DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.4266#0136
DETAILS OF THE THEATRE OF SYRACUSE. 51
cushion or portable seat, to produce a greater elevation to the spectator. The Syracusan antiquaries
adopt generally this opinion. Logotetaa mentions the probability of a marble covering, and directed
by this observation, G. M. Capodieci discovered in 1804, a marble fragment, of which he thus speaks
in his work b. " To me was reserved the good fortune to discover on the 14th of September 1804,
on removing a great mass of earth, not on all the seats, but on those of the lower part of the theatre
towards the end near the orchestra, a seat (quarto sedile) with small remains of a covering of white
marble, of only one sort, and not of various qualities. The seats, which were thus covered, had not
the hollowed part left for the feet, as those of the upper ranges of seats."
The podium of the diazoma was decorated with base and surbase mouldings, the facia of the
latter has an inscription cut in its face at each staircase, to distinguish the cunei. The inscriptions on
the cunei A and I are destroyed, but the others still retain traces of the following letters :
Cuneus B • BA2IAI22A2 ■ NHPHIA02 Cuneus F • IIAN • • • A......AN
Cuneus C • BA2IAI22A2 OIAI2TIA02 Cuneus G • HPAKEG2 ETOPONIOT
Cuneus D ■ BA2IAI22A2-------N02 Cuneus H • A • • • A • ■ ■ P.....
Cuneus E ■ AI02 OATMniOT Cuneus I.........
The name of Philistis is found on many Sicilian coins, and is considered by Mr. Hughes0 to be
another designation of Nereis the wife of Gelo, son of Hiero, king of Syracuse. The name of Hera-
clius was common in Syracuse. Among others we learn from Cicero's second oration against Verres,
that a certain Hieron having left by will all his fortune to his son Heraclius, on condition that he
erected certain statues in the Gymnasium, Verres deprived the latter of his fortune for not having
fulfilled the condition of the will.
Fig. 3. Section through the podium of the diazoma, with the cornice restored.
T. L. D.
■ " Antichi Monumenti di Siragusa Illustrati," p. 267. c Travels in Sicily, &c. Vol. I. p. 99.
•> "Lavcrita in prospetto," p. 72, 8vo. Messina, 1818.; also,
'■ Antichita di Siragusa Illustrate." Tom. II. p. 40. c. 14.
cushion or portable seat, to produce a greater elevation to the spectator. The Syracusan antiquaries
adopt generally this opinion. Logotetaa mentions the probability of a marble covering, and directed
by this observation, G. M. Capodieci discovered in 1804, a marble fragment, of which he thus speaks
in his work b. " To me was reserved the good fortune to discover on the 14th of September 1804,
on removing a great mass of earth, not on all the seats, but on those of the lower part of the theatre
towards the end near the orchestra, a seat (quarto sedile) with small remains of a covering of white
marble, of only one sort, and not of various qualities. The seats, which were thus covered, had not
the hollowed part left for the feet, as those of the upper ranges of seats."
The podium of the diazoma was decorated with base and surbase mouldings, the facia of the
latter has an inscription cut in its face at each staircase, to distinguish the cunei. The inscriptions on
the cunei A and I are destroyed, but the others still retain traces of the following letters :
Cuneus B • BA2IAI22A2 ■ NHPHIA02 Cuneus F • IIAN • • • A......AN
Cuneus C • BA2IAI22A2 OIAI2TIA02 Cuneus G • HPAKEG2 ETOPONIOT
Cuneus D ■ BA2IAI22A2-------N02 Cuneus H • A • • • A • ■ ■ P.....
Cuneus E ■ AI02 OATMniOT Cuneus I.........
The name of Philistis is found on many Sicilian coins, and is considered by Mr. Hughes0 to be
another designation of Nereis the wife of Gelo, son of Hiero, king of Syracuse. The name of Hera-
clius was common in Syracuse. Among others we learn from Cicero's second oration against Verres,
that a certain Hieron having left by will all his fortune to his son Heraclius, on condition that he
erected certain statues in the Gymnasium, Verres deprived the latter of his fortune for not having
fulfilled the condition of the will.
Fig. 3. Section through the podium of the diazoma, with the cornice restored.
T. L. D.
■ " Antichi Monumenti di Siragusa Illustrati," p. 267. c Travels in Sicily, &c. Vol. I. p. 99.
•> "Lavcrita in prospetto," p. 72, 8vo. Messina, 1818.; also,
'■ Antichita di Siragusa Illustrate." Tom. II. p. 40. c. 14.