Ancient theatre of Taormina

About this place

The ancient theatre of Taormina is an ancient Greek theatre in Taormina, Sicily, built in the third century BCE A Hellenistic theatre stood at Taormina from around the third century BCE The remains of another Hellenistic building have been found under the Roman cavea. Under Roman rule, the theatre was rebuilt, probably around the time of Hadrian or Trajan. It was remodelled in the third century AD, with the orchestra turned into an arena and the stage removed. The ancient theatre had a diameter of 107 metres and could hold around 10,000 spectators. It is one of the oldest theatres in Magna Graecia to have curved cavea, rather than the older trapezoidal design. Follow the relationship between the audience area and the performance space. The layout reveals how builders gathered a crowd and focused its attention, connecting the surviving monument with the people who once came here for shared public entertainment.