Ancient Roman odeum

 archaeological site, Roman Empire, amphitheatre, odeon (ancient Greek and Roman buildings)

The odeum was constructed in the 2nd century AD, in the southwest quarter of the Roman city, with its aristocratic urban villas, to the south of the processional thoroughfare, the Decumanus maximus. The monument was damaged by the earthquake in AD 142 and was repaired during the reign of Emperor Antoninus Pius (AD 137-161).
The odeum was the venue for the public sessions of the senate as well as for music contests. It is very possible that competitions of encomia for the Roman emperors were held here on the occasion of the quinquennial festival of the Great Asklepieia, when musicians and poets from Greece and Asia gathered on the island of Kos.
The building, which measured 31.9 x 29.9 m. and was 12 m. high, was roofed in Antiquity and could accommodate 750 spectators. It was excavated (1929–1930, by L. Laurenzi) and restored in the period of Italian Occupation. In its ruins an entire "museum" of statues and a considerable number of inscriptions were found.
Recent works to conserve, consolidate, restore and enhance the monument have been carried out with European Union funding.