Events

Under the auspices of the Department of Antiquities of Cyprus, the University of Sydney has been excavating and researching the site of the ancient theatre of Nea Paphos since 1995. Those excavations have revealed a theatre constructed out of the bedrock of a hill, later called Fabrika, which was used for more than six and a half centuries as a venue for performance and spectacles. At its greatest extent, under the Antonine emperors, it seated an audience of more than 8000.

The theatre of Paphos was constructed in c. 300 BCE; at a pivotal point in the development of theatre architecture from Greek models using natural sloping hills to what will eventually become Roman theatres constructed without the needs of topography. It also represents the spread of Greek theatrical traditions into the eastern Mediterranean in the wake of Alexander the Great’s conquests and the spread of theatrical performance as part of the broader cultural koine of the Hellenistic era.

During its long lifespan, surviving a series of earthquakes, the theatre was reconstructed numerous times. Each successive phase of the theatre was completed in contemporary architectural design which enables us to understand the development of a theatre over a significant period of time.

This talk will look at recent research in ancient theatre studies, particularly in terms of architecture, performance and reception by ancient audiences and it will examine the ongoing role of Australian researchers in understanding ancient theatre. Can we use the work at Paphos as a case study in better understanding the role of theatre in the Classical city?

This lecture is supported by the Faculty of Arts’ Ancient World Seminar Series and is part of the programming forNational Archaeology Week 2026.

Join MDHS for our annual Indigenous Development Reconciliation Week event, supported by Truth Telling in Health for a Reconciliation Week panel grounded in the 2026 theme, “All In”: a call for all Australians to commit wholeheartedly to reconciliation every single day. 

“All In” makes clear that reconciliation is not a spectator sport. It asks everyone to step off the sidelines and take sustained, practical action to advance Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ health outcomes. This event brings together leaders from health, education and Indigenous engagement to discuss what being “All In” looks like in practice, in teaching, research, service delivery and leadership.