The Performances at the Theatre of the Pythion in Gortyna, Crete. Virtual Acoustics Analysis as a Support for Interpretation

The location of the so-called “small” Roman theatre of Gortyna (Crete), precisely at the back of the temple dedicated to Apollo Pythios, suggests a clear correlation of this monument with religious rituals. We may suppose that the theatre was used in particular during the Ludi Apollinares (Pythia),...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Manzetti Maria Cristina
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: De Gruyter 2019-12-01
Series:Open Archaeology
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1515/opar-2019-0027
_version_ 1818880456008925184
author Manzetti Maria Cristina
author_facet Manzetti Maria Cristina
author_sort Manzetti Maria Cristina
collection DOAJ
description The location of the so-called “small” Roman theatre of Gortyna (Crete), precisely at the back of the temple dedicated to Apollo Pythios, suggests a clear correlation of this monument with religious rituals. We may suppose that the theatre was used in particular during the Ludi Apollinares (Pythia), namely games and a festival dedicated to the God Apollo (held for the first time in Rome in 212 BC) or during the iso-Olympic agones as witnessed by the epigraphic sources of the imperial age. However, we have to consider also the possibility that the “small” theatre of Gortyna could have housed civic ceremonies or other activities related to the life of the Koinon ton Kreton, the federal assembly of all the Cretan cities which had its seat during the imperial times right in the space of the sanctuary. This paper aims to verify the typology of performances and activities that could take place in the theatre of the Pythion (namely if it was more suitable for music or speech) through virtual acoustics analysis. The study of the acoustics’ quality has provided significant support to formulate hypotheses about the primary function of the theatre of the Pythion at Gortyna.
first_indexed 2024-12-19T14:46:15Z
format Article
id doaj.art-61d5289af29d4132a175666627f7021e
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 2300-6560
language English
last_indexed 2024-12-19T14:46:15Z
publishDate 2019-12-01
publisher De Gruyter
record_format Article
series Open Archaeology
spelling doaj.art-61d5289af29d4132a175666627f7021e2022-12-21T20:16:57ZengDe GruyterOpen Archaeology2300-65602019-12-015143444310.1515/opar-2019-0027opar-2019-0027The Performances at the Theatre of the Pythion in Gortyna, Crete. Virtual Acoustics Analysis as a Support for InterpretationManzetti Maria Cristina0Laboratory of Geophysical Satellite-Remote Sensing & Archaeo Environment -Instiute for Mediterranean Studies, Foundation of Research and Technology Hellas, Melissinou & Nikiforou Foka 130, Rethymno, 74100, GreeceThe location of the so-called “small” Roman theatre of Gortyna (Crete), precisely at the back of the temple dedicated to Apollo Pythios, suggests a clear correlation of this monument with religious rituals. We may suppose that the theatre was used in particular during the Ludi Apollinares (Pythia), namely games and a festival dedicated to the God Apollo (held for the first time in Rome in 212 BC) or during the iso-Olympic agones as witnessed by the epigraphic sources of the imperial age. However, we have to consider also the possibility that the “small” theatre of Gortyna could have housed civic ceremonies or other activities related to the life of the Koinon ton Kreton, the federal assembly of all the Cretan cities which had its seat during the imperial times right in the space of the sanctuary. This paper aims to verify the typology of performances and activities that could take place in the theatre of the Pythion (namely if it was more suitable for music or speech) through virtual acoustics analysis. The study of the acoustics’ quality has provided significant support to formulate hypotheses about the primary function of the theatre of the Pythion at Gortyna.https://doi.org/10.1515/opar-2019-0027roman theatreludi apollinaressanctuary of apollo pythios3d model
spellingShingle Manzetti Maria Cristina
The Performances at the Theatre of the Pythion in Gortyna, Crete. Virtual Acoustics Analysis as a Support for Interpretation
Open Archaeology
roman theatre
ludi apollinares
sanctuary of apollo pythios
3d model
title The Performances at the Theatre of the Pythion in Gortyna, Crete. Virtual Acoustics Analysis as a Support for Interpretation
title_full The Performances at the Theatre of the Pythion in Gortyna, Crete. Virtual Acoustics Analysis as a Support for Interpretation
title_fullStr The Performances at the Theatre of the Pythion in Gortyna, Crete. Virtual Acoustics Analysis as a Support for Interpretation
title_full_unstemmed The Performances at the Theatre of the Pythion in Gortyna, Crete. Virtual Acoustics Analysis as a Support for Interpretation
title_short The Performances at the Theatre of the Pythion in Gortyna, Crete. Virtual Acoustics Analysis as a Support for Interpretation
title_sort performances at the theatre of the pythion in gortyna crete virtual acoustics analysis as a support for interpretation
topic roman theatre
ludi apollinares
sanctuary of apollo pythios
3d model
url https://doi.org/10.1515/opar-2019-0027
work_keys_str_mv AT manzettimariacristina theperformancesatthetheatreofthepythioningortynacretevirtualacousticsanalysisasasupportforinterpretation
AT manzettimariacristina performancesatthetheatreofthepythioningortynacretevirtualacousticsanalysisasasupportforinterpretation