GREECE CENTRAL GREECE EVVIA ERETRIA THEATRE

The ancient theatre is perhaps the most imposing monument of Eretria. It was originally built in the 5th or 4th century BC on an artificial hill with only wooden seats in the koilon. In the second building phase around 300 BC the theatre was shaped up to a large extent in its present form. The length of the koilon is 90 m, while the diameter of the orchestra is 18,35 m. The diazoma comprised 30 rows of stone seats, divided by staircases in 11 tiers. It could thus host 6,300 spectators making it a medium-sized theatre. The theatre was destroyed by the Romans in 198 BC, and was subsequently rebuilt, but of cheaper material. Like most Greek theatres it was then turned into an arena for other kinds of spectacles. - The theatre was first excavated 1891-1895 by the American School of Classical Studies, followed by the excavation of the Swiss School of Archaeology in Athens in 1998.

During my visits in 2016 the site was quite deserted, but fenced and locked - so another access had to be found (the dog found its own way). Unfortunately most of the stone benches have been looted in the course of the centuries. But there still is the quite unique vaulted underground passage (photos below), the "charonian stairway" (stairs of Hades) allowing actors impersonating chthonic deities and the deads to appear and perform at the orchestra.

Above: A strange slab in the orchestra and blocks of stone near the east parodos. - Below: At the southwestern end of the theatre the foundations of a 4th century BC temple of Dionysos are preserved. His cult is traditionally related to theatres.