On the existence of theater in the antique Panticapaeum

The main goal of this study is to determine whether the hypothesis that currently dominates in historical science, that the ancient Panticapaeum, due to certain peculiarities, did not have its own theatrical art, retains its scientific significance. The authors draw upon the problem-analytical method of scientific research. Based on the reports of domestic researchers of the ancient Greek polis in the Crimea, the study provides a successive description of numerous artifacts that may be associated with theatrical art in the ancient Panticapaeum. The main material evidences of the authors in favor of hypothesis of the existence of a theater in ancient Panticopeia came to be the lower part of a theater chair found during excavations in 1956 on Mount Mithridates by V. Blavatsky, as well as a bas-relief of the 4th century BC discovered in 1934. BC NS of Attic work depicting an actor dressed as Silenus with a staff in his right hand and a vine with bunches in his left. The study led to the conclusion that there was a sufficiently developed theatrical art in the ancient Panticapaeum. The local theater`s building was either completely destroyed or had not yet been discovered by researchers.