Theatre of Dionysus

The Theatre of Dionysos on the southern slope of the Athenian Acropolis is considered the birthplace of European drama. Here in the 5th century BC the plays of Aeschylus, Sophocles and Euripides were premiered during the annual Dionysia festival honouring the wine god Dionysos. The stone version commissioned in the 4th century BC under the archon Lycurgus seated up to 17,000 spectators. The marble thrones of the front row still carry inscriptions naming priests and dignitaries. Today you walk across the ancient orchestra between fragments of the late-antique stage reliefs, looking up at the cliffs of the Acropolis itself. The visit pairs naturally with the Acropolis Museum, a short walk downhill.