By 700 BC the municipal state of Athens had become the largest and richest in Hellenia. Just over 100 years later Solon, its most illustrious lawgiver, gave it a meaningfully democratic constitution. Powerful men in the city tested this new reality for some time.
Cleisthenes (born 570?) By 508, however, Cleisthenes had reestablished and reformed the constitution of Solon in ways that allowed
This establishment of democracy had two significant consequences. It inspired leaders in other cities to imitate it. It also contributed to unprecedented cultural creativity.
In 498 people in a number of Hellenian cities on the west coast of Anatolia, inspired by the example of
Athenian victories (490, 480, 479). In 490 the Persian hordes met the Athenians for battle on the plains of
This sense of pride and purpose only intensified when Athenians led other Hellenians to victory against the second army of Persian invaders at
This cultural creativity, which began with the establishment and development of democracy by Cleisthenes, continued with Aeschylus the playwright.
Aeschylus (525-455) was born into a wealthy family living in the seaside town of
Judges first selected a tragedy written by Aeschylus for performance during the Dionysia in 499. Aeschylus was 26 years old and Athenians had been practicing democracy for almost a decade. The next year Athenian citizens would decide to help Hellenians in
Aeschylus won first prize during the Dionysia for the first time in 484. He again fought against the Persians at
Although Aeschylus wrote as many as 90 tragedies, only seven of them have survived. In addition to The Persians (472), we may still enjoy Seven against Thebes (467), The Suppliants (463), The Oresteia (458) trilogy (Agamemnon, The Libation Bearers, The Eumenides), and Prometheus Bound (456?).
Aeschylus died in
Sophocles (c. 496-c. 406) was born into a wealthy family living in Colonus, just outside of
Sophocles competed against Aeschylus as a writer of tragedies during the Dionysia. He defeated Aeschylus for first prize for the first time in 468. While Aeschylus won first prize 14 times, Sophocles would win it 24 times. While Sophocles wrote as many as 120 tragedies, again only 7 have survived. His most famous plays are Oedipus the King, Oedipus at Colonus, and Antigone. The philosopher Aristotle praised Oedipus the King as an exemplary tragedy in his Poetics (written ca 335). Sophocles also wrote
Copyright © 2013 by Steven Farsaci.
All rights reserved. Fair use encouraged.
All rights reserved. Fair use encouraged.