Odeon of Cyrene
About
A small roofed theatre stood tucked behind the Stoa of Hermes and Herakles at the edge of Cyrene's agora, built for council business and public readings rather than the spectacles staged at the city's larger theatre. Its compact covered form let meetings continue through Cyrenaica's rainy winters. The odeon had served the agora quarter for generations by August 117 CE, when Trajan died with the empire at its largest extent.
What happened here
Seating is the message: the front rows are reserved by law for the town council, and everyone can see who is sitting where. The building is a half-circle against a tall stone backdrop that also serves as a permanent set, and the acoustics are good enough that an actor can be heard without effort. The programme is mime and pantomime more than the old tragedies — bawdy, topical, sometimes politically sharp enough that performers get exiled. Audiences are loud, partisan, and quite prepared to shout a piece down. Awnings and perfumed water sprays are laid on when the sponsor is generous. Shows are attached to religious festivals and paid for by a magistrate who wants the credit, and his name is on the seating.
Sources
Nearby
Roman Maps shows the empire frozen at 11 August 117 CE, the day Trajan died — its moment of greatest territorial extent. Explore the full map →