Greek Festivals - the city dionysia Flashcards
What was the city dionysia?
after Athenians rejected a statue of Dionysus, a disease that affected the genitals of men, so they accepted the statue and honoured him w a festival of theatre (god of revelry, wine, drama) and in the spring over 5 days mid march (rebirth) in the sanctuary of Dionysus (south side of acropolis, usual temple)
What was the eponymous archon?
reflected democratic nature of city as most important jobs, who had various administrative jobs over the year and for one year such as choosing 3 tragic playwrights, 5 comic ones to write 17 plays in total and then choose choregos to finance plays
What was the dithyramb?
a choral dance in honour of Dionysus of 100 members of each tribe
Who took part in the plays?
tragic and comic split into amateurs (taken from citizen body) and professionals (theatre as career).
Describe the procession
night before festival that recreated events of sixth century bc where eleutherae allied w Athens and the statue being brought into the city, statue travelled from shrine outside city so accompanied by military cadets
What was the programme of events?
- pompe, dithyrambic contests, komos 2. opening ceremony, 5 comedies 3/4. 3 tragedies, 1 satyr 5. 3 tragedies, 1 satyr; judging, prizes
What was the pompe?
pome was the grand procession w the wooden statue in a boat on wheels from the city gates to the sanctuary of Dionysus that resembled a carnival w drinking, dancing and revelry. traditional sacrificial objects like animals, fruits and breads people would also carry model phalluses (rebirth and fertility)
What was the dithyrambic contests and komos?
little known about d but it was written in honour of Dionysus and predated tragic and comedy.
komos was men only in the evening of day 1 where they brought leather phalluses to present to the god (fertility) , then singing, dancing, wine
Describe the opening ceremony
priest of Dionysus would sacrifice a piglet, then each 10 generals poured a libation to the 12 Olympian gods. theatrical contests not free (2 obals), which was a days wage so in late 5th century bc the theoric fund was set up. 5 comedies were shown
Describe the comedies
developed later than tragic and represented freedom in Athens in 5th century bc. women ruled men, slaves superior to master, politicians openly mocked that offered relief from everyday world and voice opinions aristophanes
What were the tragedies? (example)
trilogy and satyr play, each day devote to 3 playwrights. emphasis on tragedy over comedy. inspired by historic and mythical events of past, ask questions on human suffering and nature. sophocles
Describe the satyr plays
4 plays written by one playwright, comic relief from tragedy and would be in between 2nd and 3rd tragedy . mythical no relation to tragedy
Describe the judging
after all plays judges ranked and placed in urn, archon drew 5/10 of the lists, playwright with most votes winner and given garland of ivy
