First Ancient Theatre, Larissa

The First Ancient Theatre of Larissa, built in the early 3rd century BC during the reign of Philip V of Macedon, is the largest theater in Thessaly with a capacity of around 10,000. Beyond performances, it hosted meetings of the Thessalian Koinon, the supreme administrative body of the region. In the 1st century BC it was converted into a Roman arena by removing front rows to widen the orchestra. The theater was in use for six centuries until earthquakes in the 3rd-4th century AD caused its collapse. Restoration costing 5.9 million euros repositioned over 15,000 marble pieces, and the theater reopened in 2023.