Mantinea (modern Mantinia, Greece)

mid-4th century BCE

Cavea Width: 67 meters
Orchestra Width: 22 meters

The theatre at Mantinea (modern Mantinia, Arcadia) measures 67 meters in diameter with the ima cavea divided into 7 cunei; facing east; seating capacity unknown due to insufficient remains. The dividing staircases begin after the third row, with the front row reserved for the gerousia according to an inscription (Sear 400). The orchestra measures 21.70 meters in diameter and was covered with sand, not paved. Initially constructed in the mid-4th century BCE (Bulle), the scene building (measuring 21.07 × 4.7-5.5 meters) was added after 222 BCE following the city’s reconstruction by Antigonos Doson (Sear 400). Notable features include the proscaenium with traces of 16 columns spaced 1.35 meters apart and a central door (1.50m wide) to the hyposcaenium. The theatre is now partially preserved with visible cavea remains and orchestra area, while the scene building survives only in its foundations (Fougères 168-169).

The ancient theatre of Mantinea (Μαντίνεια)

The ancient theatre of Mantinea (Μαντίνεια) is situated in the northeastern part of Arcadia in the Peloponnese. The theatre dates to the mid-4th century BCE according to Bulle’s assessment, with the scene building likely added after 222 BCE following the city’s destruction and reconstruction (Sear 400). This chronology places the theatre’s initial construction within the period of Mantinea’s revitalization after its destruction by Sparta in 385 BCE and subsequent rebuilding in 371 BCE (Pritchett 40-45).

Pausanias, the Greek traveler and geographer, provides valuable descriptions of Mantinea in Book 8 of his “Description of Greece” (8.9.2-6), including details about the theatre and surrounding buildings during his visit around 166 CE (Gogos 329-339). While Fougères’ excavations (1887-1889) confirmed many of Pausanias’s descriptions of Mantinea, his reports (BCH 1890) revealed discrepancies between the archaeological evidence and some of Pausanias’s attributions of buildings to specific deities or functions.

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

• Orientation and positioning: The theatre faces east, positioned to close off the west side of the agora
• Topographical details: Built on a flat site, similar to the theatre at Tegea, with an artificially constructed cavea. (GPS coordinates: 37.6181, 22.39246).

Cavea (seating area)

• Diameter and estimated capacity: 67 meters in diameter; seating capacity not known.
• Seating divisions: The ima cavea (lower seating section) was divided into 7 cunei (wedge-shaped sections). No information on upper cavea seating.

1. Construction materials and techniques:
   Seats were simple in design
   None of the seats had backs
   An inscription indicates the front row was reserved for the gerousia (council of elders)

Support Structures and Access

The cavea was enclosed in heavy walls with a maximum height of 3.62 meters, though originally estimated to be four times higher

The upper cavea (summa cavea) may have been constructed of mud-brick, a material commonly used in Mantinea, according to Fougères

Access points:

• On the northwest side of the cavea, a staircase of fine polygonal masonry built into the thickness of the outer wall led to a passage running under the seats of the summa cavea into the praecinctio (horizontal walkway)
• A later addition on the southwest side of the cavea was another staircase, built entirely outside the cavea wall, which also led to a passage running under the summa cavea into the praecinctio
• Two other later staircases were added against the north and south analemma walls, with only two steps surviving of the southern staircase

Orchestra (performance space between audience and stage)

• Dimensions and shape: 21.70 meters in diameter
• Materials: Covered with sand, not paved

Proscaenium (front stage structure)

• Elements and features:
  • Traces of 16 columns spaced 1.35 meters apart
  • In the middle, a door (1.50 meters wide) provided access to the hyposcaenium, similar to the arrangement at Epidaurus

Pulpitum (stage)

• Dimensions: Length: 21.07 meters; Width: 2.85 meters

Scaenae Frons (decorative scene house front)

• Length: 21.07 meters
• Width: 4.7-5.5 meters
• Walls show signs of hasty construction
• Likely constructed after 222 BCE, following the reconstruction of the city by Antigonos Doson

Parodoi (side entrances)

• Construction details: The walling of the analemmata is irregular, presumably because buildings to the east are earlier
• Design features: The economical construction of the inner parts of the analemmata suggests a later date

Current Status

The theatre at Mantinea is in a partially preserved state. The cavea is still discernible, though much of the upper sections have been lost. The orchestra area remains visible, though the original sand covering has been largely replaced by soil and vegetation. The scene building survives only in its foundations, with minimal standing architecture.

