Theatre in Ancient Greek Society

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.

J. R. Green