Since this was the first theater we saw, we discussed the founding of theater here. Theater started with the simple act of narration, which then developed over a 300 to 400 year period through dithyramp—songs and narrations that became more and more complex. Thespis is credited with the first performance in the 6th century BC. Theaters were meant to debate about katharsis (cleansing of the soul), but through stories. In this vein, theater was called psichogogy, which is the guiding of the soul.
Just like everything else, theater originally took place in the Agora, but eventually Pisistrados assigned it to take place here. Theaters required a location with a hill to build the seats into. It had 3 parts: the orchestra; the theatron or place to sit which eventually became the name for the entire place; and the skene or the stage.
Just like everything else, theater originally took place in the Agora, but eventually Pisistrados assigned it to take place here. Theaters required a location with a hill to build the seats into. It had 3 parts: the orchestra; the theatron or place to sit which eventually became the name for the entire place; and the skene or the stage.