A “little theater” may be found in urban areas of the classical Mediterranean world. It is usually freestanding (not built into a hillside), U-shaped, but has less seating than a theater. This reduced scale offered a more intimate environment. The "little theater" was designed for musical performances, lectures, or recitals.
Such a structure is called an odeon (ōideion). The label is Greek, prompted by the verb aeidō, meaning "I sing” — or “hoot,” “howl,” or “croak.” (I guess one man’s meat is another man’s poison!)
Apart from their diminutive size, the other feature that separates the odeon from the theater is the roof. Whereas theaters were open to the sky or shaded with tarps, odeons had solid, wooden roofs that produced superior acoustics. Unfortunately, organic materials rarely survive the ravages of time.
Pictured above is an odeon found at the site of Ephesus, in Western Türkiye.
We plan on returning to Ephesus this summer to sing, howl, and croak. Won’t you join us?
