THE ANCIENT GREEK THE ANCIENT GREEK THEATRETHEATRE

Translated in English by Marietta KolokythaTranslated in English by Marietta Kolokytha

ProvenanceProvenance

The ancient Greek The ancient Greek theatre:theatre:

Was born at the agrarian Was born at the agrarian celebrations of celebrations of DionysosDionysos

Is said to have Is said to have originated from originated from DithyrambusDithyrambus..

THE CHARACTER OF THE THE CHARACTER OF THE ANCIENT GREEK THEATREANCIENT GREEK THEATRE

The ancient Greek theatre had a popular The ancient Greek theatre had a popular charactercharacter, , which means that it addressed to all which means that it addressed to all peoplepeople

Its popular character was portrayed on the Its popular character was portrayed on the topics of the plays, as well as on the topics of the plays, as well as on the construction of the theatres and the construction of the theatres and the organisation of the performances.organisation of the performances.

The state was responsible for the organisation The state was responsible for the organisation of the performances.of the performances.

The performances took place in theatrical The performances took place in theatrical competitions during the celebrations of competitions during the celebrations of Dionysos.Dionysos.

The “Eponimus” man of substance supervised The “Eponimus” man of substance supervised the competitions.the competitions.

A wealthy citizen, “the provider”, paid all the A wealthy citizen, “the provider”, paid all the costs of the performances.costs of the performances.

People could attend free of charge (The People could attend free of charge (The institution of “Theorica”).institution of “Theorica”).

THE PERFORMANCETHE PERFORMANCE

The actors The actors (“Hypocrites”)(“Hypocrites”)

That’s what actors were calledThat’s what actors were called.. Only men could become actors.Only men could become actors. They wore masksThey wore masks.. They wore “kothornus”, some They wore “kothornus”, some

special shoes with high, thick special shoes with high, thick soles in order to look taller and soles in order to look taller and more imposingmore imposing..

THE DANCERSTHE DANCERS

They accompanied the They accompanied the actors.actors.

They sang the “Parodos” They sang the “Parodos” ((the first song when the the first song when the dancers got into the dancers got into the orchestraorchestra)) and the “Stasima” and the “Stasima” (songs which separated the (songs which separated the episodes from one another)episodes from one another)

They were represented by They were represented by the “Leader”.the “Leader”.

MACHINESMACHINES

They contributed to the execution of the They contributed to the execution of the performance.performance.

ΤΤhe waver a type of crane that he waver a type of crane that presented the Gods (deus ex machina)presented the Gods (deus ex machina)

The “Periaktoi” were prisms to The “Periaktoi” were prisms to which paintings of sceneries, scenes which paintings of sceneries, scenes of battle etc could be adjusted.of battle etc could be adjusted.

ΤΤhe “Ekkiklima”he “Ekkiklima”

was a wheel-moving stand-strecher on which was a wheel-moving stand-strecher on which they represented and transfered the images of they represented and transfered the images of the dead, as the actual crime scene never took the dead, as the actual crime scene never took place at the orchestra.place at the orchestra.

MASKSMASKS

They were worn by the They were worn by the actors.actors.

They were very expressive.They were very expressive. They had the natural size of They had the natural size of

the human face and a big the human face and a big hole at the mouth which hole at the mouth which allowed the actors to speak allowed the actors to speak clearly.clearly.

They were made up of They were made up of wood, skin, cloth or flour wood, skin, cloth or flour paste.paste.

ARCHITECTUREARCHITECTURE

The OrchestraThe Orchestra

The SceneThe Scene

The “Koilon”The “Koilon”

The AccusticsThe Accustics

The orchestraThe orchestra

It was a round, usually tiled, It was a round, usually tiled, square in the middle of the square in the middle of the theatre. In other words it theatre. In other words it was the scene of the theatres was the scene of the theatres nowadays.nowadays.

After the play had begun, After the play had begun, the dancers were positioned the dancers were positioned at the orchestra.at the orchestra.

