SOLI THEATRE

The theatre of Soloi consists of the three usual parts of Roman theatres: orchestra, stage building, and auditorium. The orchestra (diam. 17 m) was the space reserved for the chorus in Greek dramatic plays but was also used as an arena for spectacles in Roman times. It was cut on bedrock and is semi-circular in shape with a rectangular addition in its front. The latter was used as a platform for the main actors or public speakers. The floor of the orchestra was plastered with lime-cement. There were two passages leading to the orchestra, the western and eastern parodoi, parts of which were covered by a vaulted roof.

The stage building, which provided a monumental backdrop to the theatre, was a rectangular structure (36.15 m long and 13.20 wide), of which only the foundations survived. It probably had the usual appearance of an ornamented two-storeyed façade, sheathed in coloured limestone and marble slabs and pierced by niches that were flanked by columns.

The auditorium, also semi-circular (diam. 52 m), consisted of three tiers. The two lower tiers were cut in the natural rock and the third was built up on a filling of earth and stones. They were divided by a narrow passage (diazoma), preserved between the two lower tiers. The seats were cut in parallel, following the curvature of the auditorium, and were probably covered with limestone slabs. They were originally 0.40 m high and 0.40 wide, of which 0.35 m were reserved for the feet of the person sitting on the row above. The spectators reached their places through narrow stairs, which radiated from the orchestra and the diazoma.

The theatre was built in the Roman period, perhaps in the late 2nd or early 3rd century AD. It is unknown when it fell out of use but it probably still functioned in the 4th century AD. It is estimated that it was capable of accommodating 3,500 spectators. Together with the theatre at the ancient city of Kourion, it is the smallest theatre from Cyprus – the theatres of Salamis and Nea Paphos hosted audiences of 15,000 and 8,500 spectators respectively.

The theatre was excavated by the Swedish Cyprus Expedition, under the supervision of Alfred Westholm, in 1927. As it stands today, the theatre is a result of large-scale reconstruction from 1962 to 1964, based on plans of John Travlos.

SOLI AGORA

The area was only partially excavated and the exposed remains may be divided in two sectors: a large paved street and the south-eastern sector of the Agora.

The street was excavated for a length of 20 m. It ran east-west, was 4.85 m wide and had a covered sidewalk or portico on both sides. The southern portico, which was better preserved, consists of a colonnade resting on two steps. As expected, there were shops at the back of the portico. The excavations uncovered fragments of columns, Corinthian capitals, and several architectural blocks from the colonnade, including parts of a marble entablature decorated with theatre masks.

The western part of the street ran towards a wide paved area, which has been identified with the Agora of Soloi. Only its south-eastern sector was excavated. This was bordered by a retaining wall, which has been preserved to a height of approximately 5 m. On the east, the retaining wall was bordered by a number of public buildings that opened on the Agora. A street, starting from the colonnaded street and running uphill to the south, passed beside these buildings.

A Nymphaeum was located against the southern wall of the Agora. Apart from providing water for free, nymphaea in the Roman world also functioned as recreational meeting points and were built to impress citizens and visitors. The Nymphaeum of Soloi was only partially excavated. It has a large central basin and two projecting lateral ones. Several pieces of its decoration, including column bases, capitals and a cornice, were found in the debris.

Decorative elements, including the marble entablature of the colonnaded street, as well as a fragmentary monumental inscription suggest that in its current form the Agora was constructed during the Severan dynasty, perhaps in the 2nd quarter of the 3rd century AD. The place was continuously in use up to at least the 7th century AD.

The area was excavated by a Canadian archaeological mission from the Université Laval (Quebec) between 1964 and 1974.