Ancient Greek Architecture
Ancient Greek Theater Architecture Many aspects of ancient Greek theaters have long been studied and debated. Much of the information about these theaters is based on speculation due to the fact that so little of them still exist today. This lack of remnants especially applies to the architecture of the early Greek Theaters. However, through archeological finds and years of studying the people, the plays, and the architecture of the time, we are able to make many conclusions about these early structures. Greek Theaters are classified into three categories: The early Athenian Theaters, Hellenistic Theaters, and Graeco-Roman Theaters. Like most new inventions or creations, the initial theaters built by the Athenians were very simple. In the fifth century B.C., it became popular to build theaters on the slope of a large hill, or an acropolis, the most famous, being in Athens. These early theaters could be divided into three parts. The theater consisted of the theatron (or auditorium), the orchestra, and the skene (or scene building) (Betancourt). The Greeks would eventually perfect a technique that would fit as many spectators into the theatron as possible. At first the spectators sat on the ground until wooden bleachers were install
Another new aspect of the Hellenistic Theaters was the columns used next to the skene. These wings were officially called paraskenia. Theater and drama was born in Attica, the present day Athens. If someone was entering from the right parodos, it meant that he was coming from the city or the port. There were painted boards located behind the columns called pinakes. Built on the Acropolis is the theater where many of the lost and surviving plays from the fifth and fourth century B. The skene of the fifth century theater is believed to have been a temporary structure, erected and taken down for each festival. Due to the presence of the altar in the center of the orchestra, the actor was essentially robbed of the most prime place to stand in order to address the entire audience (Harwood 50). The Theater Dionysus, like many of its descendants was built in the open air of an acropolis. If he was coming from the left parodos, he was coming from the fields or abroad. Most prominent, however, were the changes to the orchestra. Between the orchestra and the skene was a level surface known as the proscenium. However, due to religious themes of the plays, the altar was occasionally utilized in the performances as well.
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