Sophocles Timeline

The Life of Sophocles

Period: 496 BCE to 406 BCE

Sophocles was born in Clonus, near Athens, Greece. His father was Sophillus, and he was the son of a successful armor manufacturer. Therefore, he grew up wealthy and was able to afford an excellent education.

Sophocles approximately died at the age of 90. The cause of his death remains unknown. Many believe he died by choking on a grape; others think he died reciting the Antigone or by laughter. All these causes indicate that he died joyfully.

Sophocles Wife's

Period: 496 BCE to 406

Sophocles had two sons, Iophon and Sophocles, by his first wife, Nicostrata. He had a third son, Ariston, by his second wife, Theoris. And both his sons became playwrights.
"Sophocles ." World Encyclopedia. . Encyclopedia.com. 10 Jun. 2022 https://www.encyclopedia.com.

The Greatest Innovation

Period: 496 BCE to 406 BCE

One of Sophocles' greatest innovations was the creation of "a third actor." His goal was to expand the character interactions and to have a more complex theatrical production.
Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. "Martin Opitz". Encyclopedia Britannica, 19 Dec. 2021, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Martin-Opitz. Accessed 16 June 2022.

Overall Acheivements

Period: 496 BCE to 406 BCE

Sophocles wrote over 100 plays and was one of the three famous Greek tragedians (along with Aeschylus and Euripides). He created tragedies but he also helped increase the number of speaking actors, and the number of chorus members, and used painted scenery.
Taplin, Oliver and Woodard, Thomas M.. "Sophocles". Encyclopedia Britannica, 29 Jan. 2021, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Sophocles. Accessed 16 June 2022.

Talents

480 BCE

Because of his skill and talents in music and playwriting he was chosen at 16, to lead the paean (choral chant to a god) celebrating the decisive Greek sea victory over the Persians at the Battle of Salamis.
Taplin, Oliver and Woodard, Thomas M.. "Sophocles". Encyclopedia Britannica, 29 Jan. 2021, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Sophocles. Accessed 16 June 2022.

Tragedy Competition

468 BCE

Sophocles wins his first competition. His exceptionally executed play "Triptolemus" took first prize for tragedy. On the other hand, Aeschylus' play came in second. LitCharts, LLC, 2022 Course Hero, Inc
https://www.cliffsnotes.com/literature/o/the-oedipus-trilogy/sophocles-biography#:~:text=In%20468%20B.C.%2C%20his%20play,Aeschylus'%20play%20came%20in%20second.&text=Over%20many%20years%2C%20Sophocles%20actively,in%20positions%20of%20great%20responsibility.

Success

Period: 468 BCE to 406 BCE

After his first win in the competition of tragedies, Sophocles continued to write successful tragedies that became popular. Sophocles won at least 20 festival competitions. He also came second many times but never was third or last in competitions. Sophocles was, therefore, the most successful of the three great tragedians.
The Tragic Drama of the Greeks. A.E. Haigh. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1896. pp. 126-37.
https://www.theatredatabase.com/ancient/sophocles_001.html

The Rise of Sophocles as a playwright

456 BCE

Aeschylus dies, and Sophocles becomes the pre-eminent playwright. And in Athens, Sophocles fully believed Aeschylus' work must be respected, so he began imitating his work as a tribute.
Sophocles , Ancient Greece , Classical Literature
https://www.ancient-literature.com/greece_sophocles.html

Women of Trachis

Period: 450 BCE to 425 BCE

This play is a tragedy that dramatizes an unfortunate accidental death. According to critics, this production is one of the least developed plays compared to his other work.
GreekMythology.com, The Editors of Website. "Women of Trachis". GreekMythology.com Website, 09 Apr. 2021, https://www.greekmythology.com/Plays/Sophocles/Women_of_Trachis/women_of_trachis.html. Accessed 17 May 2022.

Imperial Treasurer

Period: 443 BCE to 442 BCE

With a source of high power, Sophocles was the imperial treasurer. Therefore, he managed the finances of the city during the political ascendency of Pericles. And he helped control the funds of the Delian confederacy for the Athenian empire.
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Ajax

442 BCE

Sophocles' production "Ajax" is a Greek tragedy written and it may have been the earliest of Sophocles' seven tragedies to have survived.
English translation by R. C. Trevelyan (Internet Classics Archive): http://classics.mit.edu/Sophocles/ajax.html

The Antigone

441 BCE

The Antigone is a play about the aftermath of a civil war in which the two sons of Oedipus kill each other. The Antigone is important now as it came to symbolize democracy and resonated with Greece's war of independence against the Ottoman Empire, as well as America's struggle against communist Soviet Russia during the Cold War.
Wasson, Donald L.. "Antigone." World History Encyclopedia. World History Encyclopedia, 05 Apr 2018. Web. 16 Jun 2022.
Peter Ronan. Flickr
05 April 2018

Electra

440 BCE

Electra is a Greek tragedy by Sophocles. The date remains somewhat unknown, but many scholars believe that it was written towards the end of his career.
English translation by R. C. Trevelyan (Internet Classics Archive): http://classics.mit.edu/Sophocles/ajax.html

Military Comander

440 BCE

Sophocles was elected military commander of Athens. And he served with Pericles in Samian War.
https://www.heritage-history.com/index.php?c=resources&s=char-dir&f=sophocles
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War General

435 BCE

During the Peloponnesian war, Sophocles was one of the generals. In addition, he fulfilled the role of a Hellenotamiae. He was also the head of the management of the allies.
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Peloponnesian War

Period: 431 BCE to 404

The Peloponnesian War was an ancient Greek war fought between the Delian League, which was led by Athens, and the Peloponnesian League, which was led by Sparta. And according to historians, there are three phases to this war.
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https://education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/peloponnesian-war

Oedipus the King

427 BCE

Arguably the Sophocles' best composition Oedipus the King rises to fame and continues to be analyzed today. Through this play, Sophocles intends to send a message to his audience. One of them is "Pride comes before fall"

Magistrates

Period: 411 BCE to 412 BCE

In his eighties, he was named member of a special group called magistrates. He was assigned to organizing both financial and domestic recovery after the disastrous Greek defeat at Syracuse.

Philoctetes

409 BCE

Philoctetes was a play by Sophocles that depicted events from the trojan war but also had incorporations of mythological ideals and creatures. Philoctetes was a mythological creature who bit a soldier on his way to the trojan war.
Wasson, Donald L.. "Philoctetes." World History Encyclopedia. World History Encyclopedia, 22 Nov 2019. Web. 17 Jun 2022.

Later Producitons

401 BCE

Oedipus at Colonus was produced after Sophocles's death. And it is the longest of his dramas. It also brings to a conclusion his concern with the Oedipus theme. Read more: https://www.notablebiographies.com/Sc-St/Sophocles.html#ixzz7WRb8z9Mp

Commisioner

413

Sophocles served as one of the commissioners crafting a response to the catastrophic destruction of the Athenian expeditionary force during the Peloponnesian war.

Early career

479

As a child, Sophocles was the chief dancer in festivities to celebrate the victories over the Persians. As some time went by he would act in some plays but he settled with the role of a writer due to the weak projection of his voice while performing.
Cartwright, Mark. "Sophocles." World History Encyclopedia. World History Encyclopedia, 29 Sep 2013. Web. 16 Jun 2022.

Luis Alfaro & Sophocles

2022