Art and Art History Collection (Saskia)
Files
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Publisher
Saskia, Ltd., Cultural Documentation
Publication Date
January 1966
Time Period
circa 340-330 BCE
Abstract
Overall view down from uppermost seats facing orchestra from northeast
Keywords
Greek Classical period, Theatron, Theater, Cavea, Scaenae, Orchestras (stage spaces)
Alt Text
An ancient amphitheater with stone seating, surrounded by hills and trees. The central stage and orchestra can be seen in full.
Extent
1 color photograph
Geographic Location
Greece; Epidaurus (Greece)
Rights
This material is licensed by USF Libraries for the research and teaching needs of USF students, staff, and faculty only. See: https://lib.usf.edu/collections-and-discovery/collection-management/user-terms/
Access Restrictions
Only thumbnail images and descriptive information are available to non-USF users. Full access to this collection is available only to authorized users on the USF network on campus or via VPN.
Media Type
Color photographs
Format
Digital Only
Note
This is an open-air amphitheater constructed in the late 4th century BCE by architect Polykleitos the Younger. It is revered as the best-preserved and most architecturally perfect theater of ancient Greece. Sanctuary of Asclepius, the ancient god of medicine. The Greeks believed that drama and music possessed profound therapeutic properties. Attending plays was viewed as a psychological therapy to purify emotions (catharsis) and assist in the physical recovery of patients visiting the sanctuary. This theater is known for its exceptional acoustic design. A study determined that the limestone seating acts as a natural filter, dampening low-frequency background noise while bouncing and amplifying the high-frequency sounds coming from stage. The structure features a classic tripartite Hellenistic layout of a circular orchestra which is the performing space, a cavea which is the seating shell, and the skene which is the stage backdrop. It was built in two distinct phases, the lower 34 rows expanded upon during the Roman period, adding an addition 21. This expansion brought the maximum capacity to roughly 13-14 thousand spectators. Due to it being buried under layers of soil and vegetation for centuries, the structure remained [reserved from severe erosion. The area was excavated between 1881-1883 by archaeologist Panagis Kavadias.
Identifier
A01-JGA0113
Recommended Citation
Architect, Polykleitos the Younger, "Ancient Theatre at the Asklepieion of Epidaurus, D" (1966). Art and Art History Collection (Saskia). 208.
https://digitalcommons.usf.edu/saskia/208
