DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.45927#0043
2.3 The Scene
41
2.3.2 Scaenae Frons
The long south wall, as it appears today, shows an awkward disjunction between the parodoi and the remains
of the central portion that includes the five doorways and the pedestals of the scaenae frons which flank them
(plan 4; 5). The impression is produced partly by the comparatively poor preservation of the stage architecture
which stands to a maximum height of only 2.30 m. More important are the alterations made in the course of the
mid-2nd century rebuilding, most notably in the redesign of the scaenae frons, which produced abrupt changes
of scale and technique in contiguous features. Once the two major phases are disentagled, it will become clear
that there was, in the pre-Vedius Bouleuterion, a unity of design across the entire width of the building. This
was based, as in the parodoi, on two continuous horizontal zones - a massive lower zone built of large, roughly
finished blocks revetted with sheets of marble, supporting well made walls of finely joined and dressed marble
blocks - both vertically subdivided by a system of projecting column-bearing elements, essentially structural,
but partly decorative in nature (pl. 45).
The roughly faced masonry of the parodos walls with its system of crudely built, but well-bonded buttresses
continued through the scene, which was pierced by five doorways (SD 1-SD 5). The doorways SD 3 and SD
5 (plan 1) were clearly secondary features cut through the wall, at some point, to augment the original three,
which show a more sophisticated construction technique.73 The thresholds of these later doorways, laid upon
the undisturbed wall course below, were made of re-used cornice blocks from doorways whose molded profiles
are visible from the corridor side (pl. 35, 2). Each received two sets of pivot holes in its outer ends. The larger
set was connected by a doorstop and held leaves that opened outwards on the corridor side. The second set, ca.
0.27 m to the north, was smaller and would have supported a less substantial door. One threshold bears verti-
cal, radially tapered slots apparently for bolts attached to the door which could be let down to secure the gate
from the inside. This system of relatively flimsy doors, and a pair of pry holes in the eastern threshold, suggests
that regular stone doorjambs were planned but abandoned, probably when it was realized that the doorway
thus formed would be only 0.68 m wide. It is not known whether inner and outer doors were used together or
whether one replaced the other.
The three original doorway openings (SD 2, SD 4 and SD 6), representing the traditional stage doors in
Greek and Roman theaters, formed an integral part of the wall. The central door, or porta regia, was 1.80 m
wide, and the lateral doors or portae hospitales, m wide respectively.
The lower portion of each jamb was made of a single block whose upper surfaces rose to a uniform height
of 0.75 m above the threshold. The jambs were 0.85 m to 0.95 m wide and nearly equal in thickness to the wall.
Each was cut back on the corridor side to accommodate door leaves in an open position, and was provided with
cuttings to take a metal plate for pivots (plan 1). Above this level, the wall was stepped back as in the doorways
in the ends of the southern parodos walls, and blocks were set in with segments of fasciated jamb moldings
cut in their outer edges. These blocks also extended through the thickness of the wall and were cut back with
continuations of the reveals for the door leaves.
The outer jambs in the east and west doorways (SD 2 and SD 6) bear remains of pier capitals (pl. 36, 1)
identical in size, form and level with those in the parodos doorways (SD 1 and SD 7; pls. 31, 1-3), and we can
assume that the other jambs, whose lower blocks terminate at the same height, carried these capitals as well.
This is irrefutable evidence that the pulpitum was a secondary addition to an earlier plan, for the thresholds of
the original stage doors lay at the same level as those in the parodoi. When the pulpitum was built, the jambs
were refashioned above the higher floor level, receiving sockets and reveals, and thresholds were inserted with
doorstops for leaves that swung open into the rear corridor. A small hole 0.09 m off-center above the doorstop
in the western doorway would have received a bolt fastened to one of the door leaves securing the door from
the inside. The other two thresholds do not have this feature and may have belonged to later repairs.
