Aeschylus and His Plays

Aeschylus was born in Eleusis in 524 BC. He is an ancient Greek tragedian with a particularly important contribution to the development of ancient theatre. It is also noteworthy that he participated in the Persian wars, particularly in the naval battle of Salamis, which himself considered one of his greatest achievements. He is known to have written around 80-90 plays, but only seven of his works have survived to the present day.

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The Persians

The Persians, based on the Persian Wars, is the oldest surviving ancient Greek drama. It portrays the Persian perspective of the battle of Salamis and the aftermath of their defeat.

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Seven Against Thebes

Seven Against Thebes is about the conflict between Oedipus' sons, Eteocles and Polynices, who fight for control of the city of Thebes.

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The Suppliants

The Suppliants is a play about the daughters of Danaus, who flee Egypt to escape forced marriage to their cousins, the sons of Aegyptus.

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The Oresteia

The Oresteia is a trilogy that follows the house of Atreus and the curse that plagues the family. It includes the murder of Agamemnon by his wife Clytemnestra, the revenge of their son Orestes, and the resolution of the curse.

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Prometheus Bound

This play is attributed to Aeschylus. However, some scholars debate whether Aeschylus was the actual author. Prometheus Bound is the first or second part of a trilogy called ''Prometheia,'' of which the other two parts, ''Prometheus Unbound'' and ''Prometheus the Fire-Bearer,'' are now lost. The play tells the story of the titan Prometheus, who defies the gods by giving fire to humanity and teaching them various arts and skills. As punishment, Zeus orders Prometheus to be bound to a rock.

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These were the seven surviving works of Aeschylus, each contributing to the rich tapestry of ancient Greek Tragedy.

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The Ancient Theatre of Dionysus in Athens. 

References

Taplin, O., & Podlecki, A. J. (2024b, April 23). Aeschylus | Biography, Plays, & Facts. Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Aeschylus-Greek-dramatist