DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.47233#0086
70
THE THEATRE.
[CHAP. IV.
Reference to
Plates.
Photographs.
Plans.
The ‘ Thersilion.’
The Portico
before the Ther-
silion
served also as
‘ irons scenae ’ in
the Theatre.
by Epaminondas; for this was the only time when there was any reasonable prospect of the
1 Great City ’ containing a population sufficiently large to justify its name and the scale on
which it was laid out.5
§ 2. Reference to Plates.
Before discussing the Theatre in detail, we would refer our readers to the photographs
(Plates II., III., IV.) and plans (Plates V.—XIII.).
The first photograph (A) gives a general view of the Theatre looking down into it from
the centre of the ridge of the auditorium. Immediately beyond the Theatre is seen the square
outline of the Thersilion, intersected by the trenches of our excavation. Beyond the river appear
the Agora6 (to the left) and the Tumulus7 (to the right). The completely excavated building
upon the river bank, almost exactly opposite the Theatre, is that which we identify with some
approach to certainty as the Hieron of Zeus Soter,8 and marks the south-east corner of the Agora.
Photograph B was taken from a point within the Thersilion. It shows clearly the orchestra and
auditorium of the Theatre, with the extant seats, the portico connecting Theatre and Thersilion, the
Vitruvian proscenium, etc. Photograph C is a view of the same from a point about half-way up
the embankment of the auditorium, at its western extremity; and photograph D, taken from
the east, shows the western end of the auditorium, with the Υκανοθήκα (or ‘property-room’),
which at this side of the Theatre occupied the position usually held by a πάροδος. E shows in
detail the remains of the Portico, and F is a view of the eastern extremity of the seats.
The plans, sections, and elevations speak for themselves. With their help it is easy to
distinguish the various parts of the Theatre—the auditorium, with its retaining walls, diazomata,
seats and staircases; the front benches or seats of honour (θρόνοι), and the gutter separating these
from the orchestra; the great Portico which connects the Thersilion with the Theatre; the
Vitruvian (or ‘ later ’) proscenium; the πάροδος at the east side of the orchestra; the peculiar
building (X/capo^/ca, or ‘ property-room ’) which occupies the position of a western πάροδος; and
many other remains which it is needless to enumerate here. We shall assume that these
plates are before the eye of the reader throughout the following pages, in which we shall
consider all the different parts of the Theatre in detail.
A few words must be said here about the Thersilion, the final publication of which is
reserved for a future occasion, since the building itself is at present only partially excavated,
and its plan consequently incomplete. The bases represented in the plan are those which had
been brought to light by the end of October, 1891. Their number and position prove that they
supported a great covered hall, and their manner of distribution indicates that the arrangement
of this hall somewhat resembled that of a theatre, adapted to a quadrangular building. The
columns which stood upon the four inmost bases, somewhat south of the centre of the hall, formed
a sort of nucleus from which the other columns radiated outwards towards the sides of the building,
the bases in the outer rows lying at a somewhat higher level than those in the inner. The
restoration given in Fig. 1 (Chap. III.) is doubtless, in its main outlines, correct, though it may
require some modification when the excavation, which has already been taken in hand, is
complete. Possible differences of period in its construction will also have to be considered on a
future occasion.
The great Portico, to which we have already several times referred, formed a facade and
entrance to the Thersilion, much as the so-called ‘ Portico of Philo ’ formed the front of the covered
‘ Hall of the Mysteries ’ at Eleusis,9 a building which in many respects offers a nearer analogy to
the Thersilion than any other building which we know. The Portico at Megalopolis, however,
performed a double function; for, as the Thersilion occupies the position which belongs to the
‘ scena ’ (σκηνη), i.e. the property and dressing-rooms, in other Greek theatres, so the Portico must-
be regarded, in its relation to the Theatre, as the ‘ irons scenae,’10—i.. the background before which
5 See Chap. I. See Chap. V.
6 See Chap. V. 9 See Fig. 2 (Chap. III.), and Πρακτικά, 1887, Pl. I.
‘ See Chap. II. § 3. 10 Vitruvius v. 7, 1. This view, here merely stated, is
8 Paus. viii. 30, 10.—iepov ^ωτήρος έπίκλησιν Διό?. discussed in § 4.
THE THEATRE.
