Roman Theatre of Philippopolis

The Roman theatre of Philippopolis is one of the world's best-preserved ancient Roman theatres, located in the city center of modern Plovdiv, Bulgaria, once the ancient city of Philippopolis [1]. It was constructed in the 1st century AD, probably during the reign of Domitian [1]. In outline, the theatre is a semi-circle with an outer diameter of 82 meters [1]. The theatre itself is divided into the seating section (cavea) and the stage [1]. The cavea, the area in which people gathered, is hollowed out of a hill or slope, while the outer radian seats required structural support and solid retaining walls [1]. At the end of the 4th century a large part of the theatre was destroyed [1].