Religious context of the dramatic festivals
Drama was only performed at religious festivals and a key element was competition
Athenian dramatic festivals were intimately linked with the worship of Dionysus (the God of drama,
wine and revelry)
- festivals included processions, sacrifices and revelry in honour of Dionysus
Festivals were highly organised and grand civic occasions & important to the polis
- held in winter months
- most important dramatic festival = City Dionysia held in late march
Other festivals;
Lenaea; late January
- comedy and tragedy competitions introduced in 440 - comedy seems to have been more impor-
tant
- held early in year so only Athenians could attend since the seas were too rough
Rural Dionysia; mid-winter
- local festival celebrated in demes (139 in 5th century)
- deme theatres e.g. Thorikos and Theatre of Epidaurus
- plays performed were probably revivals of those performed at the 2 main festivals
Its unclear how drama related to worship of Dionysus
- out of surviving drama he appears in Bacchae & Frogs
- estimated 4% of plays we have are related to Dionysus
The City Dionysia
Late march; coming of spring, reopening of sea lanes & City Dionysia
- 3 things connected - appropriate to worship Dionysus - he encouraged new growth
- start of sailing season allowed Athens to show their city & festival to visitors
During the festival business ceased & law courts closed
- prisoners given day release
Organised by eponymous archon (leading political figure)
Preparations started the previous summer
- tragic playwright presented a synopsis of 4 plays (3 tragedies & 1 satyr) to the eponymous ar-
chon
- comic playwrights presented synopsis of 1 play
- the archon chose 3 tragic & 5 comic playwrights (we don't know how)
The archon selected a choregos for each playwright
- choregos; financial backer & his input was vital
- he was drawn from city’s wealthy elite who were required to fund liturgies (tax on rich requiring
them to contribute to Athens)
- record tells us in 410 a choregos spent 3,000 drachmas
- paid for everything - costumes, props, masks and payment of chorus & musicians
- he selected chorus provided them with food a place to rehearse & sometimes accommodation
Many wealthy Athenians welcomed this opportunity
- if they were associated with success of the festival it gave them prestige
Drama was only performed at religious festivals and a key element was competition
Athenian dramatic festivals were intimately linked with the worship of Dionysus (the God of drama,
wine and revelry)
- festivals included processions, sacrifices and revelry in honour of Dionysus
Festivals were highly organised and grand civic occasions & important to the polis
- held in winter months
- most important dramatic festival = City Dionysia held in late march
Other festivals;
Lenaea; late January
- comedy and tragedy competitions introduced in 440 - comedy seems to have been more impor-
tant
- held early in year so only Athenians could attend since the seas were too rough
Rural Dionysia; mid-winter
- local festival celebrated in demes (139 in 5th century)
- deme theatres e.g. Thorikos and Theatre of Epidaurus
- plays performed were probably revivals of those performed at the 2 main festivals
Its unclear how drama related to worship of Dionysus
- out of surviving drama he appears in Bacchae & Frogs
- estimated 4% of plays we have are related to Dionysus
The City Dionysia
Late march; coming of spring, reopening of sea lanes & City Dionysia
- 3 things connected - appropriate to worship Dionysus - he encouraged new growth
- start of sailing season allowed Athens to show their city & festival to visitors
During the festival business ceased & law courts closed
- prisoners given day release
Organised by eponymous archon (leading political figure)
Preparations started the previous summer
- tragic playwright presented a synopsis of 4 plays (3 tragedies & 1 satyr) to the eponymous ar-
chon
- comic playwrights presented synopsis of 1 play
- the archon chose 3 tragic & 5 comic playwrights (we don't know how)
The archon selected a choregos for each playwright
- choregos; financial backer & his input was vital
- he was drawn from city’s wealthy elite who were required to fund liturgies (tax on rich requiring
them to contribute to Athens)
- record tells us in 410 a choregos spent 3,000 drachmas
- paid for everything - costumes, props, masks and payment of chorus & musicians
- he selected chorus provided them with food a place to rehearse & sometimes accommodation
Many wealthy Athenians welcomed this opportunity
- if they were associated with success of the festival it gave them prestige
