Greek Theater

Greek Culture is a mix of Druid and Indo-European. Their attempts at integrating the two cultures is what made Greek culture so dynamic. Their integration is the ancestor to western culture.

This is the amphitheater at the temple complex of Epidaurus in Greece. Notice its circular ritual area. This complex was first dedicated to the sun god Apollo (Akkadian Hu) and then to his adopted son Asklepios who was considered to be exclusively a deity of healing (healing was only one of Apollo's powers).
One treatment required people to sleep at a complex called the enkoimeteria (meaning "special-knowledge place") so that their dreams could be interpreted as a clue for their cure. Another treatment was participating in or viewing rituals, while another was being cared for by a healer skilled in classifying diseases. The father of Hippocrates (450-380 BCE), the father of medicine," was such a healer at a different temple to Asclepios on the island of Kos. The more successful complexes became well known and wealthy. (photo by David Olmsted)

Theaters derive from Early Ritual Spaces

(July 9, 2022) All the earliest amphitheaters are found in Greek temple complexes usually dedicated to Apollo or Asklepios. All had circular floor spaces for rituals. These rituals were designed to have spectators perhaps because many in the audience would be ill. Consequently, all also were situated near a hill slope so people could sit on the hill and observe the ritual. The largest ones were situated in the center of valleys so more people could see from the surrounding hills.

The purpose of any emotion magic ritual is to make people feel, More specifically to make them feel certain types of emotions in order that they will open themselves up to certain emotional/spiritual channels. Appropriate channel opening and closings would have been considered important for ancient healing rituals.

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Educating the audience about a ritual was also an important part healing. Hence a narrator was later added on a a raised platform facing the crowd. This platform would later become the theater's stage.

Initially, an interactive question and answer approach was taken to narration. The most common questions were then made part of the narration so two people were now on stage. Slowly more people were added to make certain points. These were the first actors. The first Greek plays were emotional lessons centering on human frailty. These were the classic Greek tragedies, comedies, and satires. Only in the Hellenistic era after 200 BCE would plays become more free-form.

In time the circular ritual space to shrink. First it became semi-circular then only a space for the music makers. Today we know it as the orchestra pit. Yet even as late as the time of Shakespeare theaters still used the ritual space as cheap, standing-only seats in front of the stage.

References

Epidauroshttp://www.civilization.org.uk/greece/greece-extra/epidauros
Hippocrates - Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophyhttps://www.iep.utm.edu/hippocra/#H3
Greek Medicinehttp://www.greekmedicine.net/whos_who/Hippocrates.html

Amphitheater at Temple of Apollo in Epidaurus Greece

This photo shows how the later stonework was placed over a hill slope. This ritual space had a very long history being in use at least from 500 BCE. The stonework first added around 300 BCE. This temple complex continued in use until banned by the edicts of Christian Roman emperor Theodosius (379-392 CE).

Later Amphitheater at Priene in Turkey Showing Stage

This is a later style amphitheater was used for entertainment. This one has a stage at the front. The layout of its ritual area is not known. (Olmsted personal photo 2014)

Early Amphitheater at Temple of Apollo in Cyprus

This is a small amphitheater which has been partly reconstructed. (Olmsted personal photo 2019)

Trojan Horse

Mykonos Pithos with Earliest Trojan Horse (650 BCE)

The legend of the Trojan Horse likely developed from the ambiguity surrounding the Akkadian word rakbu or rikbu which meant "rider" to include boater, charioteer, and waggoneer. The Akkadian speakers did not distinguish the vehicle of transport. The original ruse likely involved some supply wagons which the story tellers then embellished. The Trojans would have been Akkadian speakers because Akkadian was the language of Europe and the Mediterranean prior to the invasion of the Indo-Europeans and that survived in all Mediterranean civilizations not Roman or Greek. Akkadian was the language of the first farmers who migrated into Europe.
Image from https://ir.lib.uth.gr/xmlui/bitstream/handle/11615/14818/article.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y

Complete Side of Mykonos Pithos with Earliest Trojan Horse (650 BCE)

Image from https://ir.lib.uth.gr/xmlui/bitstream/handle/11615/14818/article.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y

Mykonos Pithos Scene of Killing of Hector's Son (650 BCE)

Sequence starts with lower left image than goes clockwise
In this scene Odysseus kills the son of Hector (crown prince of Troy) named Astyanax. Neoptolemus takes Hector's wife Andromache captive. The Greeks make a human sacrifice of Priam's daughter Polyxena at Achilles' tomb causing the goddess Athena to plan revenge upon the Greeks during their return.
Image from https://ir.lib.uth.gr/xmlui/bitstream/handle/11615/14818/article.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y

Mykonos Pithos Scene of Killing of Hector's Son (650 BCE)

Sequence starts with lower left image than goes clockwise
Image from https://ir.lib.uth.gr/xmlui/bitstream/handle/11615/14818/article.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y

https://www.facebook.com/ASCSAthens/photos/a.311546025627387/1285479271567386/?type=3

Greek Pottery Style Timeline

This timeline comes from archaeological excavations in Athens and is assumed to be accurate for the whole surrounding area. This chart was put together by the American School of Classical Studies at Athens (ASCASA). https://www.ascsa.edu.gr/

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