Progress of Works

Geophysical surveys
Expropriations
Excavations
Restoration Studies
Restoration Works

Quick Navigation

Theatre of Macynia

Description
Multimedia
Scientific Bulletin
Donations
Theater News

The theatre of ancient Macynia is situated at the “Paliokastro” site of the Municipal Department of Macynia, Nafpaktia Municipality.

The theatre has a single cuneus and may also have been used as a bouleuterion (council-house). It has an arc-shaped orchestra without a gutter and a narrow cavea without a passageway, with 14 tiers of seats in total. Access staircases in the cavea were not considered necessary for such a small theatre.

Officials or guests of honour were seated in the north part of the orchestra. There the arched outline of the cavea is vertically interrupted by three straight, parallel tiers of seats, with an interval of about a metre between the first and second, and transverse slabs serving as seat backs on the third, northernmost tier, showing that these were definitely the seats of honour (proedriae). This meant that the officials could see not only the events on stage but also the audience. In front of the seats of honour is a stone throne intended for the guest of honour.

On the east side of the theatre is the stage building, which, however, has collapsed due to the steep incline of the slope on which it was built, while it is also possible that the building material was gradually removed and reused in later structures. A few foundation stones which survive, through not always in their original position, allow a tentative reconstruction of the stage building. Its dimensions are estimated at 21.60 m. x 9.70 m. The foundations of the narrow theatre parodoi are also visible. No parascenia or other elements of the theatre can be seen, except for part of an angled retaining wall along its south side.

The friable sandstone of which the theatre is built makes the thorough cleaning and conservation of its seats and other functional parts a matter of urgency. The theatre was excavated in 1988 and 1989 due to illegal excavation activity observed there. The only permitted use is a simple visit.

L. Kolonas
Archaeologist

The ancient theatre of Macynia - ALPHA TV NEWS

Monument Name

Theatre of Macynia

Category

Theatre

Brief Description

The theatre of ancient Macynia is situated at the “Paliokastro” site of the Municipal Department of Macynia, Antirrio Municipality. The theatre has a single cuneus and may also have been used as a bouleuterion (council-house). It has an arc-shaped orchestra without a gutter and a narrow cavea without a passageway, with 14 tiers of seats in total.

Images - Plans

Documentation - Bibliography

– Λ. Κολώνας, Μακύνεια, ΑΔ 48 (1993), 141-2.

– Λ. Κολώνας, Η Μακύνεια μέσα από τις πρόσφατες αρχαιολογικές έρευνες, Ναυπακτιακά, vol. 6, 1992-93, Athens 1994, pp. 79-95.

– St. Steiros – P. Psimoulis & Chr. Kolonas, The Theatre of Aitolian Makyneia, BSA 100 (2005).

Location

Municipal Department of Macynia, Municipality of Nafpaktia, “Paliokastro” site.

Dating

General Description of Monument

The theatre of ancient Macynia is situated at the “Paliokastro” site of the Municipal Department of Macynia, Antirrio Municipality. The theatre has a single cuneus and may also have been used as a bouleuterion (council-house). It has an arc-shaped orchestra without a gutter and a narrow cavea without a passageway, with 14 tiers of seats in total. Access staircases in the cavea were not considered necessary for such a small theatre. Officials or guests of honour were seated in the north part of the orchestra. There the arched outline of the cavea is vertically interrupted by three straight, parallel tiers of seats, with an interval of about a metre between the first and second, and transverse slabs serving as seat backs on the third, northernmost tier, showing that these were definitely the seats of honour (proedriae). This meant that the officials could see not only the events on stage but also the audience. In front of the seats of honour is a stone throne intended for the guest of honour.
On the east side of the theatre is the stage building, which, however, has collapsed due to the steep incline of the slope on which it was built, while it is also possible that the building material was gradually removed and reused in later structures. A few foundation stones which survive, through not always in their original position, allow a tentative reconstruction of the stage building. Its dimensions are estimated at 21.60 m. x 9.70 m. The foundations of the narrow theatre parodoi are also visible. No parascenia or other elements of the theatre can be seen, except for part of an angled retaining wall along its south side.

