Ancient Theatre of Sicyon

Ancient Sicyon is a site with a view! It spreads out over Vasilikos hill which means you can enjoy the spectacular vista over the Gulf of Corinth and on to the mountain tops of Central Greece. And if you’ve never seen a museum in a Roman bathhouse, you can tick that one off your bucket list here too!

Ancient Sicyon is a site with a view! It spreads out over Vasilikos hill which means you can enjoy the spectacular vista over the Gulf of Corinth and on to the mountain tops of Central Greece. And if you’ve never seen a museum in a Roman bathhouse, you can tick that one off your bucket list here too!

The site is just 4 km from Kiato, so relatively easy to get to with your own transport. The main ancient Greek archaeological remains here are the theatre. But there is another “must sees” - the brick-built Roman Raths which were preserved in such good condition that they were restored and turned into a small but unique museum with a display of mosaics and impressive statues.  There’s more info about the museum and its exhibits in the box below.

Archaeologists are not sure when the theatre stage was built – some say between 251 and 168 BC, and others say it was built earlier, around 303 BC. But no matter exactly when it was built, the construction of this theatre is so similar to that of its more famous counterpart in Epidaurus that archaeologists believe the architects of the two theatres were aware of each other’s work. So far, excavations here in Sicyon have uncovered the Stage, the Musicians’ area, some of the figurines and the roofed passageways leading to the upper tiers.

As far as the other ruins go, to the North West of the Stadium there was a 207 m running track, and you can still see its retaining wall. The foundations of the Hellenistic city’s parliament, which was a spacious building with rows of columns, are visible and you can make out the foundations of the Gymnasium and the ruins of a 7th century temple dedicated to Apollo or Artemis in the precincts of the Agora.

Did you know that...

The Sicyon Museum

There is a plethora of archaeological museums in the Peloponnese, but the Sicyon Museum really is one of a kind!  It has been here since 1935, and what sets it apart from the rest is that it is housed in part of the Roman Balneum (Baths)! It is also very informative and gives you a great opportunity to learn about the history of ancient Sicyon and the public and private life of its inhabitants. The exhibits are displayed in the atrium and the halls, and include excellent finds from Sicyon and other sites in the area such as the ancient city of Stymphalos, Ancient Pellene and the “Believers’ Cave”. Just to give you a flavour of what’s in store, you’ll be able to see Mycenaean vases from Xylokastro, a marble bust of Apollo reminiscent of the work of the famous sculptor Praxiteles, mosaic floors and early Christian and Byzantine sculptures.

Tel: +30 27420 28900. For opening hours see here
 

Location

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