DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.4264#0077
and
section of,
CHAPTER III.
' Plate XVIT n.j ,
tween%unea^
Callimachus\aBipt
>oked olive-tree, c*
ftofthis>Fig.i^
Hy profaned by.afc|
t the right-hand, fc;
2 XVII. In the uppa
:s a Jupiter Fulmimj;
:aring in her hand a li;
in the Pandroseua {
tune : this was found ■
Athens, had two son,!
eeded to the kingdom
lained hereditary in lis:
gus is placed another i
laps been an altardedie
lignity and importance i
t reverenced.
option to tkt on tie ^
'par excellence,*
Lm at B—Si
le0fCere* ?
ckhCorp.Insc.^0'' F ;
).
OF THE THEATRE OF BACCHUS'.
uUrth volume
[m
This building is in so ruinous a state, that I have been some time in doubt whether I should attempt to
give any description of it, seeing it must at best be very imperfect, on account of the obstacles that
a This ruin, with more reason, is termed the Theatre op He-
rodes Atticus, later research proving a different site to have been
that of the Theatre of Bacchus.
The style of construction here is evidently posterior to the age
when, according to Pausanias, the Theatre of Athens was com-
pleted by the orator Lycurgus, who was a cotemporary of Alex-
ander the Great; which, moreover, he states to have been begun
by others. This theatre, from its comparative inferiority of
size, being, by calculation, only capacious enough for eight thou-
sand people, was therefore too small for the reception of the
Athenian population assembled at the great Dionysiac festivals,
when, as inferred from Plato, the theatre of Bacchus was capable
of receiving an audience of above thirty thousand persons. The
real site of the theatre of Bacchus was conjectured by Dr. Chand-
ler to have been at the cavea beneath the choragic monument
and tripodial columns, at the south-east angle of the Acropolis, an
idea which has been confirmed by recent excavations, as well as
by collateral ancient evidence, graphic, medallic, and lapidary, to
which we shall have occasion to allude in the next chapter. No
doubt can therefore now remain on that subject; but it is to be
regretted that Stuart should have persevered in the mistake of
Wheler and Spon, in terming this the theatre of Bacchus, since it
induced many incorrect conclusions in his topographic illustration
of other parts of Athens. Dr. Chandler supposed this theatre
to have been only a restoration, by Herodes Atticus, of the Odeum
of Pericles: but we deduce from Vitruvius that his Odeum was to
the east of the great theatre; this is to the west of it, and is cer-
tainly an original structure. Pausanias, in speaking of the Odeion
at Patrai, incidentally alludes to that at Athens built by Herodes;
he observes: " The Odeion here is the most remarkable for orna-
ment of all those in Greece, excepting that at Athens, which ex-
cels both in magnitude and in magnificence. Herodes, an Athenian,
erected it in memory of his defunct wife. I made no mention of
this Odeion in my description of Attica, because I had composed
my account of Athenian affairs before it was erected by Herodes."
This theatre from its locality could have been no other than the
Odeum of Kegilla, built by Herodes Atticus, and so named
as a tribute of posthumous conjugal affection. The same Herodes
completed the Panathena'i'c stadium, and also built the stadium
at Delphi; he raised an aqueduct at Alexandria Troas, and many
other sumptuous edifices throughout Greece. Endowed by for-
tune with princely wealth, he administered it, under a succession
of beneficent sovereigns, with taste, munificence, and virtue.
The following inscriotion, seen at Athens, on a pedestal, which
probably bore his statue, is an existing record of the affection of
the Athenians towards him.
TONAPXIEPEATfiNEEBA
ETfiNTlB-KAATAIONATTI
KONHPfiAHNMAPA0fiNI
ONHANTIOXfr<I)TAHANE
0HKENETNOIAEENEKEN
KATEYEPrEEIAXTHXEIX
THNIIATPIAA.
" The Tribe Antiochis have
dedicated this to the Priest
of the Ceesars, Tiberius Claudius
Atticus Herodes, the Marathonian,
on account of his benevolence
and beneficence to his Country."
The Theatre here described having been an Odeion, the system
of Vitruvius, or other authors who have written specifically on
the Greek Theatre, cannot altogether be supposed to apply to it.
The plan of the theatre before us, however, is remarkable in
the small depth of the proscenium, which is brought forward only
about twenty-five feet. The coilon somewhat exceeds a semicircle,
the excess was apparently part of the same circle, the extreme
diameter of which, within the outside walls, is 248 feet. There
was no apparent access to the seats but from staircases at the
right and left of the proscenium, but it is probable, as at pre-
sent, that there was an approach from the ancient road leading to
the Acropolis, near the Temple of iEsculapius. The recesses re-
maining in the wall at the upper Sid&y.a or praecinctio, (that is
at the circular passage or alley encircling the upper seats,) indicate
the number and width of the cunei, which were seven, divided
by the radiating flights of steps. The holes which appear below
the arches in the view were evidently for the timbers necessary
to the construction of the stage. The three ranges of arches
above each other, display a Roman style of architecture. It
is remarkable that the arches of the middle or second range have
a descending soffit towards the interior, manifestly proving that
part of the edifice to have been covered; indeed, Philostratus
states the Odeum of Herodes to have had a roof of cedar, but
this could not have applied to the entire theatre.
