Classical Theatre History A Journey Through Time Greek and Roman History

1. Classical Theatre History A Journey Through TimeGreek and Roman History By Margaret Foland AET 541 Dawn R. Tittle

2. Introductions to Classical Theatre History • Week 1 Greek History • this will focus on both the history of the Greek Culture and Theatre. It will encompass philosophy, religion, and the society of Ancient Greece. • Week 2 Roman History • This will focus both the history of the Roman Culture and Theatre. It will encompass philosophy, religion, and the society of Ancient Rome.

3. Greek History • 5th century B.C.E. • standing achievements in politics, philosophy, science and arts • Western theatre born due to the culture of the period • Advances made in art such as pottery and also in the performance of elaborate ceremonies such as those performed in Abydos, Egypt. • Advances in science, astronomy and math • Athens carried all these traditions forward • Start of the 5th century B.C.E. most important city-state was Athens, in Greek History at the time • That changed between 431 to 404 B.C.E. – during the Peloponnesian Wars, between Athens and Sparta. • Athens, otherwise, enjoyed a period of remarkable achievements – this time was called the Classical period or the Golden Age of Greece • Birth place of Democracy – Athens, Greece • all male citizens had a voice • however, men who were slaves or non-Athenians had no voice in the political and governmental bodies • women were subservient – not allowed to participate in government

4. Greek History cont’d • Greek Philosophy • Socrates and Plato tried to explain the world around them • Herodotus transformed history into a social science • Scientific discoveries made • Pythagoras – Greek Mathematician, invited his theory (theory formulated) and it is still used today and is one of the corner stones of geometry • Hippocrates – Greek Physician created the physicians oath – the Hippocratic Oath and it is still in use today for our doctors – to do no harm. • Aristotle – philosopher, teacher of Alexander the Great, and first theatre critic of the ancient world, wrote “The Poetics.” • Classical Greeks were also remarkable artists and architects • Greek sculptures from this period can be found in museums world wide • These monuments have with stood time and natural disasters – the Parthenon and the Temple of Acropolis • The most significant field – theatre • We love color, beauty, competition, revelry, balance, and democracy • http://youtu.be/7SyAhSjj4KE

5. Discussion Questions • What were some of the great achievements of the Ancient Greeks during the Classic period? • Who were the philosophers and what did they contribute to the society? • Greece was the birth place of Democracy, but why did they feel that only the men of the city could run it, and why were women subservient at this time?

6. The Theatron of Ancient Greece • A state theatre • Archon – producer • Choreogus – Appointed to run chorus • Chorodidascolos – chorus was considered the most important thing; later star actors took over thanks to Thespis. • Theatre of Dionysus • Ancient Greek Theatre structure and performance • (Classical Greek, Hellene, and Roman Adaptation) • The basics • Capacity of 15,000 to 17,000 • The grand and expensive demanded • Theatre – seeing place • Orchestra – dancing place, 66 ft. in diameter • Skene – scene house • In front of the skene was the proskenion (proscenium) • There were 3 doors – the native door on the right side of the stage, the kings door in the center of the stage, and the alien or foreign country door on the left side of the stage it was called the thyromatae. • Paraskenia – side entrances • Episkenion – Roof or second level or structure • Paradoi – parade, chorus parades in… • Scenic Effects or Periakoti • Machane (Machine) • Deus des Machina – crane – god from the or in the machine • Ekkyklema – used for reveals • Revolving or pivoting stage • Literally “a wheeled thing” • Used for reveals either wheeled on stage or rotated • Orange, Eretria, Athens, Epidaurus – Hellene theatres • Videos on Ancient Greek Theatre and its music: • http://youtu.be/ynYpzrmpscc • http://youtu.be/DISMbiJByw0

7. Tools of Theatre • The mask • Onkos (onkos) – a giant headdress that gives extra height and grandeur • Megaphone? – They may have had one this is still not proven fact • Basic costume – everyman • Chiton • Himation • Cotherni – for grandeur • Melpomene – muse of tragedy, holding a mask and wearing a Cothurnus – like a platform shoes • Arete – striving for excellence • Anake – I understand something maybe holding me back, necessity • Early Greek Festivals • Dionysian Feasts • Dithyrambs started around 600 B.C.E. • Thespis – becomes first hypocrite (actor) around 535 B.C.E. • The Dionysia and Rural Dionysia • December – Lenaia • January – City Dionysia • March – First contest 534 B.C.E. • Drama till you drop • 7 day festival – seven day festivals • Proagon • Awards and punishments

