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Theatre of Epidauros

"The Epidaurians have a theatre within the sanctuary, in my opinion very well worth seeing. For while the Roman theatres are far superior to those anywhere else in their splendor, and the Arcadian theatre at Megalopolis is unequalled for size, what architect could seriously rival Polykleitos in symmetry and beauty? For it was Polykleitos who built both this theatre and the circular building." (Pausanias 113)

The prosperity brought by the Asklepieion enabled Epidauros to construct civic monuments too, including the magnificent theatre that delighted Pausanias for its symmetry and beauty. The theatre, built into the hill with a great view of the surrounding landscape, is in fact part of the sanctuary of Asklepios which it faces.

The theatre was designed by Polykleitos the Younger around 360 BCE and can hold up to 15,000 people. It is quite a feat of engineering, formed from massive stone blocks being laid on the hill. As is usual for Greek theatres (and as opposed to Roman ones), the view of the natural landscape behind the skene is an integral part of the theatre itself and is not to be obscured. The original 34 rows were extended in Roman times by another 21 rows. The lower part is roomier and the seats lower, probably so as to accomodate a pillow. The upper section was the cheap seats, which were higher to sit on. This means the top of the theatre is slightly steeper than the bottom, which probably contributed to the good acoustics.

The theatre, aside from having a great view, is said to have the most perfect acoustics in the entire world. The unamplified spoken word from the proscenium or skene can be heard quite clearly by all spectators, regardless of their seating. Attempts to copy the astonishing acoustic properties have failed, and a 2007 study by Nico F. Declercq and Cindy Dekeyser of the Georgia Institute of Technology indicates that they are the result of a fortuitous accident: the rows of limestone seats filter out low-frequency sounds, such as the murmur of the crowd, and amplify/reflect high-frequency sounds from the stage.

The theater is one of the best preserved ancient structures in Greece and is now used for modern presentations of ancient Greek drama.

Sources:
» Ancient Theatre Archive
» Ancient Acoustics: The Theater of Epidauros
» Mystery of Greek Amphitheater's Amazing Sound Finally Solved
» Wikipedia
» Perseus
» Photos by docnic, Mr G's Travels and Jasper Houtman, all used under the Creative Commons license.

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