The Theatre of Philippi, at the eastern foot of the acropolis hill, was built by King Philip II in the middle of the 4th century BC and is one of the oldest buildings in the city. In the 2nd and 3rd AD century, significant alterations were made as the theatre was transformed into an arena for animal fights to cater for the demand for spectacles at that time. The theatre was discovered in the 1920s during excavations by the French Archaeological School. In 1957 the presentation of ancient drama performances began in the theatre, which became an institution as the Philippi- Thassos Festival, which happily continues to this day.