lesson 3- the theatre building

Question 1

what was the theatron?

Answer 1

‘the watching area’- the area where the audience sat

Question 2

where would the theatron usually be built?

Answer 2

normally built on a hillside as it was in Athens- this allowed a steep viewing area and so made the setting clearly visible to all spectators

Question 3

how many sections would the theatron be divided into?

Answer 3

The theatron was divided into 12 wedges, it seems 10 of these were set aside for the 10 Athenian tribes whilst the other sections were for non-Athenians and perhaps also for women and slaves

Question 4

how many people could fit into the theatron?

Answer 4

at least 600 spectators

Question 5

what has been found under the theatron and what could this have been used for?

Answer 5

Tunnels have been found under the theatron which could have been used for stone balls which were rolled down the tunnels to create the effect of thunder.

Question 6

what did spectators in the 5th century sit on?

Answer 6

they probably sat on cushions or boards but by the 4th century BCE the theatron and most Greek theatres had marble seats.

Question 7

What was the literal name for an orchestra?

Answer 7

the ‘dancing area’ which was normally circular and about 20 metres in diameter

Question 8

what was the orchestra used for?

Answer 8

it was a level space where the chorus of the play was performed and where the chorus could interact with the actors on the skene and proskene

Question 9

how big was the orchestra in the theatre of Dionysus on the Acropolis?

Answer 9

Around 60 feet in diameter

Question 10

what would be found close by the orchestra?

Answer 10

An altar to dionysus which would usually be found at the centre of the orchestra for sacrifice and as a prop- if so, it was a reminder that the god Dionysus was presiding over the play and over his festival (the city of dionysia) taking place

Question 11

what was the prohedria?

Answer 11

front row seating in the theatre which would usually be occupied by officials, dignitaries and archones, whilst in the theatre of dionysus the seats were also reserved for the priests of dionysus.

Question 12

How do we know that the front row seats were reserved for officials such as the priest of Dionysus?

Answer 12

Some sources such as ‘frogs’ suggest this when the character of Dionysus addresses the priest of Dionysus in a moment of fright.

Question 13

what was the proskene?

Answer 13

The stage where the actors visually performed

Question 14

what was the skene?

Answer 14

a building literally meaning ‘tent’ or ‘booth’ directly behind the proskene which featured a low wooden stage where the actors could perform. The skene had at least one set of doors and actors could make entrance and exit through them throughout the play. there was also access to the roof at the back of the skene so that actors playing gods and other characters could appear on the roof if needed.

Question 15

what would the skene be decorated to look like?

Answer 15

it could usually be decorated as a palace, temple or other building depending on the needs of the play

Question 16

in the early 5th century what could the skene have been?

Answer 16

it could have been a tent where actors changed and where costumes and props could have been held.

Question 17

what did the parodos/ eisodos function as?

Answer 17

these would be found on either side of the orchestra and the skene building- these were pathways that acted as an entrance for the chorus and some actors (such as those representing messengers or people returning from abroad). The audience also used them before and after the performance to enter and exit the theatre.

Question 18

where was the theatre of dionysus located?

Answer 18

located on the south-east side of the Acropolis

Question 19

when was the theatre of dionysus in use from?

Answer 19

the second half of the sixth century

Question 20

why does the earliest form of the theatre of dionysus not survive?

Answer 20

theatres were typically built from wood so little trace of them has survived

Question 21

when was the theatre of dionysus first built in stone and under the supervision of who?

Answer 21

It was first built in stone 320s or 330s BCE under the supervision of leading Athenian statesman lycurgus, and so the theatre of this era is sometimes reffered to as the lycurgan theatre

Question 22

what do the remains of the theatre of dionysus today date from?

Answer 22

The ruins today reflect the later period in the theatre’s history when the theatre was remodelled in the first and third centuries.

Question 23

how many spectators could the theatre of dionysus hold?

Answer 23

17,000 spectators

Question 24

what is meant by the term lycurgan theatre?

Answer 24

It refers to when the theatre was built in stone in the 320s under the supervision of Athenian statesman lycurgus, and so the theatre is sometimes reffered to as the lycurgan theatre

Question 25

why have the skene and proskene not survived in the theatre of dionysus?

Answer 25

before the late fourth century, theatres were built from wood and so little trace of them has survived

Question 26

what was the significance of the settings and the surroundings of the theatre of dionysus?

Answer 26

1. it was located above a sanctuary of dionysus on the south eastern foot of the acropolis
2. practically, the south side of the Acropolis was protected from the cold and north winds which blew in the winter months- this meant it was easier for the audience to deal with the cold when viewing plays in the colder months
3. the symbolic importance is drawn from the fact the theatre was set between the Acropolis- the religious heart of the city.

Question 27

where can you find the theatre of Thorikos?

Answer 27

In a coastal deme of Attica

Question 28

what date was the theatre of thorikos in use from?

Answer 28

the late sixth or early fifth century BCE

Question 29

which festival would have been held at the theatre of Thorikos?

Answer 29

the rural dionysia

Question 30

how far was Athens from Thorikos?

Answer 30

20 miles south east of Athens

Question 31

what was the capacity of the theatre of Thorikos?

Answer 31

a little over 3,000, which makes it large for a deme theatre

Question 32

what was significantly different about the theatre of Thorikos?

Answer 32

it is a regional theatre which has a different layout from the circular layout of the acting area in the theatre of Dionysus