When did drama begin as a civic ritual in ancient Athens?
Drama began as a civic ritual in ancient Athens during the fifth century BC. The earliest surviving drama, Aeschylus' The Persians, won first prize at the City Dionysia competition in 472 BC.
Common questions about Drama
Short answers, pulled from the story.
Who invented the concept of an actor speaking and impersonating a character in drama?
Thespis is credited with the innovation of an actor who speaks and impersonates a character. He interacted with the chorus, which was a traditional part of non-dramatic poetry.
When did Rome begin its own regular theatrical tradition after encountering Greek drama?
Rome began its own regular theatrical tradition in 240 BC following the expansion of the Roman Republic into Greek territories between 270 and 240 BC. Livius Andronicus wrote the first important works of Roman literature, tragedies and comedies, while Gnaeus Naevius followed five years later.
Which female dramatist wrote six plays in Latin modeled on Terence's comedies in the 10th century?
Hrosvitha wrote six plays in Latin modeled on Terence's comedies but which treated religious subjects in the 10th century. She is the first known plays composed by a female dramatist and the first identifiable Western drama of the post-Classical era.
How many plays survive from the York mystery cycle in England?
Four cycles survive from the English trade guilds, including York with 48 plays. The other surviving cycles are Chester with 24, Wakefield with 32, and the so-called N-Town with 42.
Who are the two dramatists whose contributions dominate modern drama in the 19th and 20th centuries?
The pivotal and innovative contributions of the 19th-century Norwegian dramatist Henrik Ibsen and the 20th-century German theatre practitioner Bertolt Brecht dominate modern drama. Ibsen is the founder of modern theater, and his plays are world classics, staged on every continent and studied in classrooms everywhere.