Physics · The theatre of Epidaurus

How did 14,000 people hear an actor without a microphone?

Name: How did 14,000 people hear an actor without a microphone?
Uploaded: 2026-10-25
Duration: 24 s
Description: The theatre of Epidaurus in Greece seats about fourteen thousand people, and an actor speaking on its stage is heard from the back row. The steep rows of stone seats act like a filter: they reflect the voice's high tones back to the audience, and damp the low murmur of the crowd. It was built twenty-four centuries ago, without a single microphone.

What you’ll see

The theatre of Epidaurus in Greece seats about fourteen thousand people, and an actor speaking on its stage is heard from the back row. The steep rows of stone seats act like a filter: they reflect the voice's high tones back to the audience, and damp the low murmur of the crowd. It was built twenty-four centuries ago, without a single microphone.