Current Situation

The friable sandstone of which the theatre is built makes the thorough cleaning and conservation of its seats and other functional parts a matter of urgency.

Excavations - Interventions

The theatre was excavated in 1988 and 1989 due to illegal excavation activity observed there.

Permitted Uses

Simple visit.

History of Modern Uses

Further Information

The monument belongs to the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Culture and the archaeological service responsible for Aetoloacarnania Prefecture (36th Ephorate of Prehistoric and Classical Antiquities of Messolonghi), while the publication rights are held by Lazaros Kolonas, General Director of Antiquities and Cultural Heritage of the Ministry of Culture.

Intellectual Rights

The monument belongs to the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Culture and the archaeological service responsible for Aetoloacarnania Prefecture (36th Ephorate of Prehistoric and Classical Antiquities of Messolonghi).

Latitude

38.355956°

Longitude

21.724681°

NameDateAmount (€)
3rd Class of Kastritsi, Achaia Gymnasium60.00
Andreas Rouvas100.00
Income from the event of 26th and 27 th August, held by GEFYRA S.A. Income from the event of 26th and 27 th August, held by GEFYRA S.A.1.200.00
GEFYRA S.A.21.000.00
Total
€22.360.00

Expenditures

ExpenditureDateAmount (€)
ANCIENT THEATER OF MAKYNEIA ΠΡΟΚΑΤΑΒΟΛΗ ΤΡΙΤΗΣ ΔΟΣΗΣ ΜΕΛΕΤΗΣ2.000.00
ANCIENT THEATER OF MAKYNIA ΤΡΑΠΕΖΙΚΑ ΕΞΟΔΑ – ΦΟΡΟΙ ΤΟΚΩΝ0.01
ANCIENT THEATRE OF MAKYNEIA N. Chatzidakis study – pay off2.277.42
ANCIENT THEATRE OF MAKYNIA – ΦΟΡΟΣ ΜΕΛΕΤΗΣ Ν. ΧΑΤΖΗΔΑΚΗ822.25
ANCIENT THEATRE OF MAKYNIA – Εισιτήρια εκδήλωσης Μακύνειας73.80
ANCIENT THEATRE OF MAKYNIA – ΜΕΛΕΤΗ ΑΠΟΚΑΤΑΣΤΑΣΗΣ Β΄ΦΑΣΗ Ν.ΧΑΤΖΗΔΑΚΗΣ7.125.47
ANCIENT THEATRE OF MAKYNIA – Παραγωγή ντοκιμαντέρ Αρχαία Θέατρα Αιτωλ/νίας – 12/20121.000.91
ANCIENT THEATRE OF MAKYNIA – Φόρος Α’ δόσης μελέτης Χατζηδάκη Νικολάου – 31/03/2013266.96
ANCIENT THEATRE OF MAKYNIA Απόδοση παρακρατούμενου φόρου μελέτης – 27/06/2013285.89
ANCIENT THEATRE OF MAKYNIA ΑΠΟΔΟΣΗ ΦΟΡΟΥ ΜΕΛΕΤΗΣ ΑΠΟΚΑΤΑΣΤΑΣΗΣ1.382.11
ANCIENT THEATRE OF MAKYNIA ΓΕΩΛΟΓΙΚΗ ΜΕΛΕΤΗ ΕΔΑΦΟΣ Α.Ε (ΕΞΟΦΛΗΣΗ)3.075.00
ANCIENT THEATRE OF MAKYNIA ΔΟΣΗ ΜΕΛΕΤΗΣ ΧΑΤΖΗΔΑΚΗΣ ΝΙΚΟΛΑΟΣ – 19/02/20132.847.15
Total
€21.156.97
Balance
€1.203.03
DescriptionBudgetTargetRemarks
Excavations works70.000.00

Excavations works are already in progress via the Programmatic Agreement, signed by the former Municipality of Antirio with the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, amounting to 70.000,00 €.

Study about theatre'a restoration and additional works50.000.0050.000.00

Diazoma with collaboration with GEFYRA S.A. will assemble the amount of 50.000,00 €.

Theater Sponsors