When did Sophocles die and how old was he?
Sophocles died in the winter of 406 or 405 BC at the age of ninety or ninety-one. He lived through both the Greek triumph in the Persian Wars and the bloodletting of the Peloponnesian War.
Questions about Sophocles
Short answers, pulled from the story.
What political roles did Sophocles hold during his lifetime?
In 443 or 442 BC, Sophocles served as one of the Hellenotamiai treasurers of Athena who managed city finances during Pericles' ascendancy. By 441 BC, he was elected one of ten generals alongside Pericles himself.
How many times did Sophocles win competitions at Dionysia festivals?
Sophocles won competitions at eighteen Dionysia festivals over nearly fifty years. He competed in thirty competitions total and won twenty-four times without ever being judged lower than second place.
Which play by Sophocles was performed posthumously in 401 BC?
Oedipus at Colonus was performed posthumously in 401 BC by his grandson. This play features the banished Oedipus and daughter Antigone arriving at Colonus where they encounter Theseus King of Athens.
Who is credited with adding a third actor to Greek tragedy according to Aristotle?
Aristotle credited Sophocles with adding a third actor to Greek tragedy thereby reducing the importance of the chorus in plot presentation. Themistius attributed this innovation to Aeschylus instead creating historical debate about who truly pioneered the shift.