8. Aristotle’s Dramatic Elements • Aristotle argument in “The Poetics” was written in 322 B.C.E. • What survives are lecture notes preserved over two millennia. • Tragedy is helpful as a purgative, called Katharsis, which eliminates antisocial urges dormant in our nature. • The definition of drama: drama is the imitation of an action, and tragedy is serious, important and tells one complete story • Tragedy is not narration, but shows the story in action • The aim of tragedy is to conjure up the emotions of pity and fear, leading to Katharsis • The elements of tragedy • in order of importance, the elements are • plot • character • theme (idea) • language • music / musicality • Spectacle – dancing, singing, set, costumes, etc.

9. Dramatizations and Playwrights • Playwrights • Aeschylus • Sophocles • Euripides • Aristophanes • Menander • Some Play Titles • Prometheus Bound • The Suppliants • Antigone • King Oedipus • Hecuba • Ion • The Frogs • Lysistrata • The Grouch • The Girl from Samos • When Drama Began and its Themes • Dithyrambs • 5 comedies • Trilogies, Satyrs • Structure of old comedy • Prologos – Prologue that begins the play with dialogue indicating the focus or theme of play • Parados – (1) song sung buy the chorus when it enters, (2) the moment when the chorus enters • Episodes – scenes in which the dialogue involves one or two characters and the chorus • Agon – debate between characters • Parabasis – an ode in which the chorus addresses the audience to express opinions of the author • Stasimons – chorus sings a song, leading up to the finale, the conflict is resolved • Exodus – final part, play ends • Themes • love you wife, not your weapons of war • war is a senseless waist of lives, money and energy • war not only divides nations it also divides families • although men hold all power in Greek Society, they back wisdom, common sense, and peaceful nature of Greek women • the weak can be strong when here cause is just • in unity, there is strength • All small organized group can become united and strength thru numbers

10. Video Clips of Ancient Greek Playwrights • http://youtu.be/elSGufIxc7s • http://youtu.be/IGT24uYPb2Y • http://youtu.be/gqpB5BgZDnE • http://youtu.be/1SMiA G-8nak • http://youtu.be/YygOR5JxcnM • http://youtu.be/S15s-HbCGIw

11. Discussion Questions • What are the parts of the Ancient Greek Theatre, called the Theatron? • Why did they use masks? • What is the basic everyman costume? • Why are the Cothurnus compared to platform shoes? • Who are the Greek playwrights and who wrote what?

12. Roman History • Rome was founded around 750 B.C.E. • over 200 years was ruled by a series of kings from Etruruia • 500 B.C.E. the kings were over-thrown • Republic was to established that lasted nearly 500 years • 3 main classes in Rome • Patricians • the rich upper class who ruled the country through the Senate • plebeians • ordinary citizens who had no voice at first and than eventually gained an equal voice in government through a people’s assembly • Slaves • who made up roughly half the population. • During the 2nd and 3rd centuries B.C.E. – 264 to 146 B.C.E. • Punic Wars • Rome won • Rome controlled a large part Mediterranean including • Spain • Sicily • Sardinia • A portion of North Africa • 1st century B.C.E. – signs of struggle • they had trouble with the following • maintaining checks and balances in the government • upheavals • Rome in the midst of this turmoil • Julius Caesar declares to be the dictator of the Roman Empire

13. Roman History Cont’d • Caesar was assonated by a group lead by Brutus • Brutus was in turn defeated by Mark Anthony and Octavius • 27 B.C.E. – Rome became an empire with the following • one supreme rule • Most of the lands bordering on the Mediterranean Sea • All of Europe, basically the following • Spain, • France, • Britain • all the Balkans • Religion • importance in Roman history • The Romans worshipped gods • counterparts of the Greek gods • Also worshipped divinities from lands they conquered • Worshipped in their own pantheon • Romans stage religious festivals • Which they incorporate elements of theatre • Romans persecuted the Early Christian • 4th century C.E. • Emperor Constantine splits the empire in two • East - Byzantine • West - Western • the emperor Constantine’s Mother was a Christian • Constantine converts to Christianity • Conversion of the Roman world to Christianity begins • Early Christians deemed theatre • pagan • evil • The Roman Catholic Church was a contributing factor to the decline of • Theatre • Roman Empire The Coliseum of Rome, its remains that has lasted for over 1,000 years.

