Description

The focus of the present study lies on the ancient theatre architecture. The purpose is to study and better understand the invention and the development of the architectural type of the Greek and Roman theatre from the beginning in archaic times until the end of the Roman Empire. With the exception of the temple buildings the theatres are indeed the most diffused building type in Classical Antiquity. Of more than 800 single theatres and odeia there exist until today monumental remains. Almost 200 more theatres are attested by epigraphical and literary sources. The diffusion of ancient theatre buildings covers the entire ancient world, from Ai Khanoum, in the northeast of modern Afghanistan, on the borders to Tadschikistan, to Olisipo in modern Portugal, and from Camulodunum in England to Oxyrhynchos and Antinoe in Egypt and Petra in southern Jordan. For the majority of ancient theatres our knowledge is still unsatisfactory. Therefore it is necessary to reassume the documentation of all the buildings in an extensive catalogue which includes all ancient theatre buildings as far as there exist monumental evidence or epigraphical and literary testimony. In the catalogue all theatres documented by material remains are described and analysed in detail. The catalogue includes also the ancient odeia, i. e. roofed theatre buildings, as a distinction between them and unroofed theatres is not always possible. The monuments attested by epigraphical or literary evidence are also listed in the catalogue as they are important for the analysis of the geographical and chronological distribution of the ancient theatres. As far as possible the catalogue aims to be complete.