What Was the Audience Called in Greek Theatre?

Greek Theatre|Theater

The ancient Greeks developed one of the earliest forms of theatre known to man. Theatron, which is Greek for “seeing place”, is where the audience of a Greek theatre would sit and watch performances.

The audience was called the theoroi, or “viewers”. They were a diverse mix of people from all walks of life including citizens, slaves, and families.

The seating arrangement in an ancient Greek theatre was quite different than what we are used to today. The seats were arranged in tiers on either side of an orchestra, or performance area.

This allowed for the audience to have a good view of the performers no matter where they sat. There were also standing areas at the back of the theatre so that more people could be accommodated if necessary.

The performances held in Greek theatres were usually tragedies and comedies that told stories about gods and goddesses as well as tales from mythology and history. The actors would perform on a raised platform known as an skene, or “scene house”. It was here that they would change costumes, make entrances and exits, and even use props during their performance.

The theatres were also used for political rallies, religious ceremonies and even athletic competitions like wrestling matches. All these events required large numbers of people to attend in order to be successful.

The auditoriums themselves were often decorated with sculptures, paintings and other artworks depicting scenes from plays or other aspects of life in ancient Greece. This served both as decoration and advertisement for upcoming events at the theatre.

In conclusion, what was the audience called in Greek theatre? They were referred to as ‘theoroi’, meaning ‘viewers’. This diverse mix of people from all walks of life watched performances ranging from tragedies to comedies to political rallies and religious ceremonies within their ornately decorated auditoriums; providing them with a unique experience which has been remembered throughout time.