5th century BCEReputable sourceWell documented
Greek Tragedy and the Theatre
On the timeline · around 5th century BCE ·
What happened
At the festivals of Dionysus in Athens, drama flourished into the art of tragedy. The great playwrights Aeschylus — the 'father of tragedy' — Sophocles, and Euripides staged works exploring fate, justice, and the human condition before mass audiences.
Why it matters
Athenian tragedy invented Western theatre and produced masterpieces still performed and studied thousands of years later.
Sources
- World History Encyclopedia. Ancient Greek Tragedy · Reputable source