Pass through the entrance to the archaeological site at the southern slope of the Acropolis in the pedestrianised Dionysiou Areopaghitou street and start climbing.
On your left you will see the oldest of all known theaters in the world, the
theater of Dionysos.
Here the four greatest ancient Greek poets
Aeschylus,
Aristophanes,
Euripides and
Sophocles saw their plays being performed for the first time in the 5th century BC.
The koilon (cavea) and the proskoinion (stage) were originally of wood. They were reconstructed of marble during the 4th century BC. Today only parts of the stone koilon have survived. Experts estimate that the theater could accommodate 17 000 spectators.
On your ascent you will find the
Stoa of Eumenes, which was built by the King of
Pergamon, Eumenes II in the 2nd century BC. Its main purpose was to protect the spectators in case of bad weather or sun.
On passing through the Stoa you can see the ruins of the
Asklepieion which was built in 429 BC after the plague that decimated the population of Athens.
The
Herodeion as it is called by modern Greeks. was built in AD 161 by Tiberius Claudius Atticus Herodes an important figure of his time.
He was a teacher and philosopher who had inherited a great fortune from his father. When his wife
Rigilla died he built this roofed Odeion for musical performances to honor her memory.
The ancient Greeks used to give music and recital concerts there. Today the
Athens Festival takes place at the Odeion every summer but the Herodeion's splendor is best admired during a morning stroll on your way to the Acropolis.
The Old
Acropolis Museum was also located on top of the rock.
