BS: New Old venue...

Subject: BS: New Old venue...
From: beardedbruce
Date: 16 Feb 07 - 09:30 AM

Greek archaeologists discover ancient theater in Athens
Posted 2/16/2007 9:03 AM ET

Enlarge By Thanassis Stavrakis, AP

Sections of an ancient Greek theater are seen after they were discovered on Thursday during construction work. Until now, only two such buildings were known in Athens, where western theater originated more than 2,500 years ago.




By Nicholas Paphitis, The Associated Press
ATHENS — Sections of an ancient Greek theater were discovered on Thursday during construction work in an Athens suburb, archaeologists said.
Until now, only two such buildings were known in the ancient city where western theater originated more than 2,500 years ago.

Fifteen rows of concentric stone seats have been located so far in the northwestern suburb of Menidi, according to Vivi Vassilopoulou, Greece's general director of antiquities.

"Another section appears to lie under a nearby road," she told The Associated Press.

"(The remains) were discovered during excavation work, supervised by archaeologists, for a new building," Vassilopoulou said. "But it is still very early to offer any conclusions."

The structure has not yet been dated, and further details are expected to emerge following a full excavation.

Menidi is thought to be built over the ancient village of Acharnae, the largest of a string of rural settlements outside ancient Athens. Ancient writers mention a theater at Acharnae, but no traces of it had been found until now.

The village was linked with Dionysos, the ancient god of theater and wine, as the Athenians believed that ivy — his sacred plant — first grew there.

Built in semicircular tiers on hillsides, ancient theaters were monumental, open-air structures that could seat thousands of spectators.

Theater first emerged as an art form in late 6th century B.C. Athens, where ancient playwrights competed for a prize during the annual festival of Dionysos — in whose cult the art originated.

The works of Sophocles, Aeschylus, Euripides and Aristophanes were performed in the theater of Dionysos under the Acropolis.

Originally a terrace where spectators sat on the bare earth above a circular stage, it was rebuilt in stone during the 4th century B.C. and could sit up to 14,000 people.

Another smaller theater has been discovered in southern Athens.

Subject: RE: BS: New Old venue...
From: jeffp
Date: 16 Feb 07 - 10:01 AM

Are they booking?

Subject: RE: BS: New Old venue...
From: George Papavgeris
Date: 16 Feb 07 - 10:47 AM

No - I asked

Subject: RE: BS: New Old venue...
From: Wesley S
Date: 16 Feb 07 - 10:59 AM

Have they found the mosh pit yet?

Subject: RE: BS: New Old venue...
From: Barry Finn
Date: 16 Feb 07 - 11:44 PM

I'm looking fior a job, are they hiring?

Barry

Subject: RE: BS: New Old venue...
From: katlaughing
Date: 16 Feb 07 - 11:56 PM

Wow! That is kewl!! Can't wait to see more of this via PBS or whichever films it.

Subject: RE: BS: New Old venue...
From: dianavan
Date: 17 Feb 07 - 12:16 AM

I can imagine ancient Greek theater as being the intermediary between oral storytelling and the written word (the Bible). If the original Bible was written in Hebrew and Greek, it would make sense that ancient stories were re-enacted there. Thus we have the story of the dying and rising God in the New Testement.

I'm sure there are many other examples of how the old myths were re-interpreted on stage for more modern times.