Epidavros
October 16
Today is my final full day in Greece—tomorrow morning, I head for the airport. The question is, where will I be sleeping tonight? I want to be somewhat close to the Athens airport, but I am not familiar with that area. My guidebook does not mention too much beyond Cape Sounion, which is about an hour south of the airport. I’d never heard of Cape Sounion until Mel and my friend Angie mentioned the Temple of Poseidon, which is located at the cape. I guess I’ll see what accommodations the area offers when I arrive there later this afternoon.
I drove for about an hour this morning to the ancient site of Epidavros on the Argolic Peninsula. Across the Saronic Gulf to the northeast is Athens. Epidavros is famous for its 3rd century theater, which is still in use today.
The theater is indeed amazing. I’ve seen ancient theaters in Athens and Delphi, but this one is intact and much larger than the others. It seats 14,000 people and the acoustics are perfect. It’s said that if someone drops a coin on stage, you can hear it clearly in the last row. That particular test would be impossible today, given the two groups of obnoxious teenagers who were making barnyard noises, belching, and screaming.
Every now and then, staff from the site stand on the center stone and perform a few readings. I couldn’t help imagine, as I did at the Acropolis and in Delphi, the many thousands of people who sat in these very seats before me. Who and what entertained them 2,000 years ago?
I scaled the stone structure from top to bottom and around the perimeter.
The stage of the 3rd-century theater at Epidavros.
In the ancient theater at Epidavros.
Looking down the narrow aisle of the theater at Epidavros. The theater was built in the 3rd century and seats up to 14,000 people.
The view from the stage of the ancient theater at Epidavros.
Finally, the teenagers left and took their goat and cow noises with them. I, too, left the theater and explored the rest of the ancient city here. Frankly, there is not much to see. In ancient times, Epidavros was a place to go to be cured of your ailments. People from as far as Rome came here to visit the sanctuary to Asclepius, the god of medicine.
In the ancient city there were hospitals, a convalescent, and long-term care facilities. Most of these structures are mere foundations today, but the Greek government is restoring the site. Why, I’m not sure, but they press on year after year, decade after decade.
Nothing else here was as impressive as the theater. I toured the other sites and visited the small museum, but soon I hit the road to find a place to stay tonight near Cape Sounion.