The Antique theater is located on a highway connecting Bodrum to Turgut Reis on a hillside in Göktepe, overlooking the bay and the Bodrum Castle, Turkey. The circular structure has a 187 feet (57m) diameter. It was built in the Hellenistic style in the 5th century BC and was recently restored by some private companies. It was estimated that it could seat 10,000 people in the ancient times. However, after current excavations and restoration work theater can provide seats up to 4000.

Bodrum theater is comprised of skene, proskenion, orchestra, two caveas, and two paradoi.

Skene, was the place for the actors to change their costumes between appearances. It was also the place to store costumes and other properties. Actors used to perform on the raised platform called proskenion. And the chorus used to sing on orchestra, which gave the name to the modern orchestra. In the Hellenistic times society consisted of different tiers. So spectators used to sit in different caveas depending on their social standing. And finally paradoi were the corridors used by the actors during the play to enter and exit stage. Paradoi were also used by the audience before and after the play.

Sources

1. Wikipedia, Mausolus.
2. Serdaroğlu, Ümit, Prof. Dr. Measured Drawings and Restoration project.
3. Additional Projects and Implementations, Mustafa Tozan, M. Arch General Management, Emre Madran, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Advisor, Nimet Özgönül, Dr. Advisor.
4. Kiper, Perihan, H., “Küreselleşme Sürecinde Kentlerin Tarihsel-Kültürel Değerlerinin Korunması – Türkiye- Bodrum Örneği,” Ph. D. Dissertation, T.C. Ankara Üniversitesi Sosyal Bilimler Enstitüsü Kamu Yönetimi ve Siyaset Bilimi (Kent ve Çevre Bilimleri) Anabilim Dalı.
5. Turkish Antiquities Department, Ministry of Culture, Turkey.