Epidaurus is a must for any visitor to Greece as there is no other theatre in the world being preserved almost intact since ancient times. It is a truly transformational experience for everyone who would like to experience the depth of culture and humanity and how Greeks have been using theatre to engage with issues through the centuries. Watching a performance is a must see at least once in your life time experience.
Epidaurus Theatre: Built in the 3rdcentury BC, the theatre is famous for its acoustics where even the drop of a coin can be heard in the top rows. The theatre consists of 34 rows of limestone seats and can seat around 600 persons. Right in the middle is the orchestra and at the sides the two Parodoi provide access to and from the main stage. Theatre played a most important and educational role in ancient Greece, hosting tragedies of Aeschylus, Sophocles and Euripides as well as comedies of Aristophanes. In our days, selected groups perform ancient tragedies and comedies as part of the Athens-Epidaurus summer festival.
Epidaurus Archaeological Site: Epidaurus is not only the theatre but an extended archaeological site, so if you are planning to visit, please allow sufficient time. The main site hosts the Asklepieion of Epidaurus, antiquity’s birthplace of medical cure. The sanctuary was name after Asklepios the God of healing and medicine attracting thousands of visitors from all over the ancient world. Patients had to sleep in the Abaton-Enkoimeterion, a big sleeping hall only accessible to them, where during their sleep Asklepios would visit and cure them. Patients had to undergo purification with water and offer sacrifice before being put forward for healing. In the sanctuary there was a guest house for 160 guestrooms as well as mineral springs probably used for the healing.
