The ancient theatre is now situated in the theatre district, in Eretria Municipality, Evia Prefecture.
Its first building phase is probably dated to the last third of the 4th c. BC, while the second is dated circa 300 BC, based on an inscription from the reign of Demetrios Poliorcetes. During the third and final phase, after 198 BC, the stage building was extended.
The theatre has the characteristic tripartite layout of Hellenistic theatres: cavea (koilon), stage building (scene) and orchestra. Of the first phase only the foundations of the stage building survive, while the plan of the orchestra and the cavea layout are unknown.
The present form of the cavea and orchestra date from the second phase. The cavea is not set on the natural hill, as is the case with Greek theatres, but on a manmade semicircular embankment. It is divided into 11 cunei (kerkides) by 12 staircases (klimakes) providing access to the seats. The theatre had a capacity of approximately 6,000 spectators, the most eminent of whom were seated in the seats of honour (proedria).
The circular orchestra is 22 m. in diameter and is delimited by a semicircular rainwater channel connected to two underground ducts. The orchestra had a plaster floor decorated with paintings in two colours depicting a vine and grapes. An underground vaulted passageway, the “Charonian steps”, connected the stage building to the orchestra. This layout, extremely rare in Greek theatres, permitted the scenic revelation of the netherworld in certain plays.
The stage building is of the type with a raised proscenium. During the third building phase, in the early 2nd c. BC, the stage was extended with the addition of two wings decorated with painted designs. A protective grille was also placed in front of the first row of seats to protect spectators during gladiatorial combats.
About one-fifth of the original carved and partially-filled cavea remains, while most of the stone seats have been looted. Of the stage building and the retaining walls supporting the cavea infill at the parodoi, only the lower courses of limestone blocks survive. Due to the sagging walls and the resulting natural erosion of the slopes and the building material, the monument is at serious risk of collapse. Immediate steps should be taken to consolidate the walls, stabilise the slopes and conserve the stone.
Access to the monument is now forbidden due to its advanced state of deterioration. It was formerly open to the public and a small number of theatrical performances had been held there at various times.
Rosina Kolonia
Archaeologist
Theatre of Ancient Eretria
Theatre
The ancient theatre is now situated in the theatre district, in Eretria Municipality, Evia Prefecture. Its first building phase is probably dated to the last third of the 4th c. BC, while the second is dated circa 300 BC. During the third and final phase, after 198 BC, the stage building was extended, while in Roman times the theatre was also used as an arena for gladiatorial combat.
Full photographic documentation is held in the archives of the Swiss School of Archaeology in Greece and the Directorate for the Restoration of Ancient Monuments. Drawings of the monument in whole and in part are included in Hans Peter Islet’s monograph Das Theater, Eretria vol. XVIII. Separate drawings are also held in the archive of the Directorate for the Restoration of Ancient Monuments.
E. Fiechter, Das Theater in Eretria (1937),
H.P. Isler, Bericht über die Arbeiten in Theater von Eretria, AntK 42 (1999) 116,
H.P. Isler, Eretria XVIII, Das Theater (2007).
Theatre district, Eretria Municipality, Evia Prefecture.
The first building phase is probably dated to the last third of the 4th c. BC. The second is dated circa 300 BC, based on an inscription from the reign of Demetrios Poliorcetes. During the third and final phase, after 198 BC, the stage building was extended.
The theatre has the characteristic tripartite layout of Hellenistic theatres: cavea (koilon), stage building (scene) and orchestra. Of the first phase only the foundations of the stage building survive, while the plan of the orchestra and the cavea layout are unknown. The present form of the cavea and orchestra date from the second phase. The cavea is not set on the natural hill, as is the case with Greek theatres, but on a manmade semicircular embankment. It is divided into 11 cunei (kerkides) by 12 staircases (klimakes) providing access to the seats. The theatre had a capacity of approximately 6,000 spectators, the most eminent of whom were seated in the seats of honour (proedria). The circular orchestra is 22 m. in diameter and is delimited by a semicircular rainwater channel connected to two underground ducts. The orchestra had a plaster floor decorated with paintings in two colours depicting a vine and grapes. An underground vaulted passageway, the “Charonian steps”, connected the stage building to the orchestra. This layout, extremely rare in Greek theatres, permitted the scenic revelation of the netherworld in certain plays. The stage building is of the type with a raised proscenium. During the third building phase, in the early 2nd c. BC, the stage was extended with the addition of two wings decorated with painted designs. A protective grille was also placed in front of the first row of seats to protect spectators during gladiatorial combats.