In the middle of the In the middle of the orchestra there was the orchestra there was the “Thimeli”, an altar of “Thimeli”, an altar of DionysosDionysos..

The sceneThe scene

It was a rectangular building It was a rectangular building that was added at the 5that was added at the 5thth century.century.

Initially, the scene was on Initially, the scene was on the ground floor. It was used the ground floor. It was used as the wings and the as the wings and the dressing-rooms nowadays.dressing-rooms nowadays.

Later the scene evolved and Later the scene evolved and became two-storied. It became two-storied. It formed a balcony in which formed a balcony in which the action of the actors was the action of the actors was tranfered. This balcony was tranfered. This balcony was named “logion”.named “logion”.

The “Koilon”The “Koilon”

It was named after its It was named after its shape(horn level).shape(horn level).

It was the place where It was the place where the “edolia” the “edolia” (spectators'’ seats) (spectators'’ seats) spread spread amphitheatrically.amphitheatrically.

It took up the biggest It took up the biggest part of the theatre.part of the theatre.

At the first row of the At the first row of the “koilon”, in the “koilon”, in the circumference of the circumference of the orchestra, there was the orchestra, there was the presidency, a semicircle presidency, a semicircle row of stone seats row of stone seats designed for the officers designed for the officers and the honorable men.and the honorable men.

ΤΤhe rest of the seats he rest of the seats might have been made might have been made up from wood or stone.up from wood or stone.

Beyond the final row of Beyond the final row of the seats it was easy to the seats it was easy to expand the theatre, expand the theatre, when necessary, by when necessary, by adding extra seats.adding extra seats.

The accusticsThe accustics

The excellent acoustics was the main The excellent acoustics was the main characteristic of the architecture of the ancient characteristic of the architecture of the ancient Greek theatre.Greek theatre.

It hasn’t been discovered yet whether the It hasn’t been discovered yet whether the acoustics were the result of a special study of acoustics were the result of a special study of the architects or just a coincidence.the architects or just a coincidence.

TYPESTYPES

The plays that were The plays that were performed were:performed were:

TragediesTragedies

ComediesComedies

Satyr dramasSatyr dramas

The satyr dramas were merry The satyr dramas were merry performances in which the dancers performances in which the dancers consisted of satyrsconsisted of satyrs

This reminds of the provenance of the This reminds of the provenance of the theatre from “dithyrambus”.theatre from “dithyrambus”.

Tragic poetsTragic poetsAeschylusAeschylus

He is regarded as the He is regarded as the “Father of Tragedy”.“Father of Tragedy”.

He added complicated He added complicated backgrounds and backgrounds and machines.machines.

He added a second He added a second actor.actor.

Aeschylus’ WorksAeschylus’ Works

The SuppliantsThe Suppliants

The PersiansThe Persians

Seven against ThebesSeven against Thebes

Prometheus BoundPrometheus Bound

SophoclesSophocles

He brought about He brought about lots of lots of breakthroughs.breakthroughs.

He increased the He increased the number of the number of the dancers to 15.dancers to 15.

He added a third He added a third actor.actor.

Sophocles’ WorksSophocles’ Works

AntigoneAntigone

Oedipus the TyrantOedipus the Tyrant

ElectraElectra

Oedipus at ColonoOedipus at Colono

EyripidesEyripides Through his works Through his works

he anthemed with he anthemed with endless love his endless love his town.town.

He was very beloved He was very beloved among the young among the young people.people.

He added the Deus He added the Deus ex machine.ex machine.

Euripides’ WorksEuripides’ Works

MedeiaMedeia

TroyantsTroyants

Ifigeneia at TauroisIfigeneia at Taurois

Ifigeneia “en aylidi”Ifigeneia “en aylidi”

ComediansComediansAristophanesAristophanes

It is estimated that he It is estimated that he wrote more than 40 wrote more than 40 comediescomedies..

Through his work he Through his work he critisised severely the critisised severely the society and the religion society and the religion of his time.of his time.

Because of some of his Because of some of his works he was deprived works he was deprived of his political rights.of his political rights.

