Odeon

An odeon was a small, intimate theatre that was ideal for musical concerts and smaller works. While plays were performed, the acoustics favoured musical concerts, as shown by the name which means 'singing place'. Poets competed for prizes and many performances of epic classics such as the Iliad and Odyssey were given to sophisticated audiences. The oldest known odeon was built in Skias in Sparta around 600BC. One of the largest and most impressive remaining examples is the one built in AD161 by Herodes of Atticus, a rich Athenian magnate. Its beamed roof was made of cedar and it was decorated with works of art. It stands by the Acropolis and seated up to 5,000 for musical concerts.