About 20% of the original carved and partially-filled cavea remains, while most of the stone seats have been looted. Of the stage building and the retaining walls supporting the cavea infill at the parodoi, only the lower courses of limestone blocks survive. Due to the sagging walls, the pressure of the infill and the resulting natural erosion of the slopes and the building material, the monument is at serious risk of collapse. Immediate steps should be taken to consolidate the walls, stabilise the slopes and conserve the stone.
The theatre was excavated by the American School of Classical Studies between 1891 and 1895. To the Swiss archaeologist E. Fiechter we owe a drawing of the monument made in the 1930s. The Swiss School of Archaeology in Greece has carried out two exploratory missions in the theatre, in 1980 and 1997-1998. A study of the conservation and consolidation of the monument was prepared by the Swiss School in 1999, and a study of the consolidation of the retaining wall of the west parodos was prepared by the Directorate for the Restoration of Ancient Monuments. The Directorate has also prepared a preliminary study concerning the overall programme for the consolidation, restoration and promotion of the ancient theatre, and has planned more specific studies for each part of the monument. In 1998 wooden supports were placed against the sections of wall at risk of collapse, with the intention of replacing them with metal supports in future.
Due to the advanced state of deterioration and instability of the walls, access to the monument is now forbidden in order to protect the ruins and ensure visitor safety.
Before access to the monument was forbidden, it was open to the public and a small number of theatrical performances had been held there at various times.
The monument belongs to the jurisdiction of the 11th Ephorate of Prehistoric and Classical Antiquities. Issues of conservation, consolidation and restoration are handled by the Directorate for the Restoration of Ancient Monuments.
11th Ephorate of Prehistoric and Classical Antiquities.
The monument belongs to the jurisdiction of the 11th Ephorate of Prehistoric and Classical Antiquities. Issues of conservation, consolidation and restoration are handled by the Directorate for the Restoration of Ancient Monuments.
38.398533°
23.790581°
| Name | Date | Amount (€) |
|---|---|---|
| Athanasia Tzenaki | 5.00 | |
| Giannis Stamelos | 10.00 | |
| Mary Moursela | 10.00 | |
| Panagiotis Stamelos | 15.00 | |
| Jenny Sarapi | 20.00 | |
| Konstantinos Kapoulas | 20.00 | |
| Nikolaos Kasionis | 50.00 | |
| Ioannis Chasandras | 50.00 | |
| Panagiota Veletza | 50.00 | |
| Dimitrios Nikolaou | 50.00 | |