Aristophanes’ WorksAristophanes’ Works

The AcharniansThe Acharnians

PeacePeace

The birdsThe birds

LisistratiLisistrati

The frogsThe frogs

Some significant ancient theatresSome significant ancient theatres

The theatre of MegalopolisThe theatre of MegalopolisIt could hold 21000 spectators.It could hold 21000 spectators.

The theatre of EpidaurosThe theatre of EpidaurosIt could hold 20000 spectators.It could hold 20000 spectators.

The theatre of Dionysos in AthensThe theatre of Dionysos in AthensIt could hold 17000 spectators.It could hold 17000 spectators.

The theatre of DelfoiThe theatre of Delfoi

The theatre of DelosThe theatre of Delos

The significance of theatre inThe significance of theatre inancient Greeceancient Greece

The theatre in ancient Greece had never been The theatre in ancient Greece had never been just a diversion.just a diversion.

The ancient Greek theatre was educative fro The ancient Greek theatre was educative fro people, since it was a means of education people, since it was a means of education which was free of charge.which was free of charge.

It was part of the religion(Celebrations of It was part of the religion(Celebrations of Dionysos).Dionysos).

It judged the political and social situation of It judged the political and social situation of that time.that time.

It resembled a big, popular court concerning It resembled a big, popular court concerning the social and political management of the the social and political management of the city-state.city-state.

THE ROMAN THEATRETHE ROMAN THEATRE TheatreTheatre a means of

propaganda in the era of August in the era of August in favour of the existence of a great in favour of the existence of a great Roman Empire(imperium Roman Empire(imperium romanum) that guarantees the romanum) that guarantees the freedom and prosperity of its freedom and prosperity of its citizens.citizens.

ARCHITECTUREARCHITECTURE Construction of theatresConstruction of theatres: : on flat levels onlyon flat levels only

Vaulted constructions radiated underneath the Vaulted constructions radiated underneath the “koilon”“koilon” (cavea, auditorium).(cavea, auditorium).

ΤΤhe friezeshe friezes ( (praesinctiones seperated the roman praesinctiones seperated the roman “koilon” into horizontal parts“koilon” into horizontal parts ( (maeniana: ima maeniana: ima cavea, media cavea, summa cavea).cavea, media cavea, summa cavea).

SeatsSeats (cunei) (cunei) and narrow steps and narrow steps (scalaria).(scalaria).

At the ultimate point of the “koilon”At the ultimate point of the “koilon”: : roofed roofed portico portico (porticus in summa cavea) (porticus in summa cavea) and in the and in the middle of it a middle of it a templetemple (sacellum) (sacellum) dedicated to a dedicated to a god.god.

For the protection of the audience against sun For the protection of the audience against sun or rainor rain the “koilon” was roofed by a huge tend the “koilon” was roofed by a huge tend made up frommade up from sailclothsailcloth(velarium).(velarium).

Connection of “koilon” with the sceneConnection of “koilon” with the scene= = “Theoria”.“Theoria”.

A big curtain if front of the scene, what we A big curtain if front of the scene, what we nowadays call stage curtain nowadays call stage curtain (aulaeum), (aulaeum), and and isolated its façade.isolated its façade.

SIGNIFICANCE OF THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE ANCIENT ROMAN THEATREANCIENT ROMAN THEATRE

Scene many-roofed, luxurious structure with a facadewith a facade(scaenae frons) (scaenae frons) of of luxurious architecture and plastic luxurious architecture and plastic decorationdecoration with “Thiromata”with “Thiromata”, , temples temples (aediculae), (aediculae), shellsshells, , columnscolumns and statues.and statues.

Intense sculptural decorationIntense sculptural decoration formation formation of a united cultureof a united culture for the citizens of the for the citizens of the Empire and a reminder of the Empire and a reminder of the constant constant presence of the Emperorpresence of the Emperor and his axiom.

Over the three central doors of the facadeOver the three central doors of the facade statues portraying the Emperor, his family, as statues portraying the Emperor, his family, as well as the God each town honoured the most.well as the God each town honoured the most.