Theatre of Dionysus, Athens

What it is

This is a modern colour aerial photograph of the ancient Theatre of Dionysus in Athens, taken by Berthold Werner and dated 9 October 2017. It is held on Wikimedia Commons. The image shows rows of stone tiered seats curving around a circular orchestra, with a stage building at the back, pine and cypress trees, scattered ruins, and small visitors on the steps.

Why it matters

The theatre was the setting for the Dionysia festival in Athens, where playwrights including Sophocles competed and won many victories. A photograph can show the physical place, its shape and its surroundings, but it cannot show the plays or audiences of the fifth century BCE. It is useful for understanding where Sophocles's work was performed, not what it looked like on stage.

Look closer

• How does the shape of the seating and the open circle help you imagine a large audience watching a performance?
• What parts of the site look original, and what parts look rebuilt or worn by time?
• What does this modern photograph leave out about the performances that took place here?