Acknowledgements ii Abbreviations iii 'Acharnians' 1 'Peace' 22 'Lysistrata' 38 1.2 Feasting in changed circumstances 'Birds' 48 'Ecclesiazusae' 60 'Plutus' 72 'Frogs' 80 1.3 Feasting and age 91 'Clouds' 91 'Wasps' 'Knights' 1.4 The Symposium in Aristophanes: Conclusion 2 The Komos in Aristophanes 3 Conclusion 181 4 Appendices