Villas in and around Siracusa >>
Once upon a time, Siracusa was one of the most eminent cities in the ancient Greek world, a situation that riled Athens so much that, in 414C, it sent an enormous fleet to put the colonial upstart in its place. After a series of battles and a lenghty siege, Siracusa inflicted a heavy defeat on the aggressors, an event that rocked Athens to its core and further increased Siracusa's influence and status as one of the most important commercial and cultural centres in the Mediterranean.
With such wealth and fame, it was only fitting that Siracusa should have one of the most impressive theatres in the Greek world: its cavea was one of the largest ever built, and its 59 rows could accommodate up to 15,000 spectators. It must have been quite a sight!
Today, the theatre is one of Sicily's most visited attractions, especially from mid-May to the end of June when it hosts an annual Greek Theatre Festival. Audiences come from far and wide to experience the magical atmosphere and the actors play to packed houses every night.
The 2012 season, the 48th Cycle of Classical Plays, runs from 11th May - 30th June and will feature the following plays:
- Prometheus by Aeschylus
- The Bacchae by Euripedes
- The Birds by Aristophanes
For more information see the official site of the Istituto Nazionale del Dramma Antico >>
Villas in and around Siracusa >>