Ephesus (modern Selçuk , Turkey)

Cavea Width: 142 meters
Orchestra Width: 26 meters

The Great Theatre at Ephesus (Selçuk, Turkey) measures 142 m in diameter with a three-tiered cavea facing east-northeast; the ima cavea has 24 rows in 11 cunei, the media cavea contains 22 rows in 22 cunei, and the summa cavea (1st century CE) comprises 21 marble-covered rows in 22 cunei; the capacity was 21,500 (Sear 335).  The orchestra initially measured 25.8 m in diameter before being converted to a 33.62 m arena in the early 3rd century CE by removing the lowest rows and adding a 2.40 m podium (Sear 335). Originally constructed c. 200 BCE, the theatre underwent major expansions under Claudius, Nero (scaenae frons completed 66 CE), Domitian (north analemma, 92 CE), and Trajan (south analemma, 102-114 CE), with later conversion to a kolymbethra and earthquake damage (359-366 CE) followed by repairs under Arcadius (Sear 335). Today, the cavea and significant portions of the scene building remain exceptionally well-preserved (Austrian Archaeological Institute).

The Great Theatre at Ephesus (modern Selçuk, Turkey)

The ancient city of Ephesus is located outside the modern city of Selçuk on the Mediterranean coast of present-day Turkey. Although the region was settled as early as 5000 BCE, the ruins we see today date from the 2rd BCE and are the product of Hellenistic city planning and Roman renovations. The theatre was built against the western slope of Panayir-dagi , and in ancient times, was connected to the city’s harbor at the terminus of Harbpr Street (also known as Arcadian Way). Nearby landmarks include the Commercial Agora to the south, the State Agora to the north, and the now-silted Harbor. The theatre is one of the largest renovated ancient theatres in Turkey, and it is one of the most visited sites by modern tourists.

Historical Context

The Ephesus Theatre was constructed during the Hellenistic period, around 200 BCE, during Lysimachos’s reign. Archaeological evidence confirms that the original theatre was more modest than today’s structure but followed the Greek tradition of utilizing the natural hillside slope for seating (Styhler-Aydın).

The theatre expanded significantly during the Roman period, particularly under Emperors Claudius (41-54 CE) and Nero (54-68 CE). Inscriptional evidence indicates the columnar scaenae frons was completed by 66 CE. The cavea was enlarged throughout the Flavian, Trajanic, and Hadrianic periods, with the summa cavea added in the 1st century CE (Sear 335).

The theatre featured in early Christian history when, according to Acts 19:29-32, it became the site of an uprising against the Apostle Paul. As Heffernan details, Paul’s preaching provoked a confrontation with Demetrius, a silversmith who made shrines of Artemis, resulting in the crowd chanting “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!”

During the 3rd century CE, the theatre was modified for gladiatorial games by removing the lowest rows of seats and constructing a podium around the orchestra. Later, the orchestra was converted into a kolymbethra (water basin). The theatre was consolidated in the 4th century CE and remained in use until the 5th century CE, before falling into disuse as Ephesus declined (Sear 335).

 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 and Cavea

The theatre is located at GPS 37.94106, 27.34269 and faces east-northeast against Mount Pion, exceeding a semicircle in plan. With a diameter of 142 meters, it became one of Asia Minor’s largest theatre structures during the Roman period (Austrian Archaeological Institute). The seating area is divided into three horizontal sections:

• Ima cavea: 24 rows of marble seats in 11 cunei (wedge-shaped seating sections), with the lowest row featuring continuous stone backs.
• Media cavea: 22 rows in 22 cunei, separated from the ima cavea by a 1.65-meter praecinctio with a podium wall.
• Summa cavea: Added during the 1st century CE, comprising 21 marble-covered rows in 22 cunei, with a porticus at the top.

The theatre could accommodate 17,200-25,000 spectators (Sear suggests 21,500). Row steepness increases above each diazomata, improving sightlines for those seated at the back. An awning (velum) was added mid-2nd century CE, with records showing repairs in 205 and 240 CE. Vitruvius noted that theatres in Asia Minor often featured bronze or clay sounding vessels around the cavea to enhance acoustics (Heffernan).

Substructures and Orchestra

While the Hellenistic theatre utilized the natural hillside, Roman expansions required substantial substructures. The circulation system included radial corridors under the cavea edges, emerging at the praecinctiones (curved walkways separating the tiers of seating), with radial staircases through the podium walls.

The original orchestra (diameter 25.8 meters) had a drain around its rim. When converted for gladiatorial use in the early 3rd century CE, the lowest five rows were removed and a podium (height 2.40 m) created an arena with a 33.62-meter diameter. The orchestra was paved with marble slabs, some green, with the Roman stage projecting twenty feet into it (Heffernan). Before the 4th-century peripheral wall, an iron railing separated the orchestra from the cavea. In the late 3rd century, the orchestra became a kolymbethra with a 28.34-meter diameter, including a passage paved in opus sectile (Sear 335).

