1. Timeline of Greek Drama
Although the origins of Greek Tragedy and Comedy are obscure and
controversial, our ancient sources allow us to construct a rough
chronology of some of the steps in their development. Some of the names
and events on the timeline are linked to passages in the next section on
the Origins of Greek Drama which provide additional context.
(Works in bold are on the Hum 110 syllabus)
7th Century BC
c. 625 Arion at
Corinth produces named dithyrambic choruses.
6th Century BC
600-570 Cleisthenes, tyrant
of Sicyon, transfers "tragic choruses" to Dionysus
540-527 Pisistratus, tyrant of
Athens, founds the festival of the Greater Dionysia
536-533 Thespis puts on tragedy
at festival of the Greater Dionysia in Athens
525 Aeschylus
born
511-508 Phrynichus' first
victory in tragedy
c. 500 Pratinus of
Phlius introduces the satyr play to Athens
5th Century BC
499-496 Aeschylus' first
dramatic competition
c. 496 Sophocles born
492 Phrynicus'
Capture of Miletus (Miletus was captured by the Persians in 494)
485 Euripides
born
484 Aeschylus'
first dramatic victory
472 Aeschylus'
Persians
467 Aeschylus'
Seven Against Thebes
468 Aeschylus
defeated by Sophocles in dramatic competition
463? Aeschylus'
Suppliant Women
458 Aeschylus'
Oresteia (Agamemnon, Libation Bearers, Eumenides)
456 Aeschylus
dies
c. 450 Aristophanes
born
447 Parthenon
begun in Athens
c. 445 Sophocles'
Ajax
441 Sophocles'
Antigone
438 Euripides'
Alcestis
431-404 Peloponnesian War
(Athens and allies vs. Sparta and allies)
431 Euripides'
Medea
c. 429 Sophocles' Oedipus
the King
428 Euripides'
Hippolytus
423 Aristophanes'
Clouds
415 Euripides'
Trojan Women
406 Euripides
dies; Sophocles dies
405 Euripides'
Bacchae
404 Athens
loses Peloponnesian War to Sparta
401 Sophocles'
Oedipus at Colonus
4th Century BC
399 Trial
and death of Socrates
c. 380's Plato's Republic
includes critique of Greek tragedy and comedy
c. 330's Aristotle's Poetics
includes defense of Greek tragedy and comedy
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