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Hidden gem1st – 4th c. ADUnknown

Roman Theatre of Gytheion

Ancient Theatre of Gythio, Αρχαίο θέατρο Γυθείου

theatre · Laconia, Greece

What it is
The theatre of Gytheion is a small Roman theatre of the 2nd century AD in the north of the harbour town of Gytheio, built of the local off-white marble at the foot of the ancient acropolis (the Ministry).
What you’ll see
Of the marble seating, six full rows survive and parts of the seventh and eighth; the retaining walls on the north and east sides are of tufa. The stage was 12 m long and 5 m wide (the Ministry).
Worth the trip?
Worth a short visit if you are in Gytheio: a Roman theatre in the middle of a small town, among olive trees, and used again for summer performances (the Ministry; the photographs).
Getting there & cost
The theatre lies in the north of the town at the foot of the acropolis (the Ministry), reached by town streets from two sides; the site is fenced, and OpenStreetMap marks it open to the public.UnknownHours, tickets and parking
The curved rows of a small stone theatre set into a slope under olive trees, with a grassy orchestra in front.
The seating of the Roman theatre, under the olive trees of the acropolis slope. · Photo: Maesi64 · CC0 · Wikimedia Commons
Rows of stone seats in a hollow below olive trees, seen across a grassy orchestra past the squared blocks of a wall in the foreground.
The theatre from the side of the stage. · Photo: Maesi64 · CC0 · Wikimedia Commons

The theatre of Gytheion is a small Roman theatre of the 2nd century AD in the north of the harbour town of Gytheio, built of the local off-white marble at the foot of the ancient acropolis (the Ministry). With the buildings partly sunk in the sea, it is the most noteworthy remain of Roman Gytheion, and it still hosts performances in summer (the Ministry; en.wikipedia).

What is there today

Of the marble seating, six full rows survive and parts of the seventh and eighth; the retaining walls on the north and east sides are of tufa. The stage was 12 m long and 5 m wide (the Ministry). OpenStreetMap maps a Roman bath house about 130 m away.

Is it worth the trip?

Worth a short visit if you are in Gytheio: a Roman theatre in the middle of a small town, among olive trees, and used again for summer performances (the Ministry; the photographs). No operator publishes opening hours or a fee, so check locally.

Getting there

The theatre lies in the north of the town at the foot of the acropolis (the Ministry), reached by town streets from two sides; the site is fenced, and OpenStreetMap marks it open to the public.

Visiting details

Tickets
Unknown
Parking
In the north of the town, at the foot of the ancient acropolis (the Ministry); the site is fenced, and OpenStreetMap marks it open to the public (way/738797134, access=yes). Streets reach it from two sides (way/31473814, way/39263183); no car park or bus stop is mapped nearby. No operator publishes hours or a fee.

History

In Roman times Gytheion was the most important member of the Union of Free Laconians, towns that Augustus declared free, and it prospered as a port, exporting purple dye, porphyry and “rose antique” marble. The theatre was built in that period; the archaeologist Andreas Skias excavated it in 1891, and the British School at Athens continued his work (en.wikipedia; the Ministry). In the 4th century AD the city was destroyed: by Alaric’s Visigoths, by Slav raiders or by the great earthquake of 375, and no record says which (en.wikipedia).

Nearby

  • The excavated stage area of a theatre seen from the slope above, with low stone walls and blocks, a few rows of stone seats curving up at each side, and an olive grove behind.

    Photo: Peulle · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Commons

    37 km · city · Laconia

    Sparta

    The modern town built over it, natural disasters and raids have left few traces of ancient Sparta; most of what has been found is on the acropolis, a low, broad hill that was the political, religious and economic centre of the city (el.wikipedia).

Straight-line distances.

Sources

Every fact on this page comes from the records below, each used under the licence noted.

SourceLicence
Wikidata Q28217908CC0
OpenStreetMap way/738797134ODbL
Hellenic Ministry of Culture (All of Greece One Culture) — Ancient Theatre of Gythiolicence not recorded
Wikipedia (en) — GytheioCC BY-SA 4.0
Wikipedia (el) — Αρχαίο θέατρο ΓυθείουCC BY-SA 4.0
Wikipedia (en) — Achaia (Roman province)CC BY-SA 4.0