Sagalassos (modern Ağlasun, Turkey)

Between the late 1st century and the early 2nd century CE

Cavea Width: 99 meters
Orchestra Width: 25 meters

Sagalassos Theatre (near modern Ağlasun, Turkey); Roman theatre with Hellenistic features; cavea width 98.50 m; 43 total rows divided into eight cunei in the lower cavea and 17 cunei in the upper cavea; southwest-facing; 9,300–11,600 spectators; orchestra width 25.46 m; dates from from c.120 CE; partially preserved; major elements such as the cavea, stage building, and orchestra survive but show significant earthquake damage; approximately 90% of architectural blocks remain on site, though construction appears to have been unfinished at the time of the city’s decline. The theatre and city were abandoned in the mid-to-late seventh century due to earthquake damage.

Sagalassos Theatre (near modern Ağlasun, Turkey)

The ancient city of Sagalassos, located in the rugged highlands of Pisidia near modern Ağlasun in southwestern Turkey, was a prominent urban center in the Roman province of Asia Minor. Established on the steep slopes of the Taurus Mountains, Sagalassos gained distinction as the “first city of Pisidia” under Roman rule, flourishing from the Hellenistic period through the sixth century CE. Today the ruins can be found 100 km north of modern Antalya.

The city’s ruins, perched more than 1,500 meters above sea level, are remarkably well-preserved, primarily due to their remote and elevated location, which shielded them from looting and subsequent development. Modern archaeological work has revealed an exceptionally intact urban layout, including baths, a library, temples, a monumental fountain, and a large theatre. 

The theatre of Sagalassos was constructed between the late 1st century CE and the early 2nd century CE, most likely under the reign of Emperor Hadrian (117–138 CE).  Architectural and inscriptional evidence suggest that construction began in the late 1st century CE, but the theatre was completed in the early 2nd century CE, possibly around 125 CE (Sagalassos Excavation Project). However, excavations in 2011, directed by Marc Waelkens, uncovered traces of an older structure, suggesting that the Roman theatre was built upon or near a predecessor, possibly of Hellenistic origin.

Despite its Roman construction date, the theatre reflects Hellenistic building traditions: it was built into a natural slope, features a horseshoe-shaped auditorium, and the stage building and auditorium were not structurally connected. Construction appears to have been incomplete, as the building never reached its planned scale before the city’s decline. The theatre served not only for dramatic performances but also for gladiatorial games and civic gatherings, as evidenced by inscriptional and architectural findings (Sear 375). The city and theatre were permanently abandoned in the mid-to-late seventh century following a devastating earthquake (Sintubin et al. 361).

Architectural Specifications

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

Location

• Modern city: Ďğlasun, Burdur Province, Turkey
• Orientation: Facing southwest
• GPS Coordinates: 37.67819, 30.52172

Cavea (Seating Area)

• Diameter: 98.50 m
• Estimated capacity: 9,300–11,600 spectators
• Seating divisions:
  • Ima cavea (lower seating): 25 rows of profiled seats (0.455 × 0.63 m) in 8 cunei
  • Top row with continuous stone backrest
  • Praecinctio (horizontal walkway): 2.4 m wide with podium wall (2.28 m high)
  • Passage above (1.34 m wide), accessed by 8 pairs of staircases
  • Summa cavea (upper seating): 18 rows in 17 cunei
• Materials: Local limestone with profiled marble seats
• Substructures: East side built into hillside; west side includes two levels of substructures with radial barrel-vaulted rooms and annular passageways

Orchestra (Performance Space)

• Diameter: 25.46 m
• Shape: Semi-circular (Roman style)
• Paving: Stone
• Features: Gladiatorial modifications: The theater contains slots in the proscaenium wall for sliding panels to release animals into the arena for venationes or animal hunts. (Theatre of Sagalassos – Vici.org).
• Dimensions: Rectilinear front (17 m); oblique sides parallel to analemmata
• Elevation: 2.69 m above orchestra level
• Construction: Stone slabs
• Features: Slots in proscaenium wall for sliding panels to release animals

Scaenae Frons (Scene Building Façade)

• Order: Mixed architectural orders with elaborate ornamentation
• Doorways: Five, decreasing in height toward the sides
• Stories: Possibly single-story (Vandeput 112); earlier scholars suggested a two-story elevation (Sear 375)
• Decorations: Podia supporting a columnatio; frieze showing venationes (beast hunts)

Access and Circulation

• Entrances: Multiple entry points through the outer cavea wall
• Vomitoria: Radial passages leading to the praecinctio
• Stairways: Internal staircases linking substructures to seating

Current Status

Preservation and Condition: The theatre is well-preserved, with approximately 90% of its original architectural elements remaining on-site. The southwestern cavea and stage show earthquake damage, but the structural integrity is largely intact.

