Theatre in Ancient Greek Society - Softcover

Green, J. R.

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0415143594 ISBN 13: 9780415143592

Publisher: Routledge, 1996

Synopsis

In Theatre in Ancient Greek Society the author examines the social setting and function of ancient Greek theatre through the thousand years of its performance history. Instead of using written sources, which were intended only for a small, educated section of the population, he draws most of his evidence from a wide range of archaeological material - from cheap, mass-produced vases and figurines to elegant silverware produced for the dining tables of the wealthy.
This is the first study examining the function and impact of the theatre in ancient Greek society by employing an archaeological approach.

About this title

From the Back Cover:

All theatrical performance exists within a context and through the role accorded it by its public. The theme of the book is the function and impact of the theatre in Greek society. It is not about the interpretation of Greek dramatic texts. Instead, Professor Green examines the depictions of actors found on pottery, terracottas, glass, paintings, mosaics, marble sculpture.... He offers interpretations of these images not simply as depictions of stage performance but in terms of their broader function. This evidence is compared and contrasted with that of the written sources which are limited in terms of the cross-section of the population they reflect and give a narrower view of social attitudes. Theatre in Ancient Greek Society is the first study of Greek drama to use this approach and is the product of the twenty years Professor Green has spent studying the archaeological evidence.

About the Author:

J.R. Green is in the Department of Archaeology at the University of Sydney, Australia.

About this edition

• Publisher: Routledge
• Publication date: 1996
• ISBN 10: 0415143594
• ISBN 13: 9780415143592
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 258