present-day archaeological site until the mid-1960s, making access to the Theatre difficult. In December of 1966, the National Theatre had announced the performance of Aeschylus’ Agamemnon at the Theatre of Dionysus as the opening night of the Athens Festival of the following year; the intervening military dictatorship meant that the performance never took place.
Issues relating to restoration and conservation are handled by the Committee of the Theatre & Sanctuary of Dionysos and the Asklepieion.
Literary sources
Pausanias describes the Theatre of Dionysus, the monuments on its site, as well as neighbouring monuments (I 21-22). Direct or indirect references to the theatre or parts of the theatre can be found in multiple parts of ancient literature.
Perception – Wealth of critical acclaim
As the Theatre of Dionysus was buried under infill for many centuries and its location was unknown, a number of misinterpretations of Pausanias concerning the area’s monuments became established. The Odeon of Herodes Atticus on the west side of the southern slope of the Acropolis was considered to be the Theatre of Dionysus. Another adopted view was that the theatre was situated at the location occupied by the Odeon of Pericles in Antiquity.
On a visit to Athens in 1765, R. Chandler was the first to correctly identify the large space below the Choragic Monument of Thrassylus with the Theatre of Dionysus. Briefly thereafter, Abbas Barthélemy correctly identified the area covered by the theatre.
Shortly thereafter, British military officer and coin collector W.M. Leake used Pausanias and a 2nd century AD coin depicting the South Slope of the Acropolis as a guide and definitively identified, in print, the location of the Theatre of Dionysus under the cavernous cavities of the Katatome, following the previous research carried out by Lord Elgin’s team of artists.
Intellectual property (images, texts, etc.)
Ephorate of Antiquities of Athens, Ministry of Culture and Sport
Legal framework – Restrictions – Permitted use
The Theatre of Dionysus is included in the list of monuments not available for art performances. It is an archaeological site open to visitors. A number of practical considerations relating to audience safety, organizing and presenting a performance, the fragile construction material of the seats and, primarily, the special historical and artistic value of the Theatre as the cradle of Ancient Drama do not allow its use as a space that may host modern performances.
The monument belongs to the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Culture / 1st Ephorate of Prehistoric and Classical Antiquities, while issues relating to its restoration and conservation are handled by the Committee of the Theatre & Sanctuary of Dionysos and the Asklepieion.
37.970383°
23.72773°’
91.8 m
| Name | Date | Amount (€) |
|---|---|---|
| PASIPS - Preeschool 'Folitsa', Nea Smyrni | 5.00 | |
| PASIPS - Preeschool 'Consider - Solve', Papagou | 21.40 | |
| PASIPS - Preeschool 'Synnefoula', Chalandri | 27.20 | |
| PASIPS - Preeschool 'Rodokipos', Maroussi | 28.00 | |
| PASIPS - Preeschool 'The little swans', Patissia | 30.30 | |
| PASIPS - Preeschool 'Game & Knowledge', Koropi | 30.70 | |
| PASIPS - Preeschool 'Pitsirikoupoli', Chalandri | 36.50 | |
| PASIPS - Preeschool 'Fotini', Alimos | 44.70 | |
| PASIPS - Preeschool 'Ta filarakia', Ilioupoli | 50.00 | |
| PASIPS - Preeschool 'Children's University', Zographou | 50.00 | |
| PASIPS - Preeschool 'Polka - Froelen', Kifissia | 50.62 | |
| PASIPS - Preeschool 'Snow White', Chalandri | 62.62 | |
| PASIPS - Preeschool 'Lilipoupoli', Vyronas | 63.50 | |
| PASIPS - Preeschool 'Kissifer', Maroussi | 64.40 | |
| PASIPS - Preeschool 'Iliachtida', Argyroupoli | 66.10 | |
| PASIPS - Preeschool 'Simoni', Gerakas | 67.00 | |
| PASIPS - Preeschool 'Protovadismata', Kolonos | 67.00 | |
| PASIPS - Preeschool 'Rodoparea', Peristeri | 68.50 | |
| PASIPS - Preeschool 'Feggaraki', Kato Pefki | 70.00 | |
| PASIPS - Preeschool 'Iliachtida', Nea Smyrni | 70.01 | |
| PASIPS - Preeschool 'Lilian Lykou', Stavros | 84.24 | |
| PASIPS - Preeschool 'Ta Zarkadakia', Papagou | 91.00 | |
| PASIPS - Preeschool 'Apochroseis' | 110.00 | |
| Diazoma Association | 100.00 | |
| PASIPS - Preeschool PASPIS Children's College, Alimos | 130.00 | |
| PASIPS - Preeschool 'Magic Flute', Petroupoli | 148.00 | |
| PASIPS - Preeschool 'Paramythoupoli', Nea Erythrea | 161.37 | |
| PASIPS - Preeschool 'Margarita', Chalandri | 169.00 | |
| PASIPS - Preeschool 'Paramythia', Glyka Nera | 276.00 | |
| Students Community of the Gymnasium of I.M. Panagiotopoulos School | 1.500.00 | |
| PASIPS - Preeschool 'I mikri chrysallida', Paiania | 45.45 | |
| Alexandros Faros | 1.000.00 | |
| 6th High School Zografou | 102.00 |
| Expenditure | Date | Amount (€) |
|---|---|---|
| Ancient theater of Dionysos tax for the theater 3D presentation | 300.00 |
| Description | Budget | Target | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Restoration Operations | 6.000.000.00 | Athens Prefecture signed a Programmatic Agreement with the Hellenic Ministry of Culture and Tourism and granted 6000000 € for the restoration operations. | |
| Additional Operations | 50.000.00 | 50.000.00 | This amount will be used for the additional operations. |
