The Theater at Kom el-Dik Roman, 3rd/4th century A.D.

Many of the ancient buildings in Alexandria have not survived or lie beyond reach under the modern city. Thanks to a detailed description by the Greek historian Strabo (late 1st century B.C.) in the 17th Book of his “Geographica,” we do at least have written evidence of major facilities in the old metropolis. But chance played a big role in the discovery of the Kom el-Dik complex. It was not until the old barracks were being demolished, that such interesting founds were made in the ground that the whole site was immediately declared an excavation site. As well as huge baths, a well preserved theater dating from Roman times was discovered in 1964. The rows of seats are arranged in thirteen ranks; they are worked in white imported marble and provided room for about 800 spectators. An outside wall 26 feet high was added later and performances were held into the 7th century A.D. Like other buildings in Alexandria the theater suffered damage from several earthquakes.