Dramatic Festivals Flashcards
why were Greek tragedies performed?
for religious and ceremonial purposes.
City Dionysia
celebrating Dionysus.
how did the festival begin?
with the removal of the old statue of Dionysus from the temple to the agora.
what is the agora?
the marketplace.
what happened in the process?
a girl would lead the procession whilst holding a sacred goat and a phallus.
what is the Athenian myth about the phallus’?
Athenians rejected the worship of Dionysus.
the city then suffered from an outbreak of genital disease, which was cured once they began worshipping Dionysus again.
why is Dionysus associated with a phallus?
Dionysus’ early affiliation to fertility.
what would happen a few days after the statue had been taken to agora?
it was returned to the theatre by dancers indulging in komos and a procession, which ended in a feast and komos.
who was in the procession?
playwrights and the Ephebes escorting sacrificial bulls and metics.
who are the Ephebes?
men currently serving in the army.
who are the metics?
foreign residents.
what happened a few days before the festival began?
productions of the play will compete.
how long did the main dramatic festival last?
5 days.
what plays showed day 1 to 3 of the festival?
9 tragedies, written by 3 playwrights, and a satyr play.
what plays showed day 4 to 5 of the festival?
chorus performances by young men and boys.
