For years I have been visiting Perge and found the theatre firmly locked. I only published some pictures of its outside. Then I received information that it was being restored and open to the public. And indeed, during Eastern 2018 I just walked in, and did not leave before I had taken my usual large number of pictures. A major attraction is the frieze along the stage building. A notice on site indicates the frieze was constructed in phases, some part represents the War between the Gods and the Giants, another Dionysus and his company. If someone would be able to identify other parts, please write a comment. All were severely damaged, to me it seemed to have been done on purpose. As I had just read a book (The darkening age, by Catherine Nixey) about the destruction wrecked by Christians as they were becoming the one and only religion in the Roman Empire I wondered if they had been vandalizing the friezes. A bit like Isis in our age. As a result one can see the friezes must have been wonderfully elegant and well executed, but their full beauty is gone.

As for those friezes, I have extensive collections of originals in the Antalya Museum, i.e. Gigantomachy relief and Frieze from frons pulpiti.

Some remarks: I edited out a (very) few people that would not move. In general I know photography is a waiting game, but in theatres some people take a seat, and remain there far too long for my taste. Then Photoshop kicks in, in my routine. In a similar vein I (on only a few pictures) erased the image of the electricity masts on the hill behind the theatre. On most I accepted the (in my mind disturbing) appearance of cables in the air.