Ancient Theatre of Philippi, Kavala

The Ancient Theatre of Philippi stands on the south-eastern foot of the acropolis hill. It touches on the city’s eastern wall and is supported by it. It was built in the mid-4th century BC and it is considered one of the earliest examples of stone theatre structures. Its present form is the result of successive changes in its structure, reflecting different phases of the city’s history. The theatre’s consistent excavation started in 1921-1927 by the French Archaeological School and continued to the end of the 1950s by the Hellenic Archaeological Service led by D. Lazaridis. The Theatre of Philippi saw its first ancient drama performance in 1957. It was the first time that life was brought back to this theatre after 24 long centuries.