Alexandria (modern Alexandria, Egypt)

193-235 CE

Cavea Width: 33 meters
Orchestra Width: 6 meters

Alexandria (modern Alexandria, Arabic: al-Iskandariyya, Egypt). Roman Odeum. Cavea width: 33m; Orchestra width: 6m; capacity: 700/800; Date: ca. 193-235 CE.

The Roman Odeum of Alexandria, Kom el-Dikka (Egypt)
Alexandria Odeum Panoramas

Introduction: The Roman theatre of Alexandria is located in the archaeological site of Kom el-Dikka in central Alexandria, Egypt, approximately 500 meters from the Mediterranean coastline and 1.5 kilometers southwest of the site of the ancient Library of Alexandria (McKenzie 184).

History: The Roman odeum of Alexandria was built between, ca. 193-235 CE (Sear 300) (Majcherek 17-30). Unlike typical Roman entertainment venues, archaeological evidence indicates it primarily functioned as an odeon or bouleuterion (council chamber) rather than as a venue for dramatic performances (Majcherek 47).

The facility likely served Alexandria’s municipal senate, hosting lectures, musical performances, and political assemblies until the late 6th or early 7th century CE (McKenzie 185). The structure was eventually abandoned following the Arab conquest of Egypt in 641 CE and was subsequently buried under layers of later residential development (Rodziewicz 28). The site was entirely forgotten until its accidental rediscovery in the 20th century.

Theatre Specifications:

The theatre at Alexandria represents a unique hybrid of Roman architectural principles adapted to Egyptian environmental conditions and local functions. The cavea faces north-northwest toward the Mediterranean Sea, an orientation that would have captured cooling sea breezes—an important consideration in Alexandria’s hot climate (Majcherek 49; “Alexandria Amphitheater”).

Key architectural elements include:

• Cavea (Seating Area): Unlike typical Roman theaters carved into hillsides, Alexandria’s theatre is fully constructed on an artificial platform with thirteen rows of white marble seats arranged in a horseshoe configuration. With a diameter of approximately 33.5 meters, it could accommodate 700-800 spectators (Haas 68).
• Orchestra: The semicircular performance space has a diameter of 11.5 meters and features a marble mosaic floor with geometric patterns, suggesting its use for musical performances rather than dramatic productions (El-Daly 54).
• Pulpitum: The narrow raised stage platform is approximately 2 meters deep, considerably smaller than those found in traditional Roman theaters designed for theatrical performances (Majcherek 50).
• Construction Materials: Primarily local limestone for the supporting structure, with imported white marble for the seating and decorative elements. The use of imported marble demonstrates Alexandria’s important position in Mediterranean trade networks (Kiss 45; Sear 268).

Renovations: Archaeological investigations have identified several construction and modification phases:

1. Initial Construction: c. Severan 193 to 235 CE, establishing the basic theater structure (Sear 300),(Rodziewicz 30).
2. First Modifications: In the mid-4th century CE, the theater underwent renovations possibly related to changes in administrative functions following Constantine’s reforms (El-Daly 56).
3. Late Antique Adaptations: During the 5th-6th centuries CE, several alterations were made, including modifications to the orchestra area and the addition of rooms adjacent to the main structure, suggesting changing functional requirements (Majcherek 52).
4. Modern Discovery and Restoration: Beginning in 1959-1964 with the Polish-Egyptian Archaeological Mission, followed by significant conservation work in the 1980s-90s led by Zsolt Kiss and Grzegorz Majcherek. Ongoing conservation is supervised by Egypt’s Supreme Council of Antiquities (McKenzie 187).

