New Research Reveals How Stobi’s Roman Theatre Changed Over Time

Archaeologists completed the 17th research season and documented details of the theatre’s construction phases and later use.

A Blocked Passage Documented in Stobi’s Roman Theatre

The 17th season of archaeological research at Stobi’s Roman Theatre has concluded. Fieldwork took place from 31 August to 30 October 2026. Researchers completed the investigation of the area beneath the diazoma, the passage separating sections of the auditorium. This sector, between radial walls 21 and 22, was first opened for investigation in 2019.

Two construction phases were identified in this area. Archaeologists documented three red markers on the walls and different techniques used to finish the mortar joints. According to the National Institution Stobi, these traces are associated with the first two construction phases: one dating to the late first century and the other to the second quarter of the second century AD.

How Access to the Auditorium Changed

The research also provided new evidence that the theatre’s design was modified during construction. Archaeologists discovered a passage that was later blocked when the stairs between the outer circular corridor and the diazoma were built. The find helps reconstruct how audiences originally reached the auditorium and how movement through the building was reorganised during the next construction phase.

The surviving walls in the investigated area stand about 8.4 metres high. The theatre originally reached approximately 20 metres.

The Corridors Later Became Living Spaces

Research also continued in the outer circular corridor and in the area between walls 23 and 24. There, archaeologists documented compacted-earth floors associated with Late Antique and medieval dwellings. These were built in parts of the theatre after the building had ceased to be used for public performances.

The finds include fragments of ceramic and glass vessels, bronze coins and bone objects. Two plates of North African origin, dated to the sixth and early seventh centuries, are particularly notable. They add to the material evidence of how this space was used and of Stobi’s trade connections during Late Antiquity.

Conservation work on the theatre was expected to continue until mid-November 2026. Further archaeological research and preservation activities are also planned for 2027.

Frequently Asked Questions

When did the 17th research season take place?
From 31 August to 30 October 2026.

What is the most important find from this season?
Archaeologists documented a passage that was blocked during a later change to the access route to the auditorium.

Were the theatre’s corridors used after the building closed?
Yes. Researchers documented floors and traces of dwellings dating to Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages.

For readers who would like to visit the site, Kajak.mk offers a half-day private tour from Skopje to Stobi.