CLST 100 Lecture Notes - Lecture 4: Athenian Democracy, Dionysia, Aeschylus
Document Summary
Greek tragedy, not necessarily sad and catastrophic. Our evidence of tragedy-- representative or unique practice? no unifying factor-- tragedies were very varied. Olympic festival (every 4 years) was a time keeper. Every city had its own calendar agricultural calendar. Athenian civil calendar ten months, 35-38 days each named after mythological heroes, tribes of athens there were 10 tribes, and each tribe had control of city govt in their month begins in mid-summer. 12 month calendar also begins in mid summer. Milesian relig calendar, some months" names are similar. Boeotian (doric speaking people) month names don"t line up therefore: a huge challenge to let everyone know when the olympics were. City dionysia in autumn, harvest festival? at these, the main thing was performance of tragedies not necessarily about dionysus. Acropolis -- highest point in athens, citadel, fortified. Where important temples were etc. theatre built into the side of it. Historycy institution of drama competitions in athenian democracy 6th c bc.