This structure has been completely stripped of the marble in-
crustation which once adorned it, as indicated by the cramp and
plug-holes by which they were fastened ; and much of the ma-
terials of the walls, which consist of common freestone and
rubble work, have been removed as from a quarry, leaving the
ruin a very shapeless but picturesque mass. It is curious to
remark that Le Key, the pretended rival of our authors, asserts
the whole structure to have been constructed in marble: his
words are, " les murs de ce Theatre sont de huit pieds trois
pouces d'epaisscur, et il est construit tout en marble blanc"; but
in fact there is no marble to be seen about the ruin, nor are
any architectural mouldings to be identified as belonging to it.
Traces of stucco may still be discovered within the arches below
the proscenium, which was jointed, but not in correspondence
with the joints of the stone. Within the proscenium is a well of
brackish water, which was occasionally resorted to by the Turks
of the Acropolis, supplied probably from the spring of the Ascle-
pieum. The antiquity of this well is not determined. Water
however seems to have been a frequent desideratum at or near the
ancient theatres. At the theatre of Syracuse there is an antique
conduit for water, encircling the coilon, cut in the rock beneath
the seats, wholly distinct from the channel for the modern
mill stream, which has been mistaken for it. At the theatre
of Nicopolis, in Epirus, there are three openings in the cavea,
which are supposed, in the travels of the Rev. Thomas Hughes,
to have been made for water for the accommodation of the au-
dience, founded on the following passage from D'Orville's Sicula:
" Et Scipio JMaffseus in Gallia; Antiq. Epist. XXIV. p. 142. ag-
noscit in theatro Arausionensi aquarum conductum sive recepta-
culum subterraneum ex more antiquorum : in theatro Hadriensi
sunt duorum quasi puteorum ora, in ipsis euneis." P. 264. It
is known also, that as early as the time of Pompey, and in
the ages of Imperial refinement, many Roman theatres were not
only refreshed by water, but, on occasions, were even perfumed
with odoriferous showers. Regarding the well in this theatre
VOL. II.
section of,
CHAPTER III.
' Plate XVIT n.j ,
tween%unea^
Callimachus\aBipt
>oked olive-tree, c*
ftofthis>Fig.i^
Hy profaned by.afc|
t the right-hand, fc;
2 XVII. In the uppa
:s a Jupiter Fulmimj;
:aring in her hand a li;
in the Pandroseua {
tune : this was found ■
Athens, had two son,!
eeded to the kingdom
lained hereditary in lis:
gus is placed another i
laps been an altardedie
lignity and importance i
t reverenced.
option to tkt on tie ^
'par excellence,*
Lm at B—Si
le0fCere* ?
ckhCorp.Insc.^0'' F ;
).
OF THE THEATRE OF BACCHUS'.
uUrth volume
[m
This building is in so ruinous a state, that I have been some time in doubt whether I should attempt to
give any description of it, seeing it must at best be very imperfect, on account of the obstacles that
a This ruin, with more reason, is termed the Theatre op He-
rodes Atticus, later research proving a different site to have been
that of the Theatre of Bacchus.
The style of construction here is evidently posterior to the age
when, according to Pausanias, the Theatre of Athens was com-
pleted by the orator Lycurgus, who was a cotemporary of Alex-
ander the Great; which, moreover, he states to have been begun
by others. This theatre, from its comparative inferiority of
size, being, by calculation, only capacious enough for eight thou-
sand people, was therefore too small for the reception of the
Athenian population assembled at the great Dionysiac festivals,
when, as inferred from Plato, the theatre of Bacchus was capable
of receiving an audience of above thirty thousand persons. The
real site of the theatre of Bacchus was conjectured by Dr. Chand-
ler to have been at the cavea beneath the choragic monument
and tripodial columns, at the south-east angle of the Acropolis, an
idea which has been confirmed by recent excavations, as well as
by collateral ancient evidence, graphic, medallic, and lapidary, to
which we shall have occasion to allude in the next chapter. No
doubt can therefore now remain on that subject; but it is to be
regretted that Stuart should have persevered in the mistake of
Wheler and Spon, in terming this the theatre of Bacchus, since it
induced many incorrect conclusions in his topographic illustration
of other parts of Athens. Dr. Chandler supposed this theatre
to have been only a restoration, by Herodes Atticus, of the Odeum
of Pericles: but we deduce from Vitruvius that his Odeum was to
the east of the great theatre; this is to the west of it, and is cer-
tainly an original structure. Pausanias, in speaking of the Odeion
at Patrai, incidentally alludes to that at Athens built by Herodes;
he observes: " The Odeion here is the most remarkable for orna-
ment of all those in Greece, excepting that at Athens, which ex-
cels both in magnitude and in magnificence. Herodes, an Athenian,
erected it in memory of his defunct wife. I made no mention of
this Odeion in my description of Attica, because I had composed
my account of Athenian affairs before it was erected by Herodes."
