The theatre of Agrigentum was probably built on a similar building but from an earlier period, with wooden seats and galleries.
In fact, its position on a steep slope is a characteristic element of the theatres of the Greek age, which were built making the most of the ground below.
In Roman times, the structure underwent a change in layout that meant it no longer needed the land behind, because it rested directly on
substructions
that made it autonomous.
There were three main parts of the theatre: the cavea, divided into different sectors by the presence of vertical stairs and horizontal corridors that allowed people to reach the seats in the steps; the orchestra, a circular space placed at the base of the cavea, where the musicians and choirs were placed for reasons of
acoustics
; and finally, the stage area, created with the aim of giving the actors somewhere they could prepare away from the prying eyes of the audience, but over the years it was increasingly enriched and became a fundamental background element that added context to
performances
.
