Theatre of Butrint
About
Epirote builders carved this theatre into the acropolis slope around the middle of the 3rd century BCE, and its stone seats still bear manumission inscriptions freeing slaves at the adjoining shrine as early as 163 BCE. Romans kept the building in active use through the imperial period, later tying part of its structure into the neighboring bath complex. By 117 CE it had anchored the city's festivals for nearly four centuries.
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 →