The ancient theatre of Sikyon: what to look for on your visit

By Tony Panopoulos, Kiato

A few kilometres from Kiato, on the plateau of Vasiliko, stands the ancient theatre of Sikyon, one of the great theatres of ancient Greece. If you know what to look for, the visit becomes far more interesting.

Size and layout

The theatre dates from the late 4th or early 3rd century BC and was remodelled in Roman times. The auditorium, where the spectators sat, is about 122 to 125 metres wide and held around 10,000 people. It was divided into 15 wedge-shaped sections by 16 stairways, and into three tiers with about twenty rows each.

What to look for

• The vaulted entrances. Spectators reached the middle and upper tiers through two vaulted entrances, one on each side. They are among the most distinctive features of the theatre.
• The rock-cut seats. Most of the seats were carved into the rock on the western side of the auditorium.
• The seats of honour. The front row was reserved for officials, on seats of porous stone, some of them decorated.
• The view. The auditorium looks out over the plain, the Corinthian Gulf and the mountains of Central Greece across the water.

The museum in a Roman bath

Within the same archaeological site, the Archaeological Museum is housed in part of a Roman bath that was restored in the 1930s. Inside you will see pottery, sculpture, mosaic floors and early Christian finds. The site also preserves the remains of the agora, the council house, the stoa and the gymnasium of Ancient Sikyon.

Practical tips

• From Kiato, follow the road to Vasiliko. The theatre is a few minutes away by car.
• Before you go, check the opening hours of the site and the museum, which change with the season.
• In summer, bring water and a hat: the site is open with little shade.
• For a full day, see A day at Ancient Sikyon.