Greek Tragedy on the Move

Abstract

This work is one of the first full studies of the dissemination of Greek tragedy in the archaic and classical periods. Drawing on recent research in network theory, it seeks to reinterpret classical tragedy as a Panhellenic art form. It thereby offers a radically new perspective on the interpretation of the extant tragic texts, which have often been seen as the product of the fifth-century Athenian democracy. Tragedy grew out of, and became part of, a common Greek (or Panhellenic) culture, which was itself sustained by frequent travel and exchange. This book shows how Athens was a major Panhellenic centre within a wider and, by the fifth century, well-established network of festivals and patrons. The part played by non-Athenians in the festival culture of Attica is fully reassessed and it is estimated that as much as a quarter of all tragic poets who produced plays in Athens during the classical period were non-citizens. In addition, the book re-examines the evidence for tragedies that were probably or certainly performed outside Athens and shows how and why they were calculated to appeal to a broad Panhellenic audience. The stories they contained were themselves tales of travel. Together the works of the tragedians told and reworked the history of the Greek peoples and showed how they were connected through the wanderings of their ancestors. Tragedy, like the poets and their creations, was meant to travel and this is the first full study of tragedy on the move in the archaic and classical periods.