Located on the southeast slope of Athens’ acropolis as part of the precinct of Dionysus, the Theatre of Dionysus Eleutheris is the oldest theatre in Greece. In addition to being the oldest, it was also the most prolific, for most tragedies were written for performance at the theatre at Athens. Due to additions and reconstructions to the theatre since its original building around 500 BC, though, not much is known about the theatre in its early years.
The first phase of the Theatre of Dionysus has only enough remains to know that it had an orchestra. In fact, so little material of that period’s theatre is left that scholars even debate over the shape of the orchestra. Early drama demanded little in terms of physical acting space; in fact the first three existing plays known to historians need only an orchestra. From the text of the plays, there was no separation between chorus and actors, and there was no need for any specific structures for entrances and exits. Behind the orchestra, however, there is evidence of a terrace wall marking the rear boundary of the performance space.
During the Periclean era, in the mid-fifth century, major plans were made to renovate the precinct of Dionysus, including the theatre. By this time, the orchestra was known to be circular, with over half of its circumference surrounded by the theatron, or audience seating area. The exact size of the seating area is not known, but can be estimated to seat 14,000 viewers. By 458 B.C. a wooden skene, or stage building, was placed at the rear of the orchestra. The skene acted as a backstage area where actors could change, store props, and from where they could enter a low stage, or proskene, roughly 20 meters long. It is important to note however, that debate exists concerning whether or not a stage definitely existed in the Periclean theatre. In the Periclean theatre, the skene was a temporary, mobile structure with removable parts. From the plays written for performance in this phase of the theatre, it is also evident that there must have been a door facing the audience, a high platform (most likely the roof of the skene), painted scenes, and use of a crane; however, none of this is supported by material evidence. While it is not certain, it is speculated that, due to the lack of permanent scenery, playwrights had a selection of portable wooden pillars and other scene-building materials to set the stage for their works. The stage had a width of 45 feet and the distance from the stage to the front row of the audience was 60 feet.
The third theatre at Athens was built around 330 B.C. under Lycurgus. The Lycurgan theatre is the first permanent (that is, stone) theatre at Athens, and Lycurgus’ building project produced much of the Athenian theatre that one sees today. In contrast to the Periclean theatre, the skene and stage were made of brick and stone, and thus not movable. By this time, the existence of a stage is accepted. The stage background consisted of a single-storey building complete with roof and columned façade. The stage’s distance from the front row of the theatron increased to 70 feet, its width was expanded to 66 feet, and its height remained fairly low at about one meter high.