Unknown Ancient Greek Theater Discovered On The Ionian Island of Lefkada

MessageToEagle.com – Ancient Greeks enjoyed plays very much and theater were constructed in many cities and villages. So it shouldn’t be much of a surprise that there are still a number of undiscovered ruins that might have served as theater in the past.

Archeologists have now discovered a previously unknown ancient Greek theater on Koulmou hill on the Ionian Island of Lefkada. The theater is not mentioned in any ancient sources even though the same theater seems to have been refered to by an early 20th-century archaeological excavation under the direction of German archaeologist Ε. Κrüger. Κrüger’s expedition lasted just a few days, but it appears he and his team did in fact find signs of an ancient theater on Koulmou hill.

According to Greece’s culture minister, test “sections” were cut in an area on the northeast flank of Koulmou’s middle hill, which forms an amphitheatrical downward hollow ending in a lengthy flat section.

The six sections revealed seats carved from the rock, about 0.73 to 0.90 meters deep and 0.22-0.33 meters high. In other parts, archaeologists from the Aitoloakarnania and Lefkada Antiquities Ephorate also discovered the orchestra and a section of a wall in a quadrant plan, up to 0.6 meters across. Also found in the sections were portions retaining walls.

The culture ministry said that continuing the excavation in order to reveal and protect the monument will be a priority.

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Ancient Greek Costumes, Masks And Theatre In Focus

The birth of theater in ancient Greece started when Thespis of Icaria, a Greek poet and first Greek actor, noticed how popular these amusements were. To please the public taste he set up the first rude theater.

In the beginning it was only a few boards raised on trestles to form a sort of stage in the open air. Soon, a huge amphitheater was built. It was so large that there were seats for thirty thousand spectators. Theatre buildings were called a theatron. The theaters were large, open-air structures constructed on the slopes of hills. They consisted of three main elements: the orchestra, the skene, and the audience. Theater in ancient Greece became very popular.

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References:

Greek Reporter