The ancient theater of the city of Tlos, a major settlement of the Lycian civilization that thrived thousands of years ago in Asia Minor and was eventually Hellenized, is almost fully restored to its former glory and is expected to start hosting performances by the fall of 2025, the head of the restoration team announced.
Nestled in the ancient city of Tlos in Turkey’s southern province of Muğla near the modern city of Seydikemer, the Tlos theater stands as a remarkable testament to the enduring influence of Greek architecture and cultural life in Anatolia. Built during the Hellenistic period, the theater reflects a strong Greek architectural blueprint, later modified under Roman rule.
The restoration of the theater is nearing completion. It began in 2023, and 90 percent of the work has been completed, Professor Taner Korkut from Akdeniz University’s Archaeology Department and head of the excavations and restoration in the area, told state-run Anadolu Agency.
The theater at Tlos has been restored using original material found on-site, staying as true as possible to its original structure.
Tlos and other ancient cities in Antalya and Muğla are listed on UNESCO’s World Heritage Tentative List of “Ancient Cities of the Lycian Civilization.”
“With support from the Ministry of Culture and Tourism and Akdeniz University, we have been working throughout the year on both excavations and restoration. The theater’s restoration is nearly complete. We aim to host events there by the fall of 2025,” Korkut said.
Before the restoration began, archaeologists believed the theater could seat a maximum of 4,000 people. However, according to Prof Korkut, “Based on our measurements and analysis, the Tlos theater is a large-scale structure that can comfortably accommodate approximately 8,500 spectators. It may well be one of the largest ancient theaters between Muğla and Antalya. This highlights the importance of Tlos.”
Although the theater of Tlos, as a structure, dates to the Hellenistic and Roman periods, the foundations of cultural influence in the region reach much further back, potentially as early as the Bronze Age. According to the archaeological journalist David Keys, archaeological and historical evidence suggests that the Minoans, based on Crete, maintained maritime networks that extended into southwestern Anatolia.
Minoan-style pottery and artifacts have been uncovered at sites such as Miletus and along the Carian and Lycian coasts, indicating active contact, trade, and possibly cultural exchange between the 4th and 2nd millennia BCE.
By the Archaic and Classical periods, these early interactions had evolved into more direct forms of Greek colonization. From the 8th century BCE, Greek merchants, settlers, and ideas spread across the eastern Aegean and Anatolian coasts. Lycia and Tlos, among their leading cities, were drawn into this cultural orbit. Regionally, the Greek language, religious practices, and artistic forms became increasingly prominent.
The emergence of bilingual inscriptions from the 5th century BCE attests to the coexistence of Lycian and Greek civic and religious life. Although the stone theater at Tlos was constructed in the Hellenistic or Roman era, it likely represents the culmination of long-standing cultural developments. Communal performances, civic gatherings, and religious festivals—practices that predate formal Greek theaters—may have already been part of Lycian society and were gradually shaped by the theatrical and architectural models of the Greek world.
Even in the absence of pre-Hellenistic theater remains, the conceptual and cultural groundwork for such structures had already been laid. Thus, the theater at Tlos is not merely a product of imperial architectural influence, but a symbol of centuries of Greek cultural synthesis. Its eventual construction reflects both the deep-rooted Hellenic presence in Lycia and the region’s capacity to absorb and reframe external influences—from early Minoan contact in the Bronze Age to the civic institutions of Classical Greece.
Tlos was one of the oldest and most important cities of the Lycian League—a federation admired even by figures like the American Founding Father, Alexander Hamilton, for its early democratic elements. After Alexander the Great’s conquest of the region in the 4th century BCE, Tlos was deeply Hellenized, like many Lycian cities. Greek became the dominant language, and public buildings—including the theater—were modeled after Greek prototypes.
The theater was carved into the hillside, a classic Greek technique that utilized the natural slope for seating (the koilon), offering spectators a panoramic view of the stage and the valley below. This layout closely resembles those of theaters in cities like Epidaurus and Delphi, emphasizing acoustics and communal visibility, core elements of Greek civic life.
While Roman renovations added decorative flair and structural upgrades, the foundational design and civic function of the Tlos theater remain distinctly Greek. It served as a place for drama and entertainment and as a hub of public gathering, where the spirit of Greek paideia (education and cultural refinement) thrived in a Lycian landscape.
Professor Korkut stressed the delicate nature of the restoration process, stating that nearly 100 percent of the materials used are originally from the ancient site.
“We first remove the collapsed blocks and transport them to a block yard. After cleaning and conservation, we restore and reinstall them in their original positions,” he explained.
Only a few irreparable pieces have been replaced with new material, carefully selected to match the originals in form and color.
Before its restoration, the ancient theater, lying on the eastern slope of the city, was one of the most well-preserved monuments of Tlos. Architectural details and an inscription mentioning its restoration in the 1st century BC indicate that it might have been built during Hellenistic times. Other inscriptions suggest that the theater witnessed several renovations in the Roman period, over at least 150 years. It has a three-storey stage and a large auditorium. The orchestra has a diameter of over 20 meters, while the stone seats reserved for VIPs (proedreia) are placed along the horizontal walkway.
Archaeological remains from the city center and nearby sites suggest that the city’s foundation started more than 4,000 years ago.
Tlos became prosperous under Persian rule, from the 5th to the late 4th century BC. Later, in the Hellenistic period, it became one of the six principal cities of the Lycian League to which Rome granted autonomy (instead of dependence on Rhodes) in 168 BC.
An earthquake in 141 AD destroyed many of the city’s monuments, while another one, almost 100 years later, caused equal devastation.
