City Dionysia

Question 1

How long was the City Dionysia?

Answer 1

5 or 6 days long- but probably 5

Question 2

Who did the City Dionisia honour, and why?

Answer 2

Dionysus, because he was the god of theatre so that only seems fair…

Question 3

What season was the City Dionisia held in?

Answer 3

Spring, in late March!

Question 4

How did City Dionisia open, and describe the events of the first day?

Answer 4

The opening of the festival featured a procession to the Theater of Dionysus bearing a wooden statue of the god, which was placed by the altar in the theatre. As the first day progressed, choruses of men and boys representing the ten political tribes of Athens held dithyrambic (dithyramb= hymns, sung and danced to) competitions. The day concluded with the sacrifice of a bull and a communal feast.

Question 5

What happened on the first day, in terms of sacrifices?

Answer 5

Many animals lead to the temple of Dionysus and sacrificed.

Question 6

What happened on days 2,3, and 4?

Answer 6

In the morning 3 tragedies and then 1 comedy were performed, all written by one playwright.

Then everyone had lunch.

Then there was even more eating.

Question 7

What happened in the early morning of day 2?

Answer 7

There was the opening ceremony!

Question 8

What happened during the opening ceremony (on day 2)? (3)

Answer 8

The money paid to Athens in tax from allies was displayed in the theatre

Boys who had been orphaned when their fathers died for Athens in battle were paraded

Individual citisens who had done good deeds for Athens were awarded prizes.

Question 9

Why was it important to parade boys who had lost their fathers because they had died in battle for Athens?

Answer 9

Encouraged boys to believe their fathers were great and become soldiers.

Question 10

What kind of judging was held for the play writing competition?

Answer 10

Democratic!

Question 11

How were the judges for the playwright competition chosen?

Answer 11

Each tribe put all their members’ names into a pot- 1 citisen from each tribe randomly chosen by lot.

Question 12

Which day was winner of playwright competition decided?

Answer 12

The fifth- day 5.

Question 13

Explain the process of how the judging panel decided the winner of the playwright competition.

Answer 13

1. Each judge wrote the names of the playwrights in, in their opinion, order of merit on a tablet. (1 for best tragic playwright, one for best comic playwright)
2. The ten tablets for each competition were placed in an amphora/ pot.
3. 5 of the tablets were drawn out of each pot at random.
4. The playwright with the highest number of votes/ highest merits won!

Question 14

Where was the Theatre of Dionysus built?

Answer 14

Into the south side of the Acropolis.

Question 15

Why was the Theatre of Dionysus built into the south side of the Acropolis?

Answer 15

To show the close connection with between religion and theatre.

Question 16

What was the seating area called?

Answer 16

The Theatron.

Question 17

How many did the Theatron seat?

Answer 17

Over 15,000

Question 18

Which day did the sacrifices take place on?

Answer 18

Day 1.

Question 19

Which day was the opening ceremony, and the names of the plays announced on?

Answer 19

Day 2.

Question 20

What was the procession called?

Answer 20

The pompe.

Question 21

How often was the city Dionysia held?

Answer 21

Every year?

Question 22

What was important about the City Dionysia?

Answer 22

Answers should include information about what took place during the Dionysia.

This might include:

 preparations for the festival, especially for the plays;

 processions;

 competitions between the demes;

 sacrifice and distribution of meat;

 display of tribute money;

 parade of orphaned boys;

 drama;

 judging of drama.

Question 23

Why were events important to Athenians?

Answer 23

Answers should evaluate why and how each of these elements was important for an Athenian. Areas for consideration might be:

 worship of Dionysos to ensure continuing favour of the god for fertility;

 parade of tribute is symbolic of the city’s continuing success;

 competition between demes important because demes were central to citizenship, promotion of pride in demes also promoted civic pride;

 emphasised difference of non-Athenians (because they could not take part in all aspects of the festival) and emphasised the superiority of the citizens;

 honours Athens’ leading citizens;

 the meat for city’s poor;

 raises the significance of drama;

 the act of communal worship;

 the enjoyment of civic pageantry.