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FOLLOW a ROUTE to HISTORY from the Sides on the Exterior of the Stadium

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FOLLOW a ROUTE to HISTORY from the Sides on the Exterior of the Stadium Without doubt, in this amazing area, in the suburbs How does a “ship” end up in a “sacred grove”? orchestra and auditorium. Apart from musical The great crisis of the 3rd century AD did not of Nicopolis, the theatre should not be seen apart Someone who listens about a “ship” but does events, political gatherings were held here – in leave Nicopolis unaffected. The mint closed. from the rest of the buildings, the gymnasium, not see the word written anywhere is right to other words, it also operated as a parliament – The Actia games were no longer held. Public the victory monument and the stadium. It is a wonder. But quotation marks embracing the and could seat approximately 1,000 people. buildings were damaged over time and not part of a monumental building complex which word help us realize that the reference to the repaired. Life, of course, does not stop, but was constructed by order of Octavian to bring ship is metaphorical rather than literal. Because The architectural topography did not Nicopolis would never be the same again over his vision to life, to revive Actia. “Actia” were the locals refer to the stadium as a ship due to its vary from that of the theatres in Roman the centuries that followed. It remains the same local Acarnanian games and were taking place oval shape. The stadium is actually quite special times, so the façade of the two storey stage only for those who, aided by archaeologists and in the sanctuary of Apollo Actius, in the mouth of since its long sides, both on the east and on the building would not have been unadorned. It had other specialists, are fascinated by reviving the the Ambracian Gulf. Immediately after his victory, west, are joined by horseshoe-shaped stands three entrances with stairways connecting the past. Octavian gave the god of music an honorary place with slings. stage and orchestra. A narrow passage used for It remains the same only for those who, with the in the Roman Pantheon because he believed he storage of stage props can still be seen today. help of archaeologists and other specialists, are had protected him. He revived the Actia Games The main entrance is on the west side and The floor in the orchestra was very beautiful with fascinated by reviving the past. and established that they would be held every consists of three arch-covered passageways. its colourful geometric marble inlay, a common four years; where else? In Nicopolis, the town Two elongated retaining walls in the north and sight in theatres of that period. The three of his victory. Thus, the elite of culture, art and the south reinforce the outer slopes on the long passageways were also decorated with marble athletic ideals came to Nicopolis from far away sides and define the auditorium with its stands. tiles, one in the centre and two vaulted passages to participate in the athletic competitions of poets, On the perimeter of the exterior, arched openings in the east and the west, where the spectators sophists, tragedians, comedians, preachers, lead to tile covered spaces which are accessed entered the odeion. Officials did not come into FOLLOW A ROUTE TO HISTORY from the sides on the exterior of the stadium. trumpeters, troubadors, singing teachers, flutists contact with the crowd, of course, but sat on Games are not held there today. However, the and pantomimists. Along with them came relatives seats in the first row, which were not fixed, but monument comes to life with human voices and admirers and all together were so many that movable. The auditorium, which is divided into filling it every summer when it hosts theatrical there was not room for them in the city. two tiers, consists of twenty rows of seats clad and musical performances. with white tiles from local limestone. HELLENIC REPUBLIC The prestige of the games was so Musical performances in ancient times took Ministry of Culture and Sports great – the name and personality of the man At the base of the seats in the 10th row, small place at the conservatory (odeion), a monumental rectangular openings which communicate with who revived them played a role obviously – building in the centre of Nicopolis. To visit this that Roman emperors felt it was an honour to the semicircular passages can be discerned. EPHORATE OF ANTIQUITIES OF PREVEZA divine building visitors may choice one of two These openings enhanced the perfect acoustics take part in them. One of them was Nero who, routes: either via the impressive central gate in which were necessary for a Conservatory. in 66 AD during his Greek tour, he thought it the Early Christian Walls, called “Arapoporta,” or Evidence from excavations indicates that the imperative to compete at the Actia games. So he through a