1910–1911
Britannica 11th
Encyclopaedia Britannica · 11th edition
THEATRE (dearpov, " a place for seeing," from BeaffOai), a building specially devised for dramatic representations. The drama arose from the choric dances in honour of Dionysus, which were held in a circular dancing-place (opx^orpo, Lat. orchestra) in his precinct at the foot of the Acropolis at Athens. When the leader of the chorus held a dialogue with the remaining choreutae he mounted the table which stood beside the altar of Dionysus in the centre of the orchestra; but as the number of actors and the importance…
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- Vol. 26, pp. 729-738