The Odeon of Herodes Atticus rises beneath the Acropolis with a dark secret behind its marble elegance.

Herodes built this 5,000-seat theatre in 160 CE to honour his late wife, Aspasia Annia Regilla, a Roman noblewoman who died under suspicious circumstances. She was found bleeding to death after someone beat her while pregnant.

Her family accused Herodes of ordering the murder. He stood trial in Rome and walked free, then returned to Athens and built this lavish concert hall as proof of his devotion and innocence. Whether the monument commemorates genuine grief or functions as an elaborate alibi remains an open question.

The theatre still hosts performances during Athens's summer festivals, continuing a theatrical tradition that stretches back millennia.

VoiceMap's self-guided audio tours use the Herodeion to trace the threads connecting ancient Athens to Roman patronage, revealing how monuments built by the powerful often carry complicated stories beneath their polished surfaces.