Akrai (modern Palazzolo Acreide Sicily, Italy)

300 BCE

Cavea Width: 1,200 meters
Orchestra Width: 19 meters

Roman Acrae, Greek Akrai (modern Palazzolo Acreide), Sicily, Italy. Cavea width: 37.5 in 15 rows, 9 cunei; orchestra width: 19.2; pulpitum: L 13.7, W 2.6 m; no paraskenia; Roman stage (H c.1.20 m) with curved niches built 2.20 m further into orchestra than old one; small square structure on east side of scene building also belongs to Roman period. Remains: part of seating reconstructed; orchestra paving and footings of scene building visible. capacity: 700; ca. late 3rd century BCE. (Frank Sear, p. 185)

Akrai, Latin Acrae, (modern Palazzolo Acreide Sicily, Italy)

The ancient theater at Akrai is located in what is now Palazzolo Acreide in southeastern Sicily, Italy. Founded as a Syracusan sub-colony in 664-663 BCE, Akrai occupied a strategic position on a plateau of the Hyblaean Mountains. The theater represents one of the best-preserved structures of this ancient settlement and provides valuable insights into Greek theatrical architecture in colonial contexts.

Brief History of City

Akrai was established by Syracuse in 664-663 BCE as a strategic outpost to control inland trade routes and monitor indigenous populations (Thucydides 6.5.2). The settlement developed gradually during the Classical and Hellenistic periods, functioning as a phrourion (garrison town) that maintained close political and cultural ties to Syracuse. Following Roman conquest in the 3rd century BCE, Akrai continued as a provincial town, eventually declining in importance during the late imperial period.

Brief History of the Theatre

The theater at Akrai was constructed in the 3rd century BCE during the reign of Hiero II of Syracuse (270-215 BCE), a period of extensive building activity throughout Syracusan territory (Bernabò Brea 356). Unlike many Sicilian theaters that underwent substantial Roman renovations, the Akrai theater largely maintained its original Greek design throughout antiquity. It remained in use through the Roman Republican period, though with minor modifications to accommodate changing performance practices.

Architectural Specifications

The following specifications are drawn from Frank Sear’s reference book, Roman Theatres: An Architectural Study (Oxford University Press, 2006), except where otherwise noted.

Location

• GPS coordinates: 37.0581° N, 14.8953° E
• Orientation: Southeast-facing, taking advantage of natural slope
• Topographical details: Built into the southeastern slope of the Akrai plateau, offering views over the surrounding countryside and natural acoustic advantages

Cavea (seating area)

• Diameter and estimated capacity: 38.1 meters in overall diameter; estimated capacity of 600-800 spectators (Sear 184)
• Seating divisions: Nine cunei (wedge-shaped sections) divided by eight radial staircases; two horizontal sections (maeniana)
• Construction materials and techniques: Local limestone blocks precisely cut and fitted without mortar; seats approximately 70 cm deep and 40 cm high
• Support structures and access: Natural hillside provides primary structural support; minimal substructure required due to topographical advantage

Orchestra (performance space between audience and stage)

• Dimensions, shape, and materials: Circular orchestra with 16.5-meter diameter; original surface of packed earth, possibly covered with fine gravel
• Special features and modifications: Maintained Greek circular design rather than adopting Roman semicircular arrangement; drainage channel (euripos) around perimeter (Mitens 122)

Pulpitum (stage)

• Dimensions and construction details: Approximately 20 meters long and 2.5 meters deep; constructed of limestone blocks
• Stage machinery: Limited evidence of stage machinery; no surviving thyromata (revolving devices)
• Connection to orchestra: Connected via a few steps, characteristic of transitional Greek-Roman designs (Sear 185)

Scaenae Frons (decorative scene house front)

• Architectural order and design: Evidence suggests a simple Hellenistic design with Doric elements
• Doorways and stories: Three doorways (valvae) following Greek convention; likely single-story design
• Decorative elements: Limited evidence of elaborate decoration; primarily functional design appropriate to a colonial context