Conservation Efforts: Modern conservation prioritizes seismic stabilization, aided by the site’s remote location, which limits tourism-related wear. The Sagalassos Fault Zone requires earthquake-resistant preservation techniques.

UNESCO Status: Sagalassos has been on UNESCO’s Tentative World Heritage List since 1994 under the designation “Archaeological Site of Sagalassos.”

Construction and Renovations

Hellenistic Period (3rd–1st Century BCE): Traces of an earlier theatre suggest the existence of a Hellenistic theatre construction near or under the later Roman theatre (Sagalassos Excavation Project).

The Roman theatre at Sagalassos was constructed between the late 1st century CE and the early 2nd century CE, most likely under the reign of Emperor Hadrian (117–138 CE). Architectural and inscriptional evidence suggest that construction began in the late 1st century CE, but the theatre was completed in the early 2nd century CE, possibly around 125 CE. (Sagalassos Excavation Project).

Early Third Century CE Modifications included mechanisms for gladiatorial spectacles, such as sliding panels for animal release in the proscaenium wall. Relief friezes depicting venationes were also added.

Post-518 CE Following a major earthquake, emergency repairs were undertaken, including the reinforcement of the scaenae frons and damaged cavea sections (“Sagalassos – Madain Project”).

Seventh Century CE (circa 650 CE): A devastating earthquake, combined with Arab raids and epidemics, led to the city’s final abandonment. Evidence includes collapsed vaults, cracked mosaics, and broken statuary (Sintubin et al. 367).

Pre-Excavation Discovery and Documentation: In 1706, Paul Lucas identified the ruins, but not the site name (“Sagalassos”). In 1824, Francis Arundell correctly identified it through epigraphic evidence.

Major Excavation Campaigns

• 1985–1989: Stephen Mitchell conducted surface surveys (Mitchell).
• 1990–2007: Directed by Marc Waelkens, full-scale excavations of the urban core and theatre began (Waelkens).
• 1993: Significant season documented in Anatolian Studies.
• 1996–1997: Excavations published in Sagalassos V (Waelkens, Poblome, and Talloen 217–398).
• 2004: Sondages by Talloen, Poblome, and Waelkens near the theatre revealed industrial use.
• 2008–2015: Waelkens focused on conservation and restoration.
• 2015–present: Jeroen Poblome leads continued excavations emphasizing public engagement (“Sagalassos Excavation Project”).

Modern Restorations Restoration has emphasized structural stabilization and anastylosis using original materials. The Global Heritage Fund supports conservation with training in traditional masonry.

Bibliography / Resources:

Mitchell, Stephen. Anatolia: Land, Men, and Gods in Asia Minor. Clarendon Press, 1993.

“Sagalassos.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sagalassos. Accessed 15 July 2025.

“Sagalassos Excavation Project.” KU Leuven, sari.kuleuven.be/sagalassos. Accessed 15 July 2025.

“Sagalassos – Madain Project.” Madain Project, madainproject.com/sagalassos. Accessed 15 July 2025.

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

Sintubin, Manuel, et al. “Seismic Catastrophes at the Ancient City of Sagalassos (SW Turkey) and Their Implications for Seismotectonics in the Burdur–Isparta Area.” Geological Journal, vol. 38, no. 3–4, 2003, pp. 359–374.

“Theatre of Sagalassos.” Vici.org, vici.org/vici/8024/. Accessed 15 July 2025.

UNESCO World Heritage Centre. “Archaeological Site of Sagalassos.” UNESCO Tentative Lists, whc.unesco.org/en/tentativelists/5409/. Accessed 15 July 2025.

Vandeput, Lutgarde. “The Theatre-Façade at Sagalassos.” Anatolian Studies, vol. 42, 1992, pp. 99–117.

Waelkens, Marc. “Sagalassos: City of Dreams.” Expedition, vol. 49, no. 2, 2007, pp. 30–37.

Waelkens, Marc, Jeroen Poblome, and Peter Talloen. “The 1996 and 1997 Excavation Seasons at Sagalassos.” Sagalassos V: Report on the Survey and Excavation Campaigns of 1996 and 1997, Leuven University Press, 2000, pp. 217–398.