The archaeological site of Mantinea, including the theatre, is recognized as state property and an official archaeological area under the protection of the Greek Ministry of Culture (Greek Travel Pages). 

Unlike some more famous ancient theatres in Greece, the Mantinea theatre has not been the subject of extensive restoration projects aimed at returning it to performance use. Conservation work has primarily focused on preservation of existing remains rather than reconstruction.

UNESCO Status

The ancient theatre of Mantinea is not currently included on the UNESCO World Heritage List, nor does it appear on Greece’s tentative list for future UNESCO nominations. It is, however, protected under Greek national legislation as an archaeological site of significant historical and cultural value.

Renovation History: Chronological Phases with Dates

1. Initial Construction Phase (mid-4th century BCE): The original theatre was constructed with a simple cavea and orchestra, without an elaborate scene building (Bulle; Sear 400).
2. Post-222 BCE Renovation: Following the city’s destruction and reconstruction by Antigonos Doson, the scene building was likely added, showing signs of hasty construction (Sear 400).
3. Roman Imperial Period (1st-2nd centuries CE): During this period, the theatre may have undergone further modifications to accommodate Roman theatrical traditions, though specific details are limited in the archaeological record.

Major Excavation Campaigns and Directors

1. French School Excavations (1887-1989)
   The ancient theatre at Mantinea was excavated by the French Archaeological School in the 19th century, specifically in the years 1887-1889. The excavations were directed by G. Fougères and V. Bérard. Visitpeloponnese. These French excavations uncovered the stage, the orchestra, and some of the lowest rows of seating of the theatre. G. Fougères later published findings in a work titled “Mantinée et l’Arcadie orientale” in Paris in 1898. Tufts
2. Extended French School Campaigns (1887–1911):
   Led by G. Fougères and V. Bérard, these excavations continued to uncover major city features, including public buildings and fortifications
3. Recent: More recent archaeological work at Mantinea includes multi-component geophysical surveys conducted as part of research projects supervised by Dr. A.V. Karapanagiotou

Bibliography / Resources:

Arias, P. Teatro greco. Rome, 1934.

Bulle, H. Untersuchungen an griechischen Theatern. Munich, 1928.

Dilke, O.A.W. “Details and Chronology of Greek Theatre Caveas.” Annual of the British School at Athens 45 (1950): 45-47.

Fougères, G. Mantinée et l’Arcadie orientale (MAO). Paris, 1898.

Fougères, G. “Mantinée.” RE 14 (1930): 1290-1344.

Fougères, G. “Fouilles de Mantinée.” Bulletin de Correspondance Hellénique (BCH) (1887-1890).

Gogos, S. “Pausanias über das Theater von Mantineia.” Wiener Studien 18 (1984): 329-339.

O’Neil, J. L. Greek Democratic Constitutions outside Athens. University of Cambridge, Ph.D. dissertation, 1974.

Pritchett, W.K. Studies in Ancient Greek Topography, Part II. University of California Classical Studies 4 (1969): 37-72.

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

Walbank, F. W. An Historical Commentary on Polybius. Oxford, 1957-1979.

Digital and Internet Sources

Dickenson, C. “Mantinea.” Monuments of Roman Greece (blog). https://romangreece.wordpress.com/tag/mantinea/

Golden Greece. “Ancient Mantineia (Archaeological Site).” https://golden-greece.gr/en/archaeological/peloponisos/arkadia/arxaia-mantineia-arkadia

InPeloponnese. “The Historic Battleground of Mantinea.” https://www.inpeloponnese.gr/en/attraction/arcadia/historic-battleground-mantinea-0

Perseus Tufts. “Mantinea (Site).” https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/artifact?name=Mantinea&object=Site

Roman-Empire.net. “Roman Theaters: Architectural Marvels of Ancient Entertainment.” https://roman-empire.net/roman-theaters/

Sarris, A., et al. “Multi-component geophysical survey at the Classical Greek cities of Mantinea and Elis.” Antiquity Journal. Cambridge Core, 2015. https://www.antiquity.ac.uk/projgall/moffat345

Wikipedia. “Mantinea.” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mantineia