The city Dionysia Flashcards
When was it held, and why?
It was held every year in March because it was the start of the sailing season.
What was the role of the Eponymous Archon?
A leading politician responsible for the running of the city Dionysia. He is referred to as eponymous because the Athenian civil year was named after him.
What was the role of the Choregos?
The Choregos was the financial backer attached to a playwright to support the production of his plays. He was drawn from the wealthy elite and being a choregos counted as liturgy ( a super tax imposed on the elite ). He paid for costumes, props, masks, special effects, and the payment of the chorus and their musicians.
What was the proagon (pre-contest)?
Held in the Odein, a hall next to the theatre of Dionysus, the plays were announced, and each playwright delivered a short synopsis of his play and may introduce his choregos, actors, and musicians.
What happened the evening before the festival?
A wooden structure was brought into the city from a shrine located just outside the city. A torchlight procession for the structure’s arrival re-enacted Dionysus’ arrival in Athens from Eleutherae, and then the statue went to the theatre, where a sacrifice was made for Dionysus to watch over all the plays for the rest of the festivals.
What happened on day 1 of the festival?
A grand procession called Pompe took place in the morning, starting outside the city and going to the agora (temple of Dionysus) and ending with the sacrifice of a sacred bull among other animals. In the afternoon, there were dithyrambic plays, and each of the 10 tribes submitted a chorus. A revel was held in the streets in the evening.
What happened on day 2 of the festival?
-The day when the five comic playwrights presented their play
-There was a grand opening ceremony in the theatre, and the priest of Dionysus would sacrifice a piglet on the altar. The city’s ten generals would pour libations together to the gods. This would be a very important event, as it was one of the only times that the ten most important social and political figures in Athens would get together at any one time.
-There were then 3 very important presentations: the parade of tribute, the parade of orphans, and the proclamation of honours.
What was the parade of tribute?
When Athens controlled an empire, the tribute from her subject allies was due at this time of year, the money was paraded through the theatre as a show of Athens’ wealth. This would also be a show of Athens’ power as foreign ambassadors from the subject allies would be sitting in the front row watching their money being paraded around, which would be humiliating.
What was the parade of orphans?
The boys and youths whose fathers died in war would be paraded through the theatre and have their educations paid for.
What was the proclamation of honours?
A herald would announce the names of those who had done outstanding service for the city, and they were given a crown.
What happened on days 3-5?
The tragic and satyr plays were presented
How was judging held?
-Before the festival was held, the Athenian council drew up a list of names from the ten tribes; the names were kept in an urn on the acropylis.
-The ten urns were brought to the theatre, and the eponymous archon would draw a name from each urn.
-The ten men swore an oath of impartiality and were judges.
-On the fifth day, the judges wrote down his order of merit, and the eponymous archon drew out 5 of the tablets. The playwright with the most votes wins.
What was the review?
A few days after the festival ended, the athenian assembly met in the theatre to review the festival and any citizen could make a complaint if he thought the festival was not run well. The eponymous archon could be fined if the complaint was upheld, or he could be awarded a crown if the people voted to award it to him.
How much did people pay to attend the festival?
2 obols per day
What was the theoric fund?
Allowed poor people to attend the theatre through taxes paid by the upper classes.
