GREECE EPIRUS IOANNINA DODONA

The theatre of Dodona was one of the largest in Greece, seating 20,000 spectators. Still today it is an impressive monument and next to the one in Epidaurus one of the best preserved ancient theatres in Greece. - The photo of my students admiring the theatre may be misleading: usually there is hardly anyone around.

Sitting in one of the top rows of Dodona's theatre, looking down to the orchestra, the valley and the Tomaros mountains beyond, it is hard to believe that some 100 years ago only the massive retaining walls of this superb theatre rose above the ground. Ancient Dodona was rediscovered in 1873 by Konstantinos Karapanos. The following excavation campaigns yielded important finds and since 1961 careful restoration works were undertaken.

Built in 297-272 BC during the reign of Pyrrhus, the theatre shared the fate of several destructions and rebuildings with other monuments on the site. In the time of Roman occupation (1st century BC) it served as an arena.

Below: The arched gateway of the theatre's skene. On my first visit in April 1996 there still was snow on the Tomaros mountains.

Above: The very massive retaining walls with its towers on either side of the theatre's cavea. - Below: A plan of Dodona.

The history of Dodona is much older than that of its theatre - Dodona is one of the oldest and most important sanctuaries of early Greek history. In fact, it goes back to prehistoric times when deities were not worshipped in temples but in sacred groves. Possibly before the 14th century BC, the much older cult of the Earth goddess Gaia was transformed into the cult of Zeus and the sacred oak tree. As a place of oracle, Dodona was of utmost importance long before Delphi. Greek mythology tells that the goddess Athena installed a piece of Dodona's sacred oak tree into the ship of the Argonauts to advise them during their dangerous expedition.

Above left: A rare example of stone seats in a stadion. - Above right: The Bouleuterion with a large hall and a Doric stoa in the front (below centre of the photograph). Erected in the 4th / 3rd century BC, destroyed twice and rebuilt, it was used until the end of the 1st century BC.