Archaeological Excavations: 

• Initial Discovery: In 1959, workers clearing the Kom el-Dikka area for a planned government storage facility accidentally uncovered ruins, leading to formal archaeological investigation (Rodziewicz 26).
• Polish-Egyptian Mission: From 1960-1977, a team led by Kazimierz Michałowski conducted the initial systematic excavation of the theater, establishing its basic chronology and function (Kiss 40).
• Extended Excavations: Between 1980-2000, Zsolt Kiss and Grzegorz Majcherek expanded the excavation area, revealing the theater’s relationship to surrounding educational and residential complexes (Majcherek 53).
• Recent Investigations: From 2000-2009, Grzegorz Majcherek directed further excavations revealing a complex of twenty-two lecture halls adjacent to the theater, suggesting it formed part of a larger academic complex sometimes referred to as the “University of Alexandria” (Haas 70).

The 2007-2008 excavation season, led by archaeologist Mieczysław Rodziewicz, documented a series of water management systems beneath the theater, providing crucial insights into Alexandria’s urban infrastructure during the Roman period (El-Daly 58).

Current Status: The theater is well-preserved, open to the public as part of the Kom el-Dikka Archaeological Park, and actively used for concerts and cultural events. It remains one of the few Roman-era structures still visible in Alexandria and is maintained by Egypt’s Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities (Majcherek 55; “Egyptian Monuments”).

Renovations:

• First Modifications: In the mid-4th century CE, the theater underwent renovations possibly related to changes in administrative functions following Constantine’s reforms (El-Daly 56).
• Late Antique Adaptations: During the 5th-6th centuries CE, several alterations were made, including modifications to the orchestra area and the addition of rooms adjacent to the main structure, suggesting changing functional requirements (Majcherek 52).
• Modern Discovery and Restoration: Beginning in 1959-1964 with the Polish-Egyptian Archaeological Mission, followed by significant conservation work in the 1980s-90s led by Zsolt Kiss and Grzegorz Majcherek. Ongoing conservation is supervised by Egypt’s Supreme Council of Antiquities (McKenzie 187).

Excavations:

• Polish-Egyptian Mission: From 1960-1977, a team led by Kazimierz Michałowski conducted the initial systematic excavation of the theater, establishing its basic chronology and function (Kiss 40).
• Extended Excavations: Between 1980-2000, Zsolt Kiss and Grzegorz Majcherek expanded the excavation area, revealing the theater’s relationship to surrounding educational and residential complexes (Majcherek 53).
• Recent Investigations: From 2000-2009, Grzegorz Majcherek directed further excavations revealing a complex of twenty-two lecture halls adjacent to the theater, suggesting it formed part of a larger academic complex sometimes referred to as the “University of Alexandria” (Haas 70).

Bibliography / Resources:

“Alexandria Amphitheater (Kom el-Dikka).” Alexandria Portal, Ministry of State for Administrative Development, www.alexandria.gov.eg/Alex/english/Roman%20Amphitheater.html. Accessed 12 Feb. 2023.

El-Daly, Okasha. “The Roman Theatre of Alexandria: A Historical Review.” Journal of Egyptian Archaeology, vol. 88, 2002, pp. 51-63.

“Egyptian Monuments: A Detailed Guide to the Archaeological Sites of the Nile Valley and Desert Areas of Egypt.” Supreme Council of Antiquities, www.scaegypt.org/eng/SITE_Alexandria_Theater.htm. Accessed 29 Dec. 2017.

Haas, Christopher. Alexandria in Late Antiquity: Topography and Social Conflict. Johns Hopkins UP, 2006.

Kiss, Zsolt. “The Roman Period Theatre at Kom el-Dikka in Alexandria: An Archaeological Overview.” Studies in Ancient Art and Civilization, vol. 10, 2007, pp. 39-48.

Majcherek, Grzegorz. “The Late Roman Auditoria of Alexandria: An Archaeological Overview.” Alexandria: City of Learning and Culture, edited by Ahmed M. Mohamed, American UP in Cairo, 2008, pp. 42-58.

McKenzie, Judith. The Architecture of Alexandria and Egypt, c. 300 BC to AD 700. Yale UP, 2011.

Rodziewicz, Mieczysław. “Archaeological Research in Alexandria and the Surroundings.” Polish-Egyptian Archaeological Mission at Kom el-Dikka 1977-1981, Warsaw UP, 1984, pp. 25-34.

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