Stage Buildings

The Roman pulpitum (25.40 × 5.56 meters) was supported by two rows of cylindrical columns. The proscaenium stood 2.35 meters high and 0.53 meters wide, featuring 20 columns between end piers. Heffernan notes these were Doric columns (5.5 feet high) on 3-foot wide supports, spaced at 21-foot intervals, with a wider central interval containing a stairway to the orchestra.

The Hellenistic scene building (41.70 meters long) had nine rooms with a transverse corridor. The design included five doorways with paired columns, semicircular niches, and a two-story columnatio (third story added late 2nd century). The colonnade included statue niches and seven rectangular openings that served as doors or held scenic elements (Heffernan).

Archaeological discoveries include a beardless tragic mask from the Roman period (Austrian Archaeological Institute). Inscriptions provide valuable information about construction phases, including dedications to Nero, Domitian, and Trajan (Sear 335).

Current Status

The Ephesus Theatre remains exceptionally well-preserved, particularly its marble cavea, though the scaenae frons has suffered more damage. The site attracts approximately 1.5 million visitors annually as part of the Ephesus archaeological complex (Nomadicniko).

Conservation work continues under the Austrian Archaeological Institute and Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism. The theatre hosts “live concerts organized at a certain frequency” throughout the year, including musical concerts, theatrical productions, and special events like the Ephesus Festival. Ephesiantourism

In 2015, Ephesus was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site as “an outstanding example of a Roman port city.” The site is protected by the Izmir Regional Conservation Council under National Law no. 2863 (1983). The management plan, prepared by Selçuk Municipality with Advisory Council input, includes conservation, visitor management, and risk preparedness measures (UNESCO).

Bibliography / Resources:

Aurenhammer, M., Köberle, T., & Weber, J. (2022). Contributions in G. Styhler-Aydın, Der Zuschauerraum des Theaters von Ephesos. Baubefund und architekturhistorische Analyse. Vienna: Verlag der Österreichischen Akademie der Wissenschaften.

Austrian Academy of Sciences. (2024). New head of the Ephesos excavations: OeAW archaeologist Martin Steskal becomes new director. Retrieved from https://www.oeaw.ac.at/en/news/new-head-of-the-ephesos-excavations-oeaw-archaeologist-martin-steskal-becomes-new-director

Austrian Archaeological Institute. (2022). Reconstructing the history of the Theatre in Ephesos. Retrieved from https://www.oeaw.ac.at/en/oeai/media/news-archive/news-detail/baugeschichte-des-theaters-von-ephesos-rekonstruiert-2

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Heberdey, R., Niemann, G., & Wilberg, W. (1912). Das Theater in Ephesus (Forschungen in Ephesos, 2). Vienna.

Heffernan, A. (2003). The Great Theatre at Ephesus (modern Selçuk, Turkey). Whitman College.

Nomadicniko. (2024). Ephesus Archaeological Site: Uncovering All the Secrets. Retrieved from https://nomadicniko.com/turkey/ephesus/

Sear, F. (2006). Roman Theatres: An Architectural Study. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Steskal, M. (2024). Current and future research projects at Ephesus. Austrian Archaeological Institute, Austrian Academy of Sciences. Retrieved from https://www.oeaw.ac.at/en/oeai/institute/team/person/martin-steskal

Styhler-Aydın, G. (2015). The Hellenistic Theatre of Ephesus. Results of a Recent Architectural Investigation of the Koilon. In R. Frederiksen, E. Gebhard, & A. Sokolicek (Eds.), The Architecture of the Ancient Greek Theatre. Aarhus: Aarhus University Press and The Danish Institute at Athens.

Styhler-Aydın, G. (2017). The Theatre of Ephesus – New Results on the Architectural History of the Auditorium. In T. E. Altan, S. Enginsoy Ekinci, & A. U. Peker (Eds.), 1. Türkiye Mimarlik Tarihi Kongresi, Architectural History Conference/Turkey I, Proceedings. Orta Dogu Teknik Üniversitesi, Mimarlik Fakültesi.

Turkish Archaeological News. (2024). Archaeology in Turkey – 2024 in review. Retrieved from https://turkisharchaeonews.net/article/archaeology-turkey-2024-review

Turkish Archaeological News. (2024). Great Theatre in Ephesus. Retrieved from https://turkisharchaeonews.net/object/great-theatre-ephesus

Türkiye Today. (2024). Archaeologists uncover ancient gateway in efforts to preserve Ephesus. Retrieved from https://www.turkiyetoday.com/culture/archaeologists-uncover-ancient-gateway-in-efforts-to-preserve-ephesus-26784/

UNESCO. (n.d.). Ephesus – UNESCO World Heritage Centre. Retrieved from https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1018/

Wood, J. T. (1877). Discoveries at Ephesus. London.Ephesus Theatre: An Architectural Analysis