Roman Theatre, Aspendos

The Aspendos Roman Theatre is the best preserved theatre structure in antiquity. It was built probably during the reign on Marcus Aurelius (circa 161 AD – 180 AD) according to an inscription, and was most likely designed by the architect Zeno son of Theodorus. The theatre is cut off from the outside world and forms a self-contained, architecturally-framed space. The theatre was almost entirely built over barrel-vaulted substructures, but in parts it rests against a hillside thus conforming to the Greek custom. The vaulted parodoi are parallel to the horseshoe-shaped auditorium. The auditorium is divided by a horizontal diazoma and surmounted by a colonnaded arcade which was repaired by the Seljuks (circa 1071– 1300 AD). The Skena consists of a scaenae frons having five doors (Porta Regia and the smaller Portae Hospitales) leading to the proscenium. The entire wall was adorned with a two-tiered architectural facade which still reaches its original height. The outer skena wall is an exact replica of the interior arrangement. A row of seventeen windows on the outer rear wall corresponds to the arcade crowning the auditorium. A simple molding marks the division between the two tiers of the skena.