This theatre from its locality could have been no other than the
Odeum of Kegilla, built by Herodes Atticus, and so named
as a tribute of posthumous conjugal affection. The same Herodes
completed the Panathena'i'c stadium, and also built the stadium
at Delphi; he raised an aqueduct at Alexandria Troas, and many
other sumptuous edifices throughout Greece. Endowed by for-
tune with princely wealth, he administered it, under a succession
of beneficent sovereigns, with taste, munificence, and virtue.
The following inscriotion, seen at Athens, on a pedestal, which
probably bore his statue, is an existing record of the affection of
the Athenians towards him.
TONAPXIEPEATfiNEEBA
ETfiNTlB-KAATAIONATTI
KONHPfiAHNMAPA0fiNI
ONHANTIOXfr<I)TAHANE
0HKENETNOIAEENEKEN
KATEYEPrEEIAXTHXEIX
THNIIATPIAA.
" The Tribe Antiochis have
dedicated this to the Priest
of the Ceesars, Tiberius Claudius
Atticus Herodes, the Marathonian,
on account of his benevolence
and beneficence to his Country."
The Theatre here described having been an Odeion, the system
of Vitruvius, or other authors who have written specifically on
the Greek Theatre, cannot altogether be supposed to apply to it.
The plan of the theatre before us, however, is remarkable in
the small depth of the proscenium, which is brought forward only
about twenty-five feet. The coilon somewhat exceeds a semicircle,
the excess was apparently part of the same circle, the extreme
diameter of which, within the outside walls, is 248 feet. There
was no apparent access to the seats but from staircases at the
right and left of the proscenium, but it is probable, as at pre-
sent, that there was an approach from the ancient road leading to
the Acropolis, near the Temple of iEsculapius. The recesses re-
maining in the wall at the upper Sid&y.a or praecinctio, (that is
at the circular passage or alley encircling the upper seats,) indicate
the number and width of the cunei, which were seven, divided
by the radiating flights of steps. The holes which appear below
the arches in the view were evidently for the timbers necessary
to the construction of the stage. The three ranges of arches
above each other, display a Roman style of architecture. It
is remarkable that the arches of the middle or second range have
a descending soffit towards the interior, manifestly proving that
part of the edifice to have been covered; indeed, Philostratus
states the Odeum of Herodes to have had a roof of cedar, but
this could not have applied to the entire theatre.
This structure has been completely stripped of the marble in-
crustation which once adorned it, as indicated by the cramp and
plug-holes by which they were fastened ; and much of the ma-
terials of the walls, which consist of common freestone and
rubble work, have been removed as from a quarry, leaving the
ruin a very shapeless but picturesque mass. It is curious to
remark that Le Key, the pretended rival of our authors, asserts
the whole structure to have been constructed in marble: his
words are, " les murs de ce Theatre sont de huit pieds trois
pouces d'epaisscur, et il est construit tout en marble blanc"; but
in fact there is no marble to be seen about the ruin, nor are
any architectural mouldings to be identified as belonging to it.
Traces of stucco may still be discovered within the arches below
the proscenium, which was jointed, but not in correspondence
with the joints of the stone. Within the proscenium is a well of
brackish water, which was occasionally resorted to by the Turks
of the Acropolis, supplied probably from the spring of the Ascle-
pieum. The antiquity of this well is not determined. Water
however seems to have been a frequent desideratum at or near the
ancient theatres. At the theatre of Syracuse there is an antique
conduit for water, encircling the coilon, cut in the rock beneath
the seats, wholly distinct from the channel for the modern
mill stream, which has been mistaken for it. At the theatre
of Nicopolis, in Epirus, there are three openings in the cavea,
which are supposed, in the travels of the Rev. Thomas Hughes,
to have been made for water for the accommodation of the au-
dience, founded on the following passage from D'Orville's Sicula:
" Et Scipio JMaffseus in Gallia; Antiq. Epist. XXIV. p. 142. ag-
noscit in theatro Arausionensi aquarum conductum sive recepta-
culum subterraneum ex more antiquorum : in theatro Hadriensi
sunt duorum quasi puteorum ora, in ipsis euneis." P. 264. It
is known also, that as early as the time of Pompey, and in
the ages of Imperial refinement, many Roman theatres were not
only refreshed by water, but, on occasions, were even perfumed
with odoriferous showers. Regarding the well in this theatre
VOL. II.