Although the origins of Greek Tragedy and Comedy are obscure
and controversial, 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 have
additional information to give additional context. 7th Century BC
c. 625 Arion at Corinth produces
named dithyrambic choruses.
A dithyramb is an emotional choric hymn or speech
6th Century BC
600-570 Cleisthenes, tyrant of Sicyon, transfers "tragic
choruses" to Dionysus,the god of wine and revelry,
therefore a fertility god
540-527 Pisistratus, tyrant of Athens, founds the festival of the Greater Dionysia,an annual springtime dramatic
festival
536-533 Thespis puts on tragedy at festival of the
Greater Dionysia in Athens.Thespis, is known
as the first actor of tragedy, thus actors are called "Thespians."
525 Aeschylus born.First writer of a tragedy.
511-508 Phrynichus' first victory in tragedy
c. 500 Pratinus of Phlius introduces
the satyr play to Athens. A satyr is a mythological
figure--half man, half goat--used in bawdy comedies.
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. Aristophanes
was the first great writer of satirical comedy.
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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