network of narrow farm tracks which Conservatory was used until the second half of took part in music and tragedy competitions and surround it. the 3rd century AD. Many centuries of silence distinguished himself. The residents of Nikopoli passed until 1969, when the Conservatory came Mary Beloyianni, seized this opportunity and in order to win favour When you get there, you see a classic, but to life once again hosting excellent theatrical and with the Roman emperor, which they hoped to imposing, building, which rests in its entirety on musical performances as well as other events, cash in sometime in the future, they changed the a built foundation and not in a naturally inclining which take place to this date. name of the town to... Neronicopolis. position and is made up of a stage, a semicircular Phd. Archaeologist, Greek language teacher Responsible for educational programs of Diazoma Association language teacher Responsible for educational programs Greek Phd. Archaeologist, The theatre of Nicopolis mostly followed Roman theatre structure. It was an impressive Greeks, Romans and Jews thronged its wide roads exchanging coins minted in the city, gathered in NICOPOLIS building, both at its time and many centuries later—even as a ruin it attracted the attention of the Agora and the baths, enjoyed themselves with the Actia Games, an “equal to the Olympic Games” Nicopolis is a precious example of a town with features from two ages, 18th and 19th century travelers who would journey all the way to Nicopolis to view the town competition of athletic, music and horseracing events, organised every five years, and entertained Hellenistic and Roman. Six kilometers separate the homonymous capital city of the Prefecture of Octavian Augustus’ victory. of Preveza from the town which Octavian Augustus used to show off after his famous victory themselves at the town’s wonderful theatre. over Marcus Antonius at Actium in 31 BC. On 24th June 1805, William Martin Leake, the British traveler, upon visiting Nicopolis, wrote The imposing building towered over the town, the The theatre site was the most suitable. in his diary. The notes that he and many others kept from different parts of Greece comprise Ionian Sea and the Ambracian Gulf, following the tradition in choosing the best position so that all the The Roman Octavian Augustus must have had the spectacular cities of the content of his work “Travels in Northern Greece.” From that book we learn that “for the senses could rejoice whilst the spectator’s soul and mind was “fed.” What was not adhered to however, Eprius in mind when, following his victory at Actium in 31 BC against his rivals Marcus construction of this great theatre, a part of the hillside was dug out and all the superstructure, was the usual way of theatre construction. The theatre of Nicopolis was constructed combining Antonius and Cleopatra VII, the last Greek queen of Egypt, he founded Nicopolis, the city of the stage structures and the passageways on each side of the stage were built with large, wide elements of Greek and Roman traditional theatre construction and this is what makes it so special. victory, and adorned it with beautiful buildings and exquisite works of art. On September 2 Roman bricks, stuck together with a generous amount of mortar and dressed with stone on of the year 31 BC, a naval battle took place in this corner of south-west Epirus, in the cape of the façade. Despite the fact that the corridor in the upper part of the auditorium has collapsed Actium. It was a battle that would put an end to the Hellenistic Period and the period of Roman inwards and the stone stands have been removed, the theatre remains one of the best preserved Dominance would begin. Marcus Antonius paid the price for his frivolity and propensity for Roman theatres in existence and it should really be measured accurately and drawn up by an pleasure. Succumbing to the irresistible charm of Cleopatra, he did not hesitate to abandon architect.” But Leake went further than that. At his request, the architect Thomas Leverton his wise wife Octavia, Octavian’s sister, to live with the Queen of Egypt, giving her vast Asian Donaldson went to Nicopolis and recorded in an admirable way not only the wonderful theatre, lands and provoking the rage of the Roman Senate. The significance of the confrontation of but also the conservatory, the Nymphaeon with the West Gate and the northern baths. Valuable Cleopatra’s and Octavian’s naval might was enormous not only because the superficial and material for the architecture of the theatre is also provided by the images depicted by travelers. pleasure loving Marcus Antonius was punished for having abandoned his wise wife Octavia, Today’s visitor may view the peripheral retaining wall, the koilon (auditorium) which has now Octavian’s sister, to live with the Queen of Egypt, whose charms he found irresistible.
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