ANCIENT THEATRE. The theatre as a form of architecture was originated by the Greeks and naturally developed with the drama. At first it was simply the open space near the Temple of Dionysus, where the chorus danced about the altar of the gnd while the solitary actor, perhaps standing on the steps of the altar, carried on a dialogue with their leader. It is probable that at times the chorus of satyrs actually drew a wagon containing the actor who impersonated the god, and who naturally addressed his com panions from this vantage ground, and it is quite possible to see in such a scene the 'car of Thespis.' with which the founder of tragedy is said to have traversed Attica. When tragedy became a State institution at Athens, set places for its performance were naturally provided; one of these was the 'Orchestra' near the Agora, a circular dancing place which was surrounded by raised seats for the spectators. The other theatre was in the precinct of Dionysus Menthe rens at the eastern end of the southern slope of the Acropolis, afterwards occupied by the stone theatre.
The earliest Athenian theatre was simply a large circular place (dprjarpa, orchestra, from opxioaat, orekcomai. 'dance') about 75 feet in diameter near the temple. On the hill rose the seats for the spectators (Olarpolo, thcatron, in the strict sense), and these were further enlarged by artificial mounds of earth, so as to form rather more than a semicircle. The orchestra was entered by two passages (rdpoht, parodoi) from the sides. The nature of the ground was such that at the rear it was raised some dis tance above the level of the sacred precinct, thus affording an opportunity for an underground passage, Charon's steps, by which actors could rise from the ground in the centre of the orches tra. There was at first no scenery or back ground, and some neighboring house was used as dressing-room. In the centre of the orchestra might he an altar or tomb or other structure, probably of no great height. Such simple set tings are all that seem required for the earlier plays of 2Eschylus, such as the Suppliants, Seven Against Thebes, and Persians. Soon, how ever, an innovation was made. A tent (ataivi skenT.) was introduced to serve as a dressing room, and this speedily became a building, ap parently erected just outside the circle of the orchestra, and provided with three doors. It might represent a palace or temple or any other building called for by the play; or the front might be cmered with a painted scene, as in the Birds of Aristophanes. During all this time actors and chorus were on the same level in the orchestra, except that gods and occasionally other characters seem to have appeared on the roof of the skene. Our of this theatre of the fifth century is partly based on the very scanty ruins of the earliest structure, and partly on the internal evidence of the plays themselves, in w-hieh there are many passages which imply that actors and chorus are on the same level, and none, with the exception above noted, that clearly imply any raised stage for the actors.
In the fourth century, probably, the theatre at Athens was rebuilt in stone. the orchestra being moved farther hack into the bill, and reduced to about sixty feet in diameter, stone seats were provided for the spectators, and outside the circle of the orchestra was erected a long stone skene. with projecting wings (rapacrtchvia, para skrnia). It seems probable that between these wings the scenery was now displayed. but there is no evidence, in the remains, of any raised stage. The old view, still held in modified form by many, is that in the fifth and fourth centuries there was a stage for the actors, probably low, in front of the skcne, and that when the chorus was discontinued this was replaced by the high platform of the Hellenistic theatre. Somewhat later there was erected, a short distance in front of the skene, a low wall Orpocrtojviov, prosWnion) about twelve feet high, composed of columns, or half-columns, supporting an entablature, and with the intercolumniations filled with wooden panels. There was a door in the centre, with possibly two more near the sides. In front of this structure the paraskenia- projected but a little. The space between the skcae and pro skenion was roofed over, forming a platform, which varies in different theatres, but is from 10 to 12 feet in height and from about 7 to 9 feet in width. It is maintained by some that in the plays of the time the actors ap peared on this level, as there was no chorm. On this point the evidence is far from clear, but it seems not improbable that actors in the drama proper occupied the lower level, and that this platform was for gods. In Asia Minor, under the influence of modified conditions, another type was developed by diminishing the height and increasing the width of the stage, reducing the orchestra to less than a semicircle. This operation might be described as sinking a part of the orchestra, for the lowest row of seats i0 frequently I as at Aspendus I on a level with the stage. and not, as in earlier Greek theatres, at the level of the orchestra. It is to he noted that this i; not really a lowering aml extension of the proskenion, for at the rear of the new stage ap pears a decorated front of columns or half-col umns and cornices, which forms a background to the actor, similar to that formed by the old proskenion. There was no curtain in the Greek t heatre.