In what ways was the space of the theatre important to ancient athenians

Question 1

Religious importance

Answer 1

-Honours Dionysus
-Altar in orchestra, where sacrifices to Dionysus would be made
-Piglet sacrificed by priest of Dionysus + 10 generals pouring libations in city Dionysia: this was one of only 2 times a year where the 10 most important men socially and politically would be together to make an offering.
-The centermost seat in the prohedra would be reserved for the priest of Dionysus
-Chorus would perform Dithyrambs, a choral dance originally created to honour Dionysus

Question 2

Social importance

Answer 2

-All classes sat together, which would foster unity
-The theatre was split so the 10 tribes could sit together, which would foster comeradery within the tribes as they can spend time watching the plays and feasting together and bond in the holiday atmosphere created by the festival
-The elite paid for the poor to attend through the theoric fund, which would foster goodwill between the classes

Question 3

Political importance

Answer 3

-Comic playwrights could mock and criticise powerful audience members to make a political point, eg in Aristophanes’ assemblywomen, he pokes fun at the men running Athens by saying that even women could do a better job at running the country, though his play is satirical, it still promotes the political message of saying that Athens’ leaders are shunning the old ways too much.
-The parade of tribute during the city Dionysia demonstrated Athens great wealth through tribute from the allied states being paraded in front of the audience as well as foreign embassies sitting at the front, which would be humiliating.

Question 4

Theatrical + emotional experience

Answer 4

-The architecture of the horseshoe-shaped theatron allowed all audience members to see and hear the performance due to the acoustics of the sloping theatron.
-Visual spectacles provided to the audience through devices; the mechane could be used to make it look like people were flying, eg in Euripides’ Medea, she flies above jason when she makes her great escape on a dragon chariot. The ekkyklema may have been used to wheel out Medea’s dead children, creating another visual spectacle.
-The audience would also get to experience catharsis in the space of the theatre; at the end of Sophocles’ Oedipus the King in the exodus the audience experience extreme pity and horror at Oedipus splitting up with his children. + any other relevant examples of emotional experiences found in Greek plays.