The Theater of Dionysus in Athens

2024 Author: Leah Sherlock | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 05:25

In this article we will tell you about such an interesting building as the theater of Dionysus (Athens). It is located in the Acropolis. Not everyone knows what the Acropolis is, so let's first briefly talk about it. After that, we will present you the theater of Dionysus, a photo and description of which you will find in this article. This building, as you will see, is very interesting. And also we will introduce you to the ancient Greek god himself, to whom such a remarkable building as the ancient Greek theater of Dionysus is dedicated.

Acropolis

Acropolis is a fortified and elevated part of the city (not only Athens, but also many other ancient Greek cities), which was also a fortress-shelter in case of war. There were usually many temples dedicated to various patron deities. The Acropolis in Athens is a rocky hill 156 meters high, with a gently sloping top (about 170 meters wide and 300 meters long). It is here, among other architectural monuments, that the theater of Dionysus is located in ancient Greece. In ancient times, the Acropolis was rightfully considered the center of the spirituality of Athens. In the 4th century BC e. It was here that various solemn processions were held in honor ofof this or that deity, as well as sacrifices, obligatory at that time, sports competitions were held, scenes from the life of the gods were staged.

God Dionysus

Dionysus is also known as the "god with bull horns", as he liked to take the form of this animal. This is the son of Zeus and Semele, the Theban princess. According to legend, Zeus, who appeared in a flash of lightning in front of his beloved, accidentally incinerated her, but managed to grab the premature Dionysus from the flame and sew him into his thigh. God gave birth to a child in due time, after which he gave him to the nymphs for education. Dionysus, wandering around the world, met Ariadne, abandoned by Theseus, and married her. The king of Thebes Pentheus tried to imprison him, but Dionysus severely punished him: on his orders, the maenads in a rage tore this king to pieces.

Cult of Dionysus

Researchers tend to argue that the cult of this god was of Eastern origin. It became widespread in Greece much later than the cult of other gods. With great difficulty, besides, he established himself here. The name of Dionysus can still be found on tablets dating back to about the 14th century BC, but the popularization of the cult was carried out only in the 7th-8th centuries AD. e., when the cult of Dionysus began to gradually replace the worship of other heroes and gods.

Much later, Dionysus became one of the 12 Olympian gods. He began to be revered at Delphi, along with Apollo. He was dedicated in Attica special holidays, called Dionysia. They included solemn processions, competitionspoets;

Sanctuary of Dionysus in the Acropolis

Pisistratus, who ruled at that time, was an admirer of Dionysus, who was the patron of winemaking, fun, religious ecstasy. This god was also famous as removing the fetters of everyday life, freeing from worries.

In the Acropolis, on the south side, it was built, thanks to the efforts of this ruler. Sanctuary of Dionysus Eleuthereus. It contained an ancient statue of this deity, and after a while it was decided to replace the old temple with a new one. In the center of the new Sanctuary now stood a new statue of Dionysus, adorned with gold, made of ivory. By decree of Peisistratus, a dance floor was built near the temple. It was she who became the first "brick" in the building of the theater of Dionysus.

Wooden and stone theater

It was originally built of wood. Performances based on the tragedies of Euripides, Sophocles, Aristophanes, Aeschylus were held here. But soon the wooden seats intended for the public were rebuilt. They have become stone - more durable and reliable. And this is not surprising. The Greeks were very fond of theatrical performances, which eventually became not part of public celebrations and religious ceremonies, but a separate art form, with its own traditions and rules. The Theater of Dionysus in Athens (see photo below) is a very impressive building even today.

67 seats

Interesting descriptions of thisamazing example of Roman architecture are found in many historical documents. The theater of Dionysus is one of the oldest on earth. According to historical documents, its first row consisted of 67 chairs, which were made of the rarest and most expensive marble. They were by no means intended for commoners. They were occupied by representatives of the honorary nobility who visited the theater of Dionysus in Greece. Some, which is quite remarkable, are even carved with the names of people who ruled in various periods of the history of Ancient Greece. Today, on the site where the theater is located, you can see these chairs. True, not all of them have survived.

On a small ledge, in the second row, is the chair of Hadrian, the Roman emperor, who was known as a great lover of theatrical art, philosophy and poetry. Here, in addition, Nero liked to speak a little later - another Roman emperor, who became famous all over the world for his bad taste. It was he who once burned the capital of the Roman Empire.

