History of Greek drama

By asybin
  • 625 BCE

    625

    625
    Arion at Corinth creates the idea of a chorus.
  • 600 BCE

    600-570

    600-570
    Cleisthenes, tyrant of Sicyon, transfers the idea of choruses to Dionysus, the god of wine and fertility.
  • 540 BCE

    540-527

    540-527
    Pisistratus, tyrant of Athens founded a festival called "City of Dionysia" in Athens, which paid homage to the Greek god Dionysus. During this festival, which took place during spring) men used to perform songs to welcome Dionysus. Plays were only presented at City Dionysia festival. This festival took place during the spring.
  • 536 BCE

    536-533

    536-533
    A man named Thespis, a Dionysian priest, stepped out of the chorus and took on the role of an actor. Thespis acted out a Dionysiac myth through spoken dialogue rather than a song, creating Greek tragedy. He is considered to be the first actor and the first playwright.
  • 534 BCE

    534-525

    534-525
    Aeschylus, the first playwright for tragedy, is born. Aeschylus wrote many tragedies in Greek theatre
  • 530 BCE

    530

    The popularity of tragedy plays lead Pisistratus, an Athenian tyrant, to construct a theater for the performance of tragedy, in Dionysus' honor. Under Pisistratus' rule, tragedy turned into a competition for the best play. The first recorded festival of Dionysus was instituted. The first recorded victory at the Dionysian Festival occurred that same year when Thespis, also a playwright, won the event
  • 500 BCE

    500

    Seven against Thebes Agamemnon Eumenides
  • 496 BCE

    496

    496
    Sophocles, another main tragedy playwright was born. Sophocles wrote many great Greek tragedies such as Ajax (445 BC) Antigone (441 BC), and Oedipus the King (429 BC). Also during his lifetime, he introduced the third actor on stage.
  • 450 BCE

    450

    450
    Aristophanes, a major comedy playwright was born. Aristophanes wrote the plays The Acharmians (425 BC), The Birds (414 BC) and the ever famous Lysistrata (411 BC) 5th Century, BC 4th Century, BC megan & jessica 380 B.C. Greek tragedies and comedies are critiqued by the philosopher Plato in Plato's Republic.
  • 330 BCE

    330

    330
    Aristotle, another Greek philosopher defends Greek tragedies and comedies in his Poetics.
  • 485

    485

    485
    Euripides, one of the major tragedy writers, was born. Euripedes wrote many plays throughout his career. Some of the include: Medea (431 BC), Helen (412 BC) and Orestes (408 BC).