Ancient Theatre of Orchomenos, Arcadia

The Ancient Theatre of Orchomenos in Arcadia is one of the most important surviving theatres in the Peloponnese. It was built in the 3^rd century BC on the eastern slope of the ancient city’s acropolis hill. Its location provides a panoramic view of the fertile plain of Orchomenos and Kandila. The theatre once hosted games in honour of Dionysus and could accommodate more than 4,000 spectators. The theatre’s koilon (cavea), in a horseshoe shape, originally had over 40 rows of seats (edolia), although today only ten of them survive in its lower central section. The prohedria (throne for esteemed citizens), crafted from white marble, features backrests and armrests adorned with an inscription that refers to the sponsor of the games. In the orchestra, which has a diameter of 20,60 metres, two marble thrones decorated with bas-reliefs have been discovered. This theatre is a typical example of ancient Greek theatre architecture and stands as one of Arcadia’s most significant cultural monuments.