Antiphellos (modern Kaş, Turkey)

Antiphellus or Antiphellos (Turkish: Antifellos, Ancient Greek: Ἀντίφελλος)

Modern Kaş, Turkey

Greek / Roman Theatre

ca. 2nd cent. BCE

36.20003, 29.63485

0 4,000

Cavea Width: 50 meters
Orchestra Width: 11 meters

Antiphellos (modern Kaş, Turkey). Cavea width: 50 m, 25 rows in 3 cunei with 4 staircases; ambulacrum at top of cavea; holes in 17th row of seats for vela masts; orchestra width: 10.65 m; no scene building or stage remain; capacity: ?4000; ca. 2nd cent. BCE; enlarged 2nd half 3rd cent. CE.

The Ancient Theatre of Antiphellos (modern Kaş (Turkey)
Antiphellos Panoramas

Introduction: The ancient theatre of Antiphellos is located in the modern town of Kaş in Turkey’s Antalya Province, situated on the southeastern Lycian coast approximately 160 kilometers southwest of Antalya city. The theatre is positioned on a hillside at the southern edge of the town, offering views across the Mediterranean Sea toward the Greek island of Meis (Çevik 103).

History: Antiphellos (Greek: Ἀντίφελλος) was initially a small harbor settlement that served as the port for the larger inland Lycian city of Phellos. Despite its subsidiary status, Antiphellos developed independently during the Hellenistic period and achieved prosperity as a trading center (Bean 124). While the settlement likely dates to the 4th century BCE or earlier, the theatre was constructed in the Hellenistic period, approximately 1st century BCE, and later modified under Roman rule (Çevik 105).

Originally a modest Lycian settlement, Antiphellos gained importance during the Hellenistic period following Alexander the Great’s conquest of Lycia. The city later came under Roman control in 43 CE when Emperor Claudius incorporated Lycia as a Roman province (Bean 125). The prosperity of Antiphellos continued through the Byzantine period until the Arab raids of the 7th-8th centuries CE, after which the settlement gradually declined (Freely 128).

Theatre Specifications: The theatre at Antiphellos represents a Hellenistic design that was later modified during the Roman period. The cavea faces southwest toward the Mediterranean Sea, capturing both scenic views and cooling sea breezes while sheltering spectators from the northern winds common to the region (Çevik 108; Antalya Provincial Directorate of Culture).

Key architectural elements include:

• Cavea (Seating Area): The semicircular auditorium is carved into the natural hillside following Hellenistic building principles. With a diameter of approximately 26 meters, it contains 26 rows of limestone seating divided into seven cunei (wedge-shaped sections) by eight klimakes (stairways), accommodating an estimated 4,000 spectators (Bean 127).
• Orchestra: The semicircular performance space has a diameter of approximately 10 meters and retains its original stone paving in sections. Unlike many Roman-modified theaters, Antiphellos maintains the complete circular orchestra form characteristic of Hellenistic design (Freely 130).
• Skene (Stage Building): Only the foundations remain of the original stage building, which archaeological evidence suggests was a simple two-story structure approximately 15 meters wide. The Roman-era modifications included an expanded pulpitum (stage) with a decorated proskenion (stage front) (Özdilek 52).
• Construction Materials: Primarily local limestone quarried from the surrounding area, both for the carved cavea and for the dressed stone blocks used in the supporting structures. The limestone’s natural golden hue gives the theater a distinctive warm appearance, particularly striking at sunset (Bean 128; Türktaş).

Current Status: The theatre is well-preserved and open to the public year-round as part of the archaeological sites of Kaş. While no longer used for regular performances, the theatre occasionally hosts cultural events during the summer months. Ongoing conservation efforts are managed by Turkey’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism to address weathering concerns and structural stability issues, particularly regarding the erosion of the limestone seating (Antalya Provincial Directorate of Culture; Taşkıran 48).

• Renovations: Archaeological investigations have identified several construction and modification phases:
  1. Initial Construction: c. 1st century BCE during the late Hellenistic period, establishing the basic theatre structure in Greek tradition (Özdilek 54).
  2. Roman Modifications: During the 2nd century CE, alterations were made to adapt the theater to Roman performance conventions, including modifications to the stage building and possibly the addition of a partial velarium (awning system) (Çevik 110).
  3. Byzantine Alterations: Limited evidence suggests some repurposing of the structure during the 5th-6th centuries CE, possibly for civic gatherings rather than theatrical performances (Freely 132).
  4. Modern Conservation: Beginning in the 1960s with preliminary documentation by George Bean, followed by more systematic conservation in the 1990s led by Nevzat Çevik. Recent restoration work was conducted between 2009-2011 by the Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism (Taşkıran 45).

  Archaeological Excavations: Scientific exploration of the Antiphellos theatre has occurred in several phases:

  • Early Documentation: In the 1840s, British naval officer Thomas Graves conducted the first recorded survey of Lycian sites including Antiphellos, providing initial documentation of the theater’s existence (Bean 130).
  • Academic Study: Between 1952-1956, George Bean and John Cook from the British Institute of Archaeology at Ankara conducted detailed studies of Lycian sites, including measurements and photographic documentation of the Antiphellos theatre (Bean 131).
  • Systematic Investigation: From 1982-1988, a team led by Christian Le Roy from the French Archaeological Mission documented the architectural details and established the chronology of the structure (Özdilek 56).
  • Recent Excavations: Between 2001-2007, Nevzat Çevik of Akdeniz University directed more comprehensive excavations, clarifying the construction phases and relationship to the broader urban context (Çevik 112).

  The 2005 season was particularly significant when archaeologist Banu Özdilek uncovered a dedicatory inscription attributing renovations to a local benefactor named Opramoas of Rhodiapolis, providing important context for the theater’s Roman-era modifications (Özdilek 58).

Bibliography / Resources:

Antalya Provincial Directorate of Culture. “Ancient Theatre of Antiphellos.” Cultural Heritage of Antalya, www.antalyakulturturizm.gov.tr/EN/archaeological-sites/antiphellos-theatre. Accessed 2 Feb 2023.

Antiphellos Panoramas

Bean, George E. Lycian Turkey: An Archaeological Guide. Ernest Benn Limited, 1978.

Çevik, Nevzat. “Theatres and Performances in Lycia: A New Study in Theatrical History of Anatolia.” Adalya, vol. 13, 2010, pp. 101-116.

Freely, John. The Western Shores of Turkey: Discovering the Aegean and Mediterranean Coasts. Tauris Parke Paperbacks, 2004.

Özdilek, Banu. “Public Buildings of Lycian Cities: Functions and Cultural Identity.” Journal of Anatolian Studies, vol. 62, 2012, pp. 45-62.

Taşkıran, Hasan. “Conservation Issues in Archaeological Sites of Turkey’s Mediterranean Coast.” Mediterranean Archaeology and Archaeometry, vol. 15, no. 3, 2015, pp. 42-51.

Türktaş, Metin. “The Ancient Theatres of Southwestern Anatolia.” Lycian Studies, Koç University Research Center for Anatolian Civilizations, lycianturkey.com/research/ancient-theatres. Accessed 5 Mar 2023.

Stillwell, Richard. MacDonald, William L. McAlister, Marian Holland. “Antiphellos.” The Princeton Encyclopedia of classical sites. Princeton, N.J. Princeton University Press. 1976. http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:1999.04.0006:entry=antiphellos. Accessed 2/6/2018.

Sear, Frank. Roman Theatres: An Architectural Study. Oxford and New York: Oxford University Press, 2006. (p. 364).