14. Discussion Questions • When Rome was a Republic who was in charge and why? • How did Rome become an Empire? • Who was Julius Caesar? • Why did Brutus kill Caesar? • Who was Constantine? • Why did the empire get split into two factions?

15. The Roman Theatre • Capacity 50, 000 • 4 tier theatre • Auditorium • partially covered • hydraulics • awesome spectacles • Theatre organization • Curale Aediles – hired by government, producer, • Ludi – sports (gladiators) • Circenses – spectacle, theatre • Giant head – Dominus Gregius – director, theatre representative • Siparium – 2nd drapes • Auleum – grand drape, 2nd behind it • Pulpitum – Stage of Roman Theatre, 4 to 5 ft. raise length to Colosseum Stage • Theatre Structure • They kept the Orchestra, Scaenae (Skene), and the cavea (theatron) • Scaenae frons - scene house • Porta dexter, (right, entrance port), • porta hospitale (left entrance port) • porta regia (center entrance port) • Side entrances • Versurae – doors on sides • Periatoi, panels, mechane • Drop curtain • Stage 300 X 40¹ • Average capacity 25,000 • Dexter – Rome door • Hospitale – foreign door • Regia – king’s door

16. Horace – Rome’s Theatre Critic • Horace – Quintus Horatius Flaccus – theatre critic • Famous for his literary poetry • Satires and • Epodes • The Art of Poetry • Horace’s rules of theatre • comedy and tragedy must never combine • Plays should have 5 acts • Only 3 speaking characters should appear at the same time • The gods should not be used unless it is absolutely necessary to resolve a plot • The chorus should be used to forward the action, set a high moral tone and give “good and sage counsel.” • Felt that the purpose of drama was “to profit and to please” • Writers should both entertain and instruct their audience • Horace’s concerns emphasized during the Renaissance was decorum • Decorum – meant that the language and actions of characters must fit traditional ideas of suitable behavior for their age, gender, social status and emotional state, Wilson, E., & Goldfarb, A. (2008). • He wanted writers to avoid using extremes – or extreme emotions and to attempt to be truthful • Anything overly offensive or overly marvelous needed to be kept off stage

17. Playwrights of Rome • Comic Playwrights • Plautus (Titus Maccius Plautus) 254-184 B.C.E. • Terence – Publius Terentius Afer 185 to 159 B.C.E • Plays of Terence • All 6 survived • Andria – 166 B.C.E. • The Mother – In – Law 165 B.C.E. • The Self – Tormentor – 163 B.C.E. • The Eunuch – 161 B.C.E. • Phormio – 161 B.C.E. • The Brothers – 160 B.C.E. • Plays of Plautus • 20 plays and one if fragment survived, here are 8 of them • The Merchant • The Carthaginians • The Rope • Casina • The Pot of Gold • The Haunted House • The Captives • The Churl • The Girl from Persia • The Menaechmi • Tragic playwright • Lucius Annaeus Seneca – 4 B.C.E – 65 C.E. • Plays of Seneca • Some of his works survived, here are some titles • The Madness of Hercules • The Trojan Women • The Phoenician Women • Phaedra • Medea • Thyestes • Agamemnon • Oedipus This is a picture of Titus Maccius Plautus, an actor and Playwright of Ancient Rome.

18. Video Clips of Ancient Roman Playwrights • Videos on Ancient Roman Theatre and Music : • http://youtu.be/GDMfjvqGuyc • http://youtu.be/uJLXyBzMci0 • Roman Playwrights Video Clips: • http://youtu.be/WHX-cM_tBjI • http://youtu.be/uX-aWZa2qqA • http://youtu.be/_32z0k3r9v4

19. Discussion Questions • What is the structure of the Ancient Roman Theatre? • How many people could sit in the Ancient Roman Amphitheatre? • How was the theatre Organized? • Who are the three major Playwrights of Ancient Rome? • Who is Horace?

20. References • Ancient Greek Theatre. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://academic.reed.edu/humanities/110tech/theater.html • Hellene Theatre. (2004). Retrieved from http://www.wildfiregames.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=6255 . • Julius Caesar. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://fany.savina.net/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/JuliusCaesar.jpg • Roman Theatre. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.vroma.org/~plautus/theatmodlab.jpg • Titus Maccius Plautus. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.rightwords.eu/imgupl/author/t-232x250xffffff/titus-macchius-plautus--924--t-232x250xffffff-rw.jpg • Wilson, E., & Goldfarb, A. (2008). History of the Theatre: Living Theatre (5th ed.). New York, New York: McGraw Hill.