Papers of the American School of Classical Studies at Athens (1.1882-1883)

148

THE THEATRE OF DIONYSUS.

as the seat. These parts measure respectively about 0.33 m., 0.42 m.,
and 0.10 m. The steps of the stairways are of the same height as the
seats, but they slope downward so that the front edge of the step is only
0.22 m. in height, while the back is 0.10 m. higher; and we ascend
as we pass over the step, which is grooved to prevent slipping.

It remains now to determine the period to which the building of
the kolXov is to be assigned. I have already stated the belief that the
theatre was largely built during the fifth century B.C. ; and this view
is strongly supported by what has been found in the kolXov. The
character of this entire structure points to an early date, and the
various parts of it all seem to have been erected at the same time.
Julius takes what seems to me a most reasonable view of the matter,*
and rejects C. Curtius's statement j that retaining walls of various ages
have been uncovered on the west side of the theatre. The ruins of
the kolXov are certainly uniform in character. We can fix approxi-
mately one date, previous to which the kolXov could not have been
finished. In the Piraic-stone facing of the western TrapoSos, at the
corner i, a block of stone has been built into the wall which bears an
obscure inscription.^ According to Kirchhoff, judging by the style
of certain letters, the inscription is to be assigned to a time about
Olymp. 93 (408 B.C.). Julius does not concur in this opinion,
but inclines to the belief that the stone dates back to the middle
of the fifth century B.C. The presence of the stone shows us
that the kolXov could not have been finished (even upon Julius's
theory) before the middle of the fifth century B.C., and probably was
still unfinished at about 408 B.C. We cannot be greatly mistaken,
I think, in ascribing 'its completion to the later part of the fifth cen-
tury B.C. The character of the entire structure supports this view,

* Zeitschr. fiir bild. Kunst, XIII. p. 202. f PJiilologus, XXIV. pp.27off.
% C '/. A., I. No. 499. o X

BCIAH^
Y PHPETD^

BovXr/s virriptTuv, i.e., \_seats^\ of tJie servants of tJie Senate.

Kirchhoff says (/. c.) : Videtur autem lapis olim scriptus esse ad locum designan-
dum, in quo spectabant senatus apparitores, post recentiore tempore sede motus
et muro exaedificando adhibitus. The interpretation of the inscription is doubt-
ful, and it is impossible to be at all sure that the stone w as ever one of the seats
of the theatre. It is built into the wall with the inscription inverted.