Tlos (near modern Seydikemer, Muğla, Turkey)

31 BCE – 14 CE

Cavea Width: 52 meters
Orchestra Width: 18 meters

Tlos Roman Theatre (near modern Seydikemer, Muğla, Turkey)

The Theatre of Tlos is a Roman-period theatre built on Hellenistic foundations. The cavea measures approximately 52 meters in diameter and exceeds a semicircle with rectilinear wall enclosures; seating consists of approximately 36 rows divided into ima cavea (20 rows in 9 cunei) and summa cavea (16 rows in 18 cunei); the theatre faces west-northwest with an estimated capacity of 3,500-4,000 spectators. The circular orchestra measures approximately 18 meters in diameter. Construction began in the late 1st century BCE with major expansions in the mid-2nd century CE and final renovations in the mid-3rd century CE. The theatre remains largely unexcavated and heavily overgrown, with only portions of the cavea and scene building back wall visible, suffering from vegetation growth, stone robbing, and natural weathering with no formal conservation measures in place.

The Roman Theatre at Tlos (near modern Seydikemer, Muğla, Turkey)

The ancient theatre of Tlos represents one of the better-preserved theatrical monuments of Lycia, an ancient region in southwestern Turkey. Located in the modern village of Düver, near Seydikemer in Muğla Province, this Roman-period theatre exemplifies the adaptation of Hellenistic architectural traditions to Roman imperial demands.

Tlos emerged as one of the six principal cities of the Lycian League, maintaining its prominence throughout the Hellenistic and Roman periods. The city’s strategic position in the Xanthos River valley facilitated its development as a major regional center, with extensive necropoleis and monumental architecture reflecting its prosperity (Bean 67).

Theatre History: The theatre’s construction history spans several centuries, dating back to a late Hellenistic foundation in the first century BCE. The structure underwent significant expansion during the mid-second century CE and received its final major renovation in the mid-third century CE, when the scene building was substantially remodeled (Sear 380). This extended building campaign reflects both the theatre’s continued importance to civic life and the financial resources available to the community throughout the imperial period.

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

• Modern city: Düver, Muğla Province, Turkey
• Orientation: Facing west-northwest (Sear 380)

Cavea (seating area)

• Diameter: approximately 52 meters (Sear 380)
• Configuration: Exceeds semicircle with rectilinear wall enclosures
• Estimated capacity: 3,500-4,000 spectators
• Seating divisions:
  • Ima cavea (lower seating): approximately 20 rows with elaborately profiled seats (0.382 x 0.70 meters) arranged in 9 cunei (wedge-shaped sections) (Sear 380)
  • Summa cavea (upper seating): approximately 16 rows arranged in 18 cunei (Sear 380)
• Construction: Built on flat terrain requiring extensive substructural engineering

Substructures

• Vaulted radial corridors on each side running under the summa cavea
• Corridors emerge at level slightly below the praecinctio (horizontal walkway)
• Access via arched openings in analemma (retaining wall) providing entry to rooms beneath upper seating
• Two parallel staircases running up to praecinctio level, comparable to design at Caunus (Sear 380)

Orchestra (performance space)

• Diameter: approximately 18 meters (Sear 380)
• Shape: Circular, standard Roman configuration
• Materials: Stone paving (specific stone type not documented)

Pulpitum (stage)

• Length: 36.60 meters (Sear 380)
• Width: 4.35 meters (Sear 380)
• Construction: Built above hyposcaenium (basement level beneath stage)
• Access: Arched openings connecting basement levels (Sear 380)

Scaenae Frons (decorative scene house front)

• Design: Rectilinear arrangement with five doorways (Sear 380)
• Architectural order: Two-story columnatio (colonnade arrangement)
• Decorative elements:
  • Podia with central recesses decorated with fruit garlands supported by herms (Sear 380)
  • Curved niches in scaenae frons wall above doorways
  • Rich frieze decoration indicated by surviving fragments
• Stories: Evidence suggests two-story elevation with elaborate ornamentation

