The ancient theater of Epidaurus is located at the southeast end of the sanctuary that was dedicated to the healing god of antiquity, Asclepius, in the Asklepiion of Epidaurus. It is built on the western slope of Kynortios mountain. It is located near today’s Lygourio of Argolis and belongs to the Municipality of Epidaurus. It is considered the most perfect ancient Greek theater in terms of acoustics and aesthetics.

The ancient theater of Epidaurus was built by the architect Polycleitos the Younger as mentioned by Pausanias. Pausanias singles out the theater for its symmetry and beauty. With a maximum capacity of 13,000 – 14,000 spectators, the theater hosted the musical, odic and dramatic contests included in the cult of Asclepius. It was also used as a means of treating patients, as there was a belief that watching dramatic performances had beneficial effects on the mental and physical health of patients.

The monument is a pole of attraction large number of Greek and foreign visitors and is used for the presentation of ancient drama performances. The first performance in the theater of Epidaurus was the tragedy Electra by Sophocles which was staged in 1938, directed by Dimitris Rodiris, with Katina Paxinou and Eleni Papadakis as the protagonists. The performances were then stopped due to the Second World War. Theatrical performances, as part of the organized festival, began in 1954 and from the following year (1955) were established as an annual institution for the presentation of ancient drama. The Epidaurus Festival continues to this day and is held during the summer months.

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