Preservation Condition

• The theater is in relatively good condition compared to many ancient structures
• Main preservation issues include weathering of limestone, biological growth, and structural stresses
• Approximately 60% of the original cavea remains visible; skene foundations partially preserved

Conservation Efforts

• Ongoing monitoring program established by the Superintendency of Cultural Heritage of Syracuse

UNESCO Status

• Included within the “Late Baroque Towns of the Val di Noto” UNESCO World Heritage Site (inscribed 2002), which encompasses Palazzolo Acreide’s baroque reconstruction following the 1693 earthquake

Ancient Renovations

• Early 2nd century BCE: Minor modifications to the skene (scene building) foundations, evidenced by different masonry techniques (Bernabò Brea 361)
• 1st century BCE: Limited adaptations during Roman Republican period, primarily affecting stage area
• No evidence of major imperial Roman renovations common to other Sicilian theaters

Modern Restorations

• 1824-1826: Initial clearing and documentation under Gabriel Judica
• 1950s: Stabilization work conducted by Luigi Bernabò Brea, focusing on the cavea
• 1980s: Conservation project addressing weathering damage and structural concerns
• 2005-2008: Recent preservation efforts including drainage improvements and biodeterioration treatments

Major Excavation Campaigns

• 1809-1816: Initial explorations by Baron Gabriele Judica, a local nobleman who conducted the first systematic investigations at Akrai
• 1918-1920: Limited excavations by Paolo Orsi, Director of the Archaeological Museum of Syracuse, focusing on clarifying chronology
• 1943-1953: Comprehensive scientific excavations by Luigi Bernabò Brea, Superintendent of Antiquities for Eastern Sicily, representing the Italian Archaeological Service
• 1988-1992: Documentation project conducted jointly by the University of Catania (Italy) and Warsaw University (Poland)
• 2009-2014: Recent investigations by a team from the University of Warsaw, directed by Roksana Chowaniec, focusing on context and urban development

Publication History

• • 1819: Judica’s Le Antichità di Acre, the first published account of the site’s archaeological remains
  • 1956: Bernabò Brea’s definitive Akrai: Città greca di Sicilia, establishing the theater’s chronology and architectural phases
  • 1988: Katja Mitens’ analysis in Teatri greci e teatri ispirati all’architettura greca in Sicilia e nell’Italia meridionale
  • 2006: Inclusion in Frank Sear’s comprehensive Roman Theatres: An Architectural Study
  • 2017: Updated assessment in Hans Peter Isler’s Ancient Theatres in Sicily and Southern Italy

Bibliography / Resources:

• “Akrai Panoramas.” Theatre History, Whitman College, www.whitman.edu/theatre/theatretour/acrae/acrae.tour.htm. Accessed 15 Mar. 2023.

• Bernabò Brea, Luigi. Akrai: Città greca di Sicilia. Società Istriana di Archeologia e Storia Patria, 1956.

  Chowaniec, Roksana. “Ancient Akrai in the Light of New Research: The Polish Archaeological Mission.” Archeologia, vol. 64, 2015, pp. 19-44.

  Isler, Hans Peter. Ancient Theatres in Sicily and Southern Italy. Edizioni del Prisma, 2017.

  Mitens, Katja. Teatri greci e teatri ispirati all’architettura greca in Sicilia e nell’Italia meridionale, c. 350-50 a.C. L’Erma di Bretschneider, 1988.

  Sear, Frank. Roman Theatres: An Architectural Study. Oxford University Press, 2006.

  Superintendency of Cultural Heritage of Syracuse. “Palazzolo Acreide Archaeological Area.” Regional Department of Cultural Heritage of Sicily, 2021, www.regione.sicilia.it/beniculturali/dirbenicult/database/page_musei/pagina_musei.asp?ID=53.