Access and Circulation

• Parodoi (side entrances): Width 2 meters providing access to orchestra (Sear 380)
• Vomitoria (exit passages): Integrated within substructural system

Current Status

The theatre remains largely unexcavated, with substantial portions of the structure buried beneath accumulated debris and vegetation. Bean described the site as “heavily overgrown” and “crying out to be excavated,” a condition that persists to this day (Bean 67). The visible remains include portions of the cavea and the back wall of the scene building, though the elaborate decorative elements documented by earlier scholars have suffered significant deterioration.

The site lacks formal conservation measures or visitor infrastructure. While not designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site individually, Tlos falls within the broader cultural landscape of ancient Lycia, which has been proposed for future UNESCO consideration as part of regional heritage initiatives.

Current preservation challenges include vegetation growth, stone robbing for local construction projects, and natural weathering of exposed architectural elements. The theatre’s remote location has provided some protection from modern development pressures, but has also limited conservation resources and scholarly access.

Renovation Phases:

Phase I (Late 1st century BCE): Initial construction included the cavea and stage platform, representing the foundational Hellenistic-style theatre with traditional Greek proportions and materials (Sear 380).

Phase II (Mid-2nd century CE): Major expansion campaign enlarged the cavea significantly, adding the upper seating sections and sophisticated substructural systems. This renovation doubled the theatre’s capacity and introduced Roman architectural innovations including improved circulation systems (Sear 380).

Phase III (Mid-3rd century CE): Comprehensive rebuilding of the scene building created the elaborate two-story scaenae frons with rich decorative programs. This final phase represents the theatre’s architectural maturity, incorporating the most advanced Roman scenic design principles (Sear 380).

Excavations:

Archaeological investigation of the Tlos theatre has been ongoing intermittently since the nineteenth century, although comprehensive excavation remains incomplete. Charles Fellows provided early documentation during his 1838-1840 expeditions to Lycia, followed by Thomas Abel Brimage Spratt’s detailed surveys in the 1840s (Fellows 237-241; Spratt 1:33-38).

The Austrian Archaeological Institute conducted the most systematic investigations under Karl Lanckoronski’s direction in the 1880s, producing the first detailed architectural drawings and establishing the chronological framework still used today (Lanckoronski 2:43). These expeditions documented the theatre’s general layout but did not pursue extensive excavation of buried sections.

German archaeologist Wolfgang Wurster led limited investigations in 1976, focusing primarily on surface documentation and photographic recording (Wurster 36). The most recent scholarly assessment was conducted by George Bean, whose surveys in the 1960s and 1970s provided updated architectural analysis and condition assessments. However, he noted the urgent need for comprehensive excavation and conservation (Bean 67).

Publication history includes Domenico De Bernardi Ferrero’s comprehensive architectural analysis in Teatri Classici in Asia Minore (1966-1974), which remains the most detailed study of the theatre’s construction phases and decorative programs (Ferrero 3:191-196).

Bibliography / Resources:

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

Fellows, Charles. Travels and Researches in Asia Minor, More Particularly in the Province of Lycia. London: John Murray, 1852.

Ferrero, Domenico De Bernardi. Teatri Classici in Asia Minore. 4 vols. Rome: “L’Erma” di Bretschneider, 1966-1974.

Lanckoronski, Karl Graf. Städte Pamphyliens und Pisidiens. 2 vols. Vienna: Alfred Hölder, 1890-1892.

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

Spratt, Thomas Abel Brimage. Travels and Researches in Crete. 2 vols. London: John Van Voorst, 1865.

Tabula Imperii Romani. “K.III Lycaonia.” Rome: Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, 1981.

Wurster, Wolfgang W. “Zur Entwicklungsgeschichte der Hangterrassierung in Lykien.” Archäologischer Anzeiger (1976): 36-48.