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Tertiary sourcePhotograph22 September 2017

The Theatre of Dionysus Seen from the Acropolis

Petter Ulleland · 22 September 2017

A 2017 aerial view of the Theatre of Dionysus from the Acropolis in Athens, the setting where Sophocles's plays won prizes. It shows the site, not the events.

Shows the setting of Sophocles's victories at the Dionysia, seen as the theatre looks today rather than during his lifetime.

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Aerial view looking down on the ancient Theatre of Dionysus in Athens. Stone tiered seating curves around a flat circular stage area, with ruined stone blocks and foundations scattered around. Tall cypress and green trees line the upper site, and visitors walk along paths nearby.
Petter Ulleland, The Theatre of Dionysus in 2017, seen from the Acropolis. Wikimedia Commons.

About this source

What it is

This is a modern aerial photograph by Petter Ulleland, dated 22 September 2017, looking down on the ancient Theatre of Dionysus in Athens from the Acropolis. It is held on Wikimedia Commons. It shows stone tiered seating curving around a flat circular stage area, scattered ruined stone blocks and foundations, tall cypress and green trees, and visitors on nearby paths.

Why it matters

The theatre was where Sophocles competed and won many victories at the Dionysia. The photograph shows the setting of those victories as it looks today. It helps students understand the layout of the place, but it cannot show the performances, the judges or the audiences of Sophocles's time.

Look closer

  • How does the view from above help you understand how the seats and stage relate to each other?
  • What signs of time and ruin can you see, and how might they change what the site looks like?
  • What would a photograph of this place not reveal about the plays performed here?

This photograph is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Sophocles on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.

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