Athenian Supremacy & Greek Tragedy: 5th Century BCE
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Athenian Rule in the 5th Century BCE
- 490 BCE: Athens defeats Persians at Marathon
- 404 BCE: Athens is defeated by Sparta in the Peloponnesian War
- Between these two events, Athens enjoys cultural and political supremacy.
Dramatic Festivals
- In honor of Dionysus, son of Zeus and Semele.
- Dionysus was reared by satyrs, killed, dismembered, and resurrected.
- In Attica, four annual festivals were held: Rural Dionysia, Lenaia, Anthesteria, and City Dionysia.
Origins of Tragedy
- Various hypotheses for the meaning of TRAGOIDIA or “goat song”.
- Aristotle’s Poetics: from improvisations by leaders of the DITHYRAMBS.
- Other hypotheses: recited stories, sung poetry, and narrative dance.
- First recorded author of tragedies: THESPIS.
- Thespis started dialogue between himself