Messene Odeion

THE #ODEION AT #MESSENE #odeion #messene

Whats left of most Greek and Roman Odeions makes them look like smaller versions of theatres however descriptions left by Pausanias and other writers suggests most of them were covered and had much more elaborate backstage structures. Instead of the well known Athenian Odeion I'm going to show you the two best photos I could find of the lesser known Odeion at Messene's ancient capital on Mt Ithome.

Some books describe this as a theatre and some experts think it was used for rituals but there is no trace of an altar and it certainly follows the standard Odeion format and placement. Near other public buildings and a fan shape with raised seating. It also has retained its tiled flooring perhaps because of the remoteness of Mt Ithome?

Perhaps as I speculated before theatres and odeions was used for a variety of events between major cultural or religious festivals. Homeric recitals? Rehearsals of new plays? Choral performances combining dance and song. Public Oratory? Oratory Training. There are many possibilities.

The Thorikos Oddity

While 90 to 95 % of Greek and Roman Theatres and Odeion follow a standard design with minor tweaks to adapt to the locale the #theatre at #thorikos is oval rather than fan or circular in shape. It is also one of the oldest if not the oldest Greek Theatre.

many thanks to whoever took the drone shot !

Given this predates the stone theatres in Athens scholars and archaeologists it was originally used for political events or religious festivals so I find myself wondering 

WHAT WERE THEATRES and ODEIONS used for the REST of the YEAR?

Between Major Festivals?

Possibilities include Poetry Recitals of Homeric Epics, Orations on set themes, Training of Orators, and maybe political meetings if the agora was too small? 

Possibly training Actors and Choruses or maybe reruns of winning plays from previous contests?

Theta Words One

 Theta Words One

θᾶκος ὁ seat chair θᾱκέω to sit take a seat but θάσσω is to sit but to sit idly lounge about?

θάλαμος inner chamber bedroom dwelling lair den θαλάμιος belonging to the chamber

θάλασσα the sea Attic θάλαττα

θάλλω bloom flourish shoot grow sell be rich abundant prosper

so Θάλεια the Muse of Comedy

θάμνος a bush or shrub

θαρσέω Attic θαρρέω be courageous confident positive note also verb θαρσύνω

θάρσος or θράσος Attic θάρρος τό courage boldness confidence

θάσος an island

θάσσων however is the COMPARATIVE form of ταχύς to be quicker faster swifter

θαῦμα wonder marvel surprise astonishment note also Ionic θῶμα Verb θαυμάζω

Note the similar Verbs θάομαι wonder at admire gaze upon look at see and θεάομαι

so θέᾱτρον a theatre is a place for viewing