Features of the Theater of Dionysus

According to the assumptions of most of the archaeologists who participated in the excavations, the theater of Dionysus could accommodate almost 17 thousand people, eager to see the theatrical performance with their own eyes.

This figure is quite insignificant by modern standards, but it was quite impressive for that time and amounted to about half the number of all the inhabitants of Athens. The theater of Dionysus, due to its large size, had no roof coverings. Both spectators and participantsthe performances were outdoors. Natural light illuminated what was happening on the stage of such a building as the theater of Dionysus (Greece). His photo is presented below.

Theater reconstruction

The structure has changed its appearance several times. Built in the 5th century BC. e. The theater of Dionysus has undergone some changes throughout its existence. As we have already said, the wooden chairs, as well as the stage, were replaced after some time with marble ones. In the 1st century A. D. e., when it was customary, in addition to theatrical performances, to hold gladiatorial and circus performances, the first row of this theater was supplemented with a side made of iron rods and marble. This allowed the audience to watch fearlessly the predators and bloody battles. In the 2nd century, when Nero, the Roman emperor, came to power, the restoration of the building also touched the orchestra - the near part of the stage, where the choir was located. It was made more embossed and decorated with paintings depicting scenes from the myths of Dionysus.

Theatrical performances of the ancient Greeks

Speaking of theatrical performances held in ancient times, it should be noted that they differed significantly from modern ones. In ancient Greece, initially, the public could follow the actions of only one actor, who "narrated" the fate of some hero, accompanied by a choir. A little later, several of them began to take part in the performance at once, but their artistic possibilities were very limited. The reason for this was thateach actor had to put on the mask of one of the characters in turn, and all the skill, thus, was reduced to the ability to deftly and competently control the body and voice.

How did the ancient Greeks express their opinion about the performance?

The public of that time behaved rather peculiarly. If today's performances end with cries of "Bravo!" and applause in case of success, and silence - in case of failure, then in ancient times everything was completely different. The performance they liked was also stormily greeted: admiring cries and a flurry of applause. But the spectators, who for some reason did not accept or did not understand the theatrical action, were by no means silent. They expressed their disapproval by stomping and whistling. The enraged audience, moreover, could throw stones at the actor, demanding to start another performance. The participant in the theatrical action was supposed to give her pleasure, so he would start the next performance if he remained alive.

The Theater of Dionysus in Athens reached a high level more than ten centuries after its opening. Beginning in the 16th and 17th centuries, productions of Shakespearean dramas began to be held here, as well as other high-class performances by classicists and Elizabethans who imitated the ancients.

The best, from an artistic point of view, of what has been preserved in the ruins of the theater is a sculptural frieze depicting funny satires. He has been here since the reign of Nero.

Restoration of the Theater of Dionysus

Greek authorities today talk about what has already been allocated for the restoration of the buildingmore than 6 million euros, which were collected not only through funding from the state budget, but also with the help of a commercial organization called Diazoma, famous in Greece for its desire to preserve and protect the most ancient monuments of architecture and history. By the middle of 2015, it is planned to complete the restoration work. During this time, it is also planned to strengthen the walls, add several new tiers of seats, and restore decorative elements. The restoration and restoration of such an important historical site as the theater of Dionysus in Athens was entrusted to Konstantinos Boletis. This Greek architect has spearheaded a project that is gigantic in scope and complexity.

Architectural monuments located near the theater

Travelers traveling to Greece will be interested to know that the theater of Dionysus in ancient Greece is surrounded by various architectural monuments that have survived to this day. They also belong to the ancient era. This, for example, is the temple of the goddess Artemis, who is the patroness of all living things. It is located in the rock hanging over the theater. Once there was a chapel of Panagia Spiliotisa (that is, Our Lady of the Cave). Women whose children were seriously ill for a long time called for her help. You can also see columns not far from the theater of Dionysus, indicating that there was a memorial at this place, which was a symbol of the victory of the theater group at one of the festivals of Ancient Greece.

Around the theater of Dionysus are also the ruins of two temples dedicated to thisgod. They date back to the 6th and 4th centuries BC. e. The stones belonging to the concert hall of the Pericles Odeon are on the right. This building dates back to 40 BC. e.