| Katerina - Amygdalia Pappa | 50.00 | |
| Georgios Glinos | 50.00 | |
| Achilleas Pergamalis | 50.00 | |
| Antonios Chatzicrystalis | 50.00 | |
| Euphrosyne Papacharalampous | 50.00 | |
| Persefoni Ioannidou - Alamanou | 50.00 | |
| Vlachos - Efthimiou | 100.00 | |
| Workers' Union of DEYA Eretria | 100.00 | |
| Society of Euboean Studies - Chalkida Chapter | 100.00 | |
| Maria Floutsakou - Pappa | 100.00 | |
| Stefanos Tsolakidis | 100.00 | |
| Arist. Arapoglou | 100.00 | |
| 'Ergo Logou Agapis' Association | 100.00 | |
| 'Eretes' Eretria's Theatrical Group | 100.00 | |
| Society of Euboean Studies - Aliveri Chapter | 150.00 | |
| Friends of the Folklore Museum of Chalkida | 200.00 | |
| Sylvian Fachard | 200.00 | |
| Association of Euboea's Architects | 300.00 | |
| Technical Chamber of Greece - Regional Chapter of Euboea | 500.00 | |
| 'Medusa' Active Citizens Association | 1.000.00 | |
| Athanasios Bourantas | 3.000.00 | |
| DEI S.A. DEI S.A. | 20.000.00 | |
| Amarynthos Euboea | 200.00 | |
| Diazoma Association | 6.850.00 |
| Expenditure | Date | Amount (€) |
|---|---|---|
| ΑΡΧΑΙΟ ΘΕΑΤΡΟ ΕΡΕΤΡΙΑΣ ΑΠΟΔΟΣΗ ΠΑΡΑΚΡΑΤΟΥΜΕΝΟΥ ΦΟΡΟΥ – 28/02/2015 | 840.00 | |
| ΑΡΧΑΙΟ ΘΕΑΤΡΟ ΕΡΕΤΡΙΑΣ ΑΠΟΣΤΟΛΟΥ ΝΙΚΗ ΑΠΥ 18 Α’ ΔΟΣΗ | 2.884.00 | |
| ΑΡΧΑΙΟ ΘΕΑΤΡΟ ΕΡΕΤΡΙΑΣ Β΄ ΔΟΣΗ ΜΕΛΕΤΗΣ ΑΠΟΚΑΤΑΣΤΑΣΗΣ | 8.652.00 | |
| ΑΡΧΑΙΟ ΘΕΑΤΡΟ ΕΡΕΤΡΙΑΣ ΕΞΟΦΛΗΣΗ ΜΕΛΕΤΗΣ,Φ.ΜΠΕΛΛΙΟΥ,Ν.ΑΠΟΣΤΟΛΟΥ | 5.824.00 | |
| ΑΡΧΑΙΟ ΘΕΑΤΡΟ ΕΡΕΤΡΙΑΣ ΜΕΛΕΤΗ ΑΠΟΚΑΤΑΣΤΑΣΗΣ – Β’ ΔΟΣΗ – 31/10/2014 | 8.652.00 | |
| ΑΡΧΑΙΟ ΘΕΑΤΡΟ ΕΡΕΤΡΙΑΣ ΜΠΕΛΙΟΥ ΦΩΤΕΙΝΗ ΑΠΥ 33 Α’ ΔΟΣΗ | 2.884.00 | |
| ΑΡΧΑΙΟ ΘΕΑΤΡΟ ΕΡΕΤΡΙΑΣ Παρακράτηση φόρου Δ.Ε.Η. | 95.00 | |
| ΑΡΧΑΙΟ ΘΕΑΤΡΟ ΕΡΕΤΡΙΑΣ ΦΟΡΟΣ ΜΕΛΕΤΗΣ ΑΠΟΣΤΟΛΟΥ ΚΑΙ ΜΠΕΛΙΟΥ | 1.120.00 | |
| ΑΡΧΑΙΟ ΘΕΑΤΡΟ ΕΡΕΤΡΙΑΣ ΦΟΡΟΣ ΜΕΛΕΤΗΣ ΑΠΟΣΤΟΛΟΥ,ΜΠΕΛΙΟΥ | 1.120.00 | |
| ΑΡΧΑΙΟ ΘΕΑΤΡΟ ΕΡΕΤΡΙΑΣ ΦΟΡΟΣ ΜΕΛΕΤΩΝ | 1.680.00 |
| Description | Budget | Target | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elaboration of restoration study | 100.000.00 | 100.000.00 | With the amount raised from the money box of the monument, Diazoma assgned the study of maintenance and restoration of the ancient theatre to the scholars Niki Apostolou and Fotini Belliou. |
The restoration works are underway. By November 2020, extensive archaeological cleaning was completed. Moreover, the restoration and completion of the skene retaining walls and the reconstruction of conduit surrounding the koilon (seating area) took place. The completion of the klimakes (stairways) and the reconstruction of the seats in the koilon with new materials is underway. In total, the completion of 580 seats (edolia) with artificial stone is planned. (CURRENT STATE)
Monitoring and completion of works. (NEXT STEP)
