Extraordinary 2,400-Year-Old Greek Theater Found on Turkey’s Coast

Turkish archaeologists have made a remarkable discovery at the ancient Greek city of Alexandria Troas, in Canakkale, a seaport city on the southern shore of the Dardanelles along the Aegean Sea in northwestern Turkey. What they have found are the ruins of a theater that is believed to be approximately 2,400 years old. Much of the theater is still underground and yet to be excavated, but the archaeologists are thrilled by what they have uncovered so far.

Incredibly, this huge Greek theater is estimated to have seated up to 12,000 people. It is one of many spectacular archaeological finds in Canakkale, which is the home of multiple ancient sites, including the site where the legendary city of Troy was once located.

A Cosmopolitan History

The history of the region that is now Turkey is unique because of its location. It sits at what has been a crossroads for many civilizations for many centuries, and many of the people who arrived from elsewhere left a mark on the culture and in the archaeological record that is still being investigated today.

The Greeks had a huge impact on the history of the region, as they established settlements or outposts far and wide. Alexandria Troas was officially founded in the fourth century BC, at the site of an older settlement, and was given its name by Lysimachus, the successor to Alexander the Great as the leader of the Greeks. There are only a few structures or parts of structures remaining at the 990-acre (400-hectare) site, which is one reason why the discovery of the Greek theater is creating so much excitement in the Turkish archaeological community.

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Area containing the Greek theater at Alexandria Troas. (sinandogan/Adobe Stock)

The Traditions of Ancient Greek Theater On Display in Turkey

Excavations at Alexandria Troas began in July of this year, and will continue through to the end of the year. In charge of the 40-person excavation team handling the digs is archaeologist Erhan Oztepe from Ankara University, and the project is being sponsored primarily by Turkey’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism.

Most of the focus in this year’s excavation has been on the ancient city center and its forum. But as the season moved along the archaeologists began to look much more closely at the ruins of the Greek theater, which were found about 220 yards (200 meters) from the town center.

“It’s built into the hillside, following the tradition of Greek theaters,” Professor Oztepe said in an interview with Turkey Today. “We estimate the capacity to be around 10,000 to 12,000 seats.”

The professor explained that the theater was strategically placed to take advantage of the slope of the hillside. This allowed for the installation of rows of seats one above the other, allowing the architects to take maximum advantage of the available space.

It is believed that construction of the theater dates back to the earliest days of the city, if not to somewhat before its official founding. However, there is evidence to suggest it was renovated by the Roman Emperor Hadrian, who ruled the region from 117 to 138 AD.

“Based on the wall techniques and other clues, we believe modifications were made during the Roman period, particularly under Hadrian’s rule,” Professor Oztepe stated. The excavation is ongoing, and more details are expected to emerge as work progresses.

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Stonework previously found at Alexandria Troas. (sinandogan/Adobe Stock)

The Marvelous Site of Alexandria Troas

The current examination of the ancient Greek theater is part of an ongoing effort to learn more about cultural activities and spaces in Alexandria Troas when it was in its heyday. One other important structure that was found earlier is known as an Odeon, and it is a building that would have hosted concerts and other music-related events. Here the archaeologists have discovered some fascinating information contained in various inscriptions, which detail the history of how the Odeon was used.

“We discovered a plaque indicating that a musician from Lesbos earned recognition here and was honored with a statue,” Professor Oztepe said. “While the statue has not been found, the inscription gives us a glimpse into how artists were celebrated.”

As for the theater, it is typical of a type of structure that the Greeks frequently built in the region, according to the professor.

“We know of other theaters in other nearby cities like Troy, Parion, and Assos, and this one in Alexandria Troas adds to that cultural landscape.”

Intriguingly, there are historical drawings of the structure from the 17th and 18th centuries that show a few rows of seats. This means that at least some of the theater was visible even before modern excavations began.

Saving a True Historical Treasure

Unfortunately, it appears that some of the stone used to construct the theater was removed by locals at different points in the past, presumably so they could be reused or repurposed. Nevertheless, Erhan Oztepe is optimistic that the continuing excavations will produce more exciting finds at the site of this historical treasure.

“There’s a good chance that some original seating rows are still intact, especially at the lower levels,” he stated. “We will only know for sure once we begin further digging.”

Once the theater has been completely unearthed, it will likely standout as one of the wonders of the greater Canakkale archaeological region.

Top image: Alexandria Troas Ancient City, Canakkale, Turkey.      Source: raul77/Adobe Stock

By Nathan Falde