2.3.3 The Pedestals
Of all aspects of the Bouleuterion, the column-bearing pedestals attached to the scene wall have received the
most interest. This is certainly due to E. Fossel’s theory that the building had originally served as a Council
73 See below chap. 3.4 with notes.
41
2.3.2 Scaenae Frons
The long south wall, as it appears today, shows an awkward disjunction between the parodoi and the remains
of the central portion that includes the five doorways and the pedestals of the scaenae frons which flank them
(plan 4; 5). The impression is produced partly by the comparatively poor preservation of the stage architecture
which stands to a maximum height of only 2.30 m. More important are the alterations made in the course of the
mid-2nd century rebuilding, most notably in the redesign of the scaenae frons, which produced abrupt changes
of scale and technique in contiguous features. Once the two major phases are disentagled, it will become clear
that there was, in the pre-Vedius Bouleuterion, a unity of design across the entire width of the building. This
was based, as in the parodoi, on two continuous horizontal zones - a massive lower zone built of large, roughly
finished blocks revetted with sheets of marble, supporting well made walls of finely joined and dressed marble
blocks - both vertically subdivided by a system of projecting column-bearing elements, essentially structural,
but partly decorative in nature (pl. 45).
The roughly faced masonry of the parodos walls with its system of crudely built, but well-bonded buttresses
continued through the scene, which was pierced by five doorways (SD 1-SD 5). The doorways SD 3 and SD
5 (plan 1) were clearly secondary features cut through the wall, at some point, to augment the original three,
which show a more sophisticated construction technique.73 The thresholds of these later doorways, laid upon
the undisturbed wall course below, were made of re-used cornice blocks from doorways whose molded profiles
are visible from the corridor side (pl. 35, 2). Each received two sets of pivot holes in its outer ends. The larger
set was connected by a doorstop and held leaves that opened outwards on the corridor side. The second set, ca.
0.27 m to the north, was smaller and would have supported a less substantial door. One threshold bears verti-
cal, radially tapered slots apparently for bolts attached to the door which could be let down to secure the gate
from the inside. This system of relatively flimsy doors, and a pair of pry holes in the eastern threshold, suggests
that regular stone doorjambs were planned but abandoned, probably when it was realized that the doorway
thus formed would be only 0.68 m wide. It is not known whether inner and outer doors were used together or
whether one replaced the other.
The three original doorway openings (SD 2, SD 4 and SD 6), representing the traditional stage doors in
Greek and Roman theaters, formed an integral part of the wall. The central door, or porta regia, was 1.80 m
wide, and the lateral doors or portae hospitales, m wide respectively.
The lower portion of each jamb was made of a single block whose upper surfaces rose to a uniform height
of 0.75 m above the threshold. The jambs were 0.85 m to 0.95 m wide and nearly equal in thickness to the wall.
Each was cut back on the corridor side to accommodate door leaves in an open position, and was provided with
cuttings to take a metal plate for pivots (plan 1). Above this level, the wall was stepped back as in the doorways
in the ends of the southern parodos walls, and blocks were set in with segments of fasciated jamb moldings
cut in their outer edges. These blocks also extended through the thickness of the wall and were cut back with
continuations of the reveals for the door leaves.
The outer jambs in the east and west doorways (SD 2 and SD 6) bear remains of pier capitals (pl. 36, 1)
identical in size, form and level with those in the parodos doorways (SD 1 and SD 7; pls. 31, 1-3), and we can
assume that the other jambs, whose lower blocks terminate at the same height, carried these capitals as well.
This is irrefutable evidence that the pulpitum was a secondary addition to an earlier plan, for the thresholds of
the original stage doors lay at the same level as those in the parodoi. When the pulpitum was built, the jambs
were refashioned above the higher floor level, receiving sockets and reveals, and thresholds were inserted with
doorstops for leaves that swung open into the rear corridor. A small hole 0.09 m off-center above the doorstop
in the western doorway would have received a bolt fastened to one of the door leaves securing the door from
the inside. The other two thresholds do not have this feature and may have belonged to later repairs.
2.3.3 The Pedestals
Of all aspects of the Bouleuterion, the column-bearing pedestals attached to the scene wall have received the
most interest. This is certainly due to E. Fossel’s theory that the building had originally served as a Council
73 See below chap. 3.4 with notes.
