THEODEON

OF AGRIPPA
ACOUSTICS ARC 315

ADRIJA SIL 191110006

EKRA ANAM 191110009
TANISHQA MAURYA 191110239
VISHAD HARODE 191110043
 Contents

01 03
Greek Theatres Odeon of Agrippa
 HISTORY

02  INFRASTRUCTURE
 CONSTRUCTION &
DESIGN
Odea  ACOUSTICS
 GREEK
01
THEATRES
 Open-air theatres
 Odeon

During the antiquity, open theatres were mainly used for
Figure : representation of buildings around ancient Athens Acropolis during the
Roman era. Besides the ancient open Amphitheatre of Dionysus, the roofed
Odeon of Pericles is shown, along with the later period Odeon of Herodes
The ancient open amphitheaters and the roofed Odeia of
the Greek-Roman era present the earliest testament of
public buildings designed for effective communication of
theatrical and music performances over large audiences,
often up to 15,000 spectators.
staging drama theatrical performances so that their
acoustics were tuned for speech intelligibility allowing
very large audiences to hear clearly the actors and the
singing chorus. 
 Open Amphitheatre acoustics for
theatrical plays:
The open antique theatre signifies the
initial meeting point between
architecture, acoustics and the
theatrical act. This simple structure
consists of the large truncated-cone
shaped stepped audience area, (the
amphitheatrical “koilon” in Greek or
“cavea” in Latin), the flat stage area
for the chorus (the “orchestra”) and
the stage building (the “skene”) with
the raised stage (“proskenion”) for
the actors.

Figure : structure of the Hellenistic period open theatre

PARTS
OF
THE
ODEON
 02
ODEA
from indoor to outdoor theatres
• Smaller sized roofed versions of the open-air theatres,
the “odeia” (plural for “odeon”), were also constructed ,
often at close vicinity to these open air theatres. It was a
roofed, columned hall, where the columns disturbed
sightlines.
• The odeia had different acoustics qualities with strong
reverberation and thus were not appropriate for speech
and theatrical performances but instead were good for
performing music functioning somehow similarly to
modern-day concert halls.
• Although the form of ancient odeia broadly followed
the amphitheatric seating and stage / orchestra design,
they were covered by roofs usually made from
timber.
GREEK ENCLOSED AMPHITHEATER
• In Athens there are three of the biggest odeia of the
ancient world representing their three-fold architectural
development. The Odeon of Agrippa represents the type
of odeum whose auditorium is enclosed in a rectangular
structure (a theatrum tectum) 1st cent.
• Odea do not have a southern exposure. When the sun
shone full upon the rounded part of it, the air, being shut
up in the curved enclosure and unable to circulate,
stayed there and became heated; and getting glowing
hot it burnt up, dried out, and impaired the fluids of the ODEON OF AGRIPPA in
human body. For these reasons, sites which were ATHENIAN AGORA
1st Century B.C.
unwholesome in such respects were to be avoided, and
healthy sites selected.
 
 03
ODEON OF
AGRIPPA
 INTRODUCTION
 The Odeon of Agrippa was a
large Odeon located in the center of
the Ancient Agora of Athens.
 It was built in about 15 BCE,
occupying what had previously been
open space in the center of the Agora.
 It was a gift to the people of Athens
by Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa, a
Roman statesman and general

ATHENS TOWN MAP, THE ODEON OF AGRIPPA

 HISTORY
  The hall measured 25 meters by 25 meters, and the height from the orchestra
to the roof was about 23 meters.
 Unfortunately, the 25 m (82 ft) span of the auditorium eventually caused the
roof to collapse in around 150 CE. The Odeon was rebuilt as a smaller lecture
hall, seating only 500, and a more elaborate facade was added to the north
side. Its massive pillars were carved in the form of 'giants' (snake tails) and
'tritons' (fish tails)
 The Odeon was finally destroyed in 267 CE by the Herulians. A sprawling
palace was built on the site in the early 5th century CE with the pillars of the
northern facade being used to create a monumental entrance.
 CONSTRUCTION & DESIGN

 The two-story auditorium seated around 1,000

spectators and was equipped with a raised stage
and marble-paved orchestra.
 On three sides it was surrounded by a
Ground Plan of the Odeon of View of the interior of the Odeon of
subterranean cryptoporticus with stoae above. Agrippa, 1st Phase Agrippa, facing north towards the stage
 The building was decorated externally with 
Corinthian pilasters.
 The main entrance for spectators was originally
on the south side of the building, with access from
the terrace of the Middle Stoa.
 The north facade only had a small portico to give
access to the stage.

Cross-section of the Odeon of Agrippa

during 1st phase, looking East
 CONSTRUCTION & DESIGN
 According to archaeologists, the roofed section was
constructed from cedar wood and had a semi-circular
shape, partially covering the marble koilon. In several
cases, an elaborate timber roof covered the whole
seating area and the orchestra.

 The partially-roofed design along with the

perimetrically located windows allowed natural
lighting to reach the stage.

 It remains unclear whether the roof was added in

Cross-section of the Odeon of Agrippa during
order to protect the audience or whether it was built in 1st phase, looking east
order to improve the acoustics for music
performances.
Acoustics is an immaterial aspect of the
space; its acoustic heritage must be taken
into account when reconstructing in
accordance with the possible alternatives
 ACOUSTICAL DESIGN

• Seating faced South (audience should

not be looking at the Sun)
• Unrestricted sight lines were to be
maintained
• Open mouths of Large sounding vases to
be placed centred on cavities on wedges
such that the mouth is exposed to the
stage for improved
sound quality

THE ODEON OF AGRIPPA, The Agora, Athens

 ACOUSTICAL DESIGN

 In all existing odea, roofed timber structures either have collapsed or have
been burned over the centuries, and hence these buildings are currently
preserved as open-air theatres.
 For this reason, the specialised function of the odea as buildings for music
performances is largely unknown or misunderstood, and are nowadays
considered as open-air ancient theatres.
 ACOUSTICAL DESIGN
 Due to circumstances of collapse over time, the most general
methodology followed for the acoustic study of the spaces involves
performing acoustic measurements in the current outdoor
configuration.
 The agreement between the measured and simulated acoustic
parameters in the outdoor version of the Odeon makes it possible to
validate the virtual acoustic model that would include the roof
(based on historical documentation) and to simulate the acoustic
conditions within this historical model.
 Seating arrangements were made in concentric form in front of
speakers for best audibility and steep raked seats to lower
background noise and lime stone for reflection.

Seating Pattern
in the Odeon of Agrippa
THE ODEON OF AGRIPPA
SECTION (EAST)
LONGITUDINAL SECTION and GROUND PLAN
of the Odeon of Agrippa in Athens, Greece
 Sources
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Odeon_of_Agrippa
• https://www.britannica.com/art/theater-building/Developments-in-Asia
• http://www.greeceathensaegeaninfo.com/h-athens/ancient/agora-odeon-
agrippa.htm
• https://global-geography.org/af/Geography/Europe/Greece/Pictures/Ath
ens/Odeon_of_Agrippa
• https://www.wikiwand.com/en/Odeon_of_Agrippa#/History
• https://www.worldhistory.org/image/14180/odeon-of-agrippa-athens/
• https://www.worldhistory.org/image/14180/odeon-of-agrippa-athens/
THANK YOU!