342-291 BCE

Athenian dramatist whom ancient critics considered the supreme poet of New Comedy

Author of more than a hundred comedies, and took the prize at the Lenaia Festival 8 times, but only 2 plays survive

Greek drama from apx 320 BCE to mid-3rd century BCE; offers a mildly satiric view of contemporary Athenian society, esp in its familiar & domestic aspects. Unlike Old Comedy (parodied public figures & events) New Comedy features fictional average citizens & has no supernatural or heroic overtones

Very similar to New Comedy

The Roman comic dramatists abolished the role of the chorus in dividing the drama into episode

Relied heavily on the use of stock characters

254-184 BCE

Plays between 205-184 BC

Attained such popularity that his name alone became hallmark of theatrical success

Comedies mostly adapted from Greek stories

c. 195-157 BCE

A Roman senator brought Terence to Rome as a slave, educated him and later on, impressed by his abilities, freed him. Died maybe as young as 25. All of the 6 plays he wrote have survived.

Adapted Greek plays

Wrote in colloquial vernacular

Arts festivals, Ludi Romani, honored Jupiter

Held over apx 100 different days out of the year.

Ancient Roman spectacles, primarily consisting of chariot races and various kinds of theatrical performances. 

Attelan farce 

(fabula Atellana)

The earliest native Italian farce, presumably rustic improvisational comedy featuring masked stock characters. Became popular in ancient republican and early imperial Rome

Influenced/spawned Commedia dell'arte

Influenced Plautus

Lucius Anneaus Seneca

5BCE-65CE

Thyestes (ca. 60 CE)

Wrote for small indoor performance (closet drama)

Stoicism

Plays more willing to depict gruesome events- i.e. Thyestes eating his own children

55 BCE

A structure in ancient Rome built during the later part of the Republic era. It was one of the first permanent (non-wooden) theatres in Rome. The building itself was a part of a multi-use complex that included a large quadriporticus directly behind the scaenae frons.  

A physical performance space (large open air venue)  that held gladiator fights, chariot races, naumachia, and performances that commemorated important events of the empire were performed there. 

Circus Maximus- first and largest stadium in ancient Rome

Reenactments of naval battles where the amphitheater/circus was flooded with water so that real ships could be used

The opposing sides were prisoners of war or convicts, who fought until one side was destroyed.

People died in the performances

c. 200 CE

A moral treatise by Tertullian (Christian thinker from Carthage) about moral legitimacy & consequences of Christians attending the circus, theater, or amphitheatre Argues that human enjoyment can be an offence to God, public entertainments are a misuse of God's creation & perversion of gifts God has given to man. 

c. 19 BCE

Horace is Roman Aristotle

An amplification of Aristotle's discussion of the internal propriety of each literary genre; elevates the Greek tradition of using narration to relate offstage events into a dictum; good drama is all about proportion and consistency

The elaborately decorated background of a Roman theater stage. This area usually has several entrances to the stage including a grand central entrance. It is 2 or sometime 3 stories in height and was central to the theatre's visual impact for this was what is seen by a Roman audience at all times.

Roman architect who wrote De Architectura (10 books on architechture) which is how we know so much today about ancient theaters

Chiasmus is a rhetorical device in which two or more clauses are balanced against each other by the reversal of their structures in order to produce an artistic effect.

i.e. "I'm you, you me." (The Captives)