[CHAP. IV.
Reference to
Plates.
Photographs.
Plans.
The ‘ Thersilion.’
The Portico
before the Ther-
silion
served also as
‘ irons scenae ’ in
the Theatre.
by Epaminondas; for this was the only time when there was any reasonable prospect of the
1 Great City ’ containing a population sufficiently large to justify its name and the scale on
which it was laid out.5
§ 2. Reference to Plates.
Before discussing the Theatre in detail, we would refer our readers to the photographs
(Plates II., III., IV.) and plans (Plates V.—XIII.).
The first photograph (A) gives a general view of the Theatre looking down into it from
the centre of the ridge of the auditorium. Immediately beyond the Theatre is seen the square
outline of the Thersilion, intersected by the trenches of our excavation. Beyond the river appear
the Agora6 (to the left) and the Tumulus7 (to the right). The completely excavated building
upon the river bank, almost exactly opposite the Theatre, is that which we identify with some
approach to certainty as the Hieron of Zeus Soter,8 and marks the south-east corner of the Agora.
Photograph B was taken from a point within the Thersilion. It shows clearly the orchestra and
auditorium of the Theatre, with the extant seats, the portico connecting Theatre and Thersilion, the
Vitruvian proscenium, etc. Photograph C is a view of the same from a point about half-way up
the embankment of the auditorium, at its western extremity; and photograph D, taken from
the east, shows the western end of the auditorium, with the Υκανοθήκα (or ‘property-room’),
which at this side of the Theatre occupied the position usually held by a πάροδος. E shows in
detail the remains of the Portico, and F is a view of the eastern extremity of the seats.
The plans, sections, and elevations speak for themselves. With their help it is easy to
distinguish the various parts of the Theatre—the auditorium, with its retaining walls, diazomata,
seats and staircases; the front benches or seats of honour (θρόνοι), and the gutter separating these
from the orchestra; the great Portico which connects the Thersilion with the Theatre; the
Vitruvian (or ‘ later ’) proscenium; the πάροδος at the east side of the orchestra; the peculiar
building (X/capo^/ca, or ‘ property-room ’) which occupies the position of a western πάροδος; and
many other remains which it is needless to enumerate here. We shall assume that these
plates are before the eye of the reader throughout the following pages, in which we shall
consider all the different parts of the Theatre in detail.
A few words must be said here about the Thersilion, the final publication of which is
reserved for a future occasion, since the building itself is at present only partially excavated,
and its plan consequently incomplete. The bases represented in the plan are those which had
been brought to light by the end of October, 1891. Their number and position prove that they
supported a great covered hall, and their manner of distribution indicates that the arrangement
of this hall somewhat resembled that of a theatre, adapted to a quadrangular building. The
columns which stood upon the four inmost bases, somewhat south of the centre of the hall, formed
a sort of nucleus from which the other columns radiated outwards towards the sides of the building,
the bases in the outer rows lying at a somewhat higher level than those in the inner. The
restoration given in Fig. 1 (Chap. III.) is doubtless, in its main outlines, correct, though it may
require some modification when the excavation, which has already been taken in hand, is
complete. Possible differences of period in its construction will also have to be considered on a
future occasion.
The great Portico, to which we have already several times referred, formed a facade and
entrance to the Thersilion, much as the so-called ‘ Portico of Philo ’ formed the front of the covered
‘ Hall of the Mysteries ’ at Eleusis,9 a building which in many respects offers a nearer analogy to
the Thersilion than any other building which we know. The Portico at Megalopolis, however,
performed a double function; for, as the Thersilion occupies the position which belongs to the
‘ scena ’ (σκηνη), i.e. the property and dressing-rooms, in other Greek theatres, so the Portico must-
be regarded, in its relation to the Theatre, as the ‘ irons scenae,’10—i.. the background before which
5 See Chap. I. See Chap. V.
6 See Chap. V. 9 See Fig. 2 (Chap. III.), and Πρακτικά, 1887, Pl. I.
‘ See Chap. II. § 3. 10 Vitruvius v. 7, 1. This view, here merely stated, is
8 Paus. viii. 30, 10.—iepov ^ωτήρος έπίκλησιν Διό?. discussed in § 4.