Theater Orchestra

View from the north looking south at the excavated semi-circular orchestra, the seats in the cavea, and the staircase leading up from the orchestra.  Because the theater was covered with houses in later periods, the upper portion of the theater is not too well preserved.  The theater could seat about 7,000 people.

The theater was first constructed by Herod Antipas (4 BC-AD 39) and was used for hundreds of years before eventually being covered by houses.  Evidently, Herod Antipas wanted his newly constructed city (AD 18-22) to include Greco- Roman facilities - in contrast to the lack thereof in his first capital at Sepphoris.

According to the excavators, Herod Antipas (4BC - AD 39) built this theater when the city of Tiberias was constructed (AD 18-22).

For another view of the theater Click Here.