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It is supposed that the Odeon of Pericles was modelled on the Telesterion at Eleusis, which Pericles is also thought to have had a hand in planning. Like the Telesterion, the Odeon of Pericles was flat-floored and had a roof supported by many columns. These supporting posts were arranged in a grid-like fashion (i.e. in straight lines) that created enormous problems with regard to sight-lines. The maximum beam span between these columns is believed to have been approximately 6.5 metres, and is roughly the same in both buildings.
The seating arrangements in the Telesterion and the Odeon are also similar, with both auditoriums employing tiered and on-the-flat seating around a central performance area. The average seating capacity in both halls is speculated to have been between 3,000-4,000 people.
Along with the Thersilion at Megalopolis, the Odeon of Pericles and the Telesterion at Eleusis, make up the three columned halls of antiquity. The Thersilion at Megalopolis however, differs from the other, older halls, in the arrangement of its supporting pillars, thought to be designed in order to improve sight lines.
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