Aeschylus (c. 525–456 B.C.)
Aeschylus was born around 525 B.C., likely in Eleusis. He is recognized as
the first of the most renowned ancient Greek tragic playwrights. He transformed
dramatic presentations from mere choral performances into sophisticated works
of art. His influence is notable for introducing a second actor on stage, which
enabled dialogue, and for reducing the chorus from about fifty to fifteen
members. With Aeschylus, tragic drama was conveyed through action rather than
just recitation. He participated in the City Dionysia—a festival honoring the
god Dionysus, featuring processions, bull sacrifices, feasts, and dramatic
contests—probably first competing in 499 B.C. and securing his first victory
fifteen years later. His masterpiece, the Oresteia trilogy, was produced
in 458 B.C. His plays remain of enduring literary significance due to their
lyrical language, complex plots, and universal themes. Aeschylus's language is
characterized by power, grandeur, and emotional depth, as well as by the use of
metaphors and figurative expressions. He authored about ninety plays, of which
seven have survived. Aeschylus passed away around 456 B.C. in Gela, Sicily.
Aristophanes (c. 450–385 B.C.)
Aristophanes was born around 450 B.C., possibly on the Greek island of Aegina. His plays are the only intact examples of Old Comedy, which primarily focused on political satire rather than the human relationships central to New Comedy. Aristophanes’ themes and works generally mirrored...
the social, literary, and philosophical life of Athens, with many inspired by events from the Peloponnesian War. Out of his approximately forty plays, eleven have survived. Among his most famous works areBirds and Frogs. His charm lies
in his clever dialogue, biting satire, and the creative nature of his comedic
scenes. Many of his plays continue to be performed on modern stages.
Aristophanes died around 385 B.C. in Athens, Greece.
Crates (fl. c. 470–450 B.C.)
Crates, who flourished around 470 B.C. in Athens, is regarded as the founder
of Greek comedy. According to Aristotle, he moved away from traditional comedy,
which focused on personal attacks, and introduced broader narratives with
well-developed plots.
Cratinus (?–c. 420 B.C.)
Cratinus was esteemed in antiquity as one of the three great playwrights of
the Old Comedy era. Although only fragments of his twenty-seven known plays
remain, they reveal that his comedies, much like those of Aristophanes, blended
parodied mythology with references to contemporary events. For instance,
Athenian leader Pericles was often a target of Cratinus’s satire. He died
around 420 B.C.
Epicharmus (c. 530–440 B.C.)
Epicharmus, born around 530 B.C., is considered the pioneer of Sicilian, or
Doric, comedy. He is credited with more than fifty plays, though few lines have
survived. Many of his works were mythological burlesques, even mocking the
gods. His vibrant style made his work more akin to New Comedy than to the Old
Comedy of his era. He died around 440 B.C.
Eupolis (fl. c. 445–411 B.C.)
Eupolis, alongside Cratinus and Aristophanes, was esteemed in ancient times
as one of the three leading playwrights of the Old Comedy era. His debut play
was staged in 429 B.C., but only portions of his works have survived. He
targeted Athenian demagogues and affluent citizens with his satire, while also
addressing serious topics, such as strategies for Athens to gain an advantage
over Sparta during the ongoing Peloponnesian War. Eupolis passed away around
411 B.C., still relatively young.
Euripides (c. 485–406 B.C.)
Born circa 485 B.C. in Attica, the region of central Greece where Athens is
located, Euripides was one of the three great tragedians of his time. He
achieved his first victory at the City Dionysia in 441, having competed there
twenty-two times. Out of his ninety-two plays, nineteen (including one with
disputed authorship) remain. His renowned works include Medea (431
B.C.), Hippolytus (428 B.C.), Electra (417 B.C.), Trojan
Women (415 B.C.), Ion (circa 411 B.C.), Iphigenia at Aulis
(405 B.C., posthumously), and Bacchae (405 B.C., posthumously).
Unlike Aeschylus and Sophocles, Euripides' characters often face tragic
outcomes due primarily to their own flawed personalities and unrestrained
emotions, while the gods watch their plight with seeming disinterest.
Structurally, his plays differ from those of the other two dramatists: they
frequently begin with prologues and conclude with a divine appearance, known as
deus ex machina. The prologue is typically a monologue that sets the
scene and introduces the characters, while the deus ex machina features
a god's epilogue that foretells the characters' future. Euripides died in
Macedonia in 406 B.C.
Menander (c. 342–292 B.C.)
Born around 342 B.C., Menander is now recognized as the foremost writer of
New Comedy, which emphasizes human relationships. However, during his lifetime,
he was not as successful. Despite writing over a hundred plays, only eight won
awards at Athens' dramatic festivals. His first play was staged in 321 B.C. The
sole complete play of his that remains is Dyscolus, which earned a
festival prize in 317. The Roman playwrights Plautus and Terence adapted many
of Menander's works, influencing European comedy's evolution from the
Renaissance onward. Menander died around 292 B.C.
Phrynichus (fl. c. 420 B.C.)
Phrynichus was an Athenian poet from the Old Comedy period and was a
contemporary of Aristophanes and Eupolis. He began producing plays in 430 B.C.
and achieved two victories at the City Dionysia.
Sophocles (c. 496–406 B.C.)
Sophocles was born around 496 B.C. in Colonus, near Athens. He is celebrated
as one of the three great tragic playwrights of classical Athens. In 468 B.C.,
he achieved his first victory at the City Dionysia, surpassing Aeschylus.
Throughout his career, he wrote a total of 123 plays for this annual festival,
winning approximately twenty-four times and never placing lower than second. Of
the seven plays that still exist today, his most famous work is Oedipus the
King, which was performed between 430 B.C. and 426 B.C. Sophocles
introduced significant innovations in drama, such as reducing the chorus size
and adding a third actor to the stage. He is renowned for his language,
artistic skill, and vivid character portrayals.
In addition to his literary achievements, Sophocles was an influential
citizen of Athens. He served as a treasurer in the Delian League, a coalition
of Greek states led by Athens, established in 478 B.C. following the defeat of
the Persian invasion under Xerxes to ensure continued liberty. He was also
elected as one of the ten military and naval commanders and became one of ten
members of the advisory committee responsible for Athens' financial and
domestic recovery after its defeat in the Peloponnesian War at Syracuse in 413
B.C. Sophocles passed away in 406 B.C. in Athens.
Sophron (fl. c. 430 B.C.)
Sophron of Syracuse lived and worked during the early to mid-400s B.C. He
was known for writing rhythmical prose mimes that portrayed scenes from
everyday life.
Thespis (fl. c. 534 B.C.)
Thespis hailed from the district of Icaria in Attica. He holds the
distinction of being the first recorded winner of the prize at the City
Dionysia, which he won around 534 B.C. Thespis is credited with creating the
role of the speaking actor, who "delivered prologues and conversed with the
chorus-leader" while impersonating the heroes featured in his dramas, thus
becoming the world's first actor. He is regarded as the "inventor of
tragedy."