The Father of Tragedy, Aeschylus

Aeschylus was born

525 BCE

Aeschylus also known as The Father of Tragedy was born around 525 to 524 bc in Eleusis, Greece.

Family

524 BCE

Aeschylus was the son of Euphorion whom he would later name his son after. He had three siblings Cynaegirus, Ameinias, and Philopatho. There is no information on his mother.

Aeschylus's first performance

499 BCE

There is a tale that Aeschylus worked in a vineyard until one day he was visited by the Greek god Dionysus in his sleep who told him to get into the art of Tragedy. After Aeschylus woke up from his Dream it is said that he wrote a tragedy and his first performance.

The Greco-Persian wars

Period: 498 BCE to 449 BCE

The Greek City States and the Persian Empire were fighting each other

Battle of Marathon

490 BCE

Aeschylus and his brother fought in the Battle of Marathon, a conflict between the Greeks and the Persians. While the Greeks won this battle Aeschylus lost his brother, Cynegeirus, in the fight after Cynegeirus tried to stop a boat of Persians. His brother is called a symbol of self sacrifice.

His first victory in a Dionysia

484 BCE

Aeschylus got his first victory in a Dionysia (a festival dedicated to the Greek God Dionysus)

Aeschylus's children

480 BCE

Aeschylus had two children one named Euphorion and Euaeon. Both of which became poets and tragedarians like their father. The exact dates of their birth and who they were have been lost to time.

Called into battle again

480 BCE

Aeschylus was called into battle where he fought with his little brother Ameinias against the Persians at the Battle of Salamis.

The Performance of "The Persians"

472 BCE

One of the earliest works of Aeschylus the Play "The Persians" was based on Aeschylus's time during the war, specifically the Battle of Salamis. The Play centers on the loss of the Persians being because the Hubris of their King. It is the second and only surviving part of a lost trilogy.

Seven against Thebes

467 BCE

This play tells the story of two brothers who after agreeing to share the throne turn on and kill each other. "Seven against Thebes" is the third play in the Oedipus trilogy.

The Suppliants

463 BCE

This play written by Aeschylus was based on the ideas of democracy floating around in Athens at the time. The Play tells the story of 50 women running away from their arranged marriage with Egyptians by seeking Shelter in Argos. The King doesn't want to let them in but relents due to the votes from the people. This play is thought to have been apart of a trilogy because of it's cliffhanger ending.

The Oresteia

459 BCE

This set of plays written by Aeschylus is one of the only remaining fully trilogies still around. It tells the brutal story of the family of Agamemnon while only missing one or two lines.

The Eumenides

458 BCE

The third installment in the trilogy "The Oresteia". In this Play Orestes is found by the priestess of Delphi, Pythia hiding in the sanctuary. Orestes on the run left Argos because he is being chased by the Furies (The goddesses of vengeance) for the murder of his mother.

Agamemnon

458 BCE

The First installment in the trilogy "The Oresteia". The king of Argos, Agamemnon is murdered by his wife, Clytemnestra and her affair partner, Aegisthus because Agamemnon sacrificed his (by his I mean his own daughter) and his wife's daughter to Artemis.

The Libation Bearers

458 BCE

The second installment in the trilogy "The Oresteia". In this play Agamemnon's two other kids Electra and Orestes get revenge for their father with the help of their dead fathers ghost. They kill their mothers lover, Aegisthus first and then they murder their mother Clytemnestra at the request of Apollo. By they I mainly mean Orestes but Electra helps.

Prometheus Bound

456 BCE

The Play "Prometheus Bound" is based the story of the titan Prometheus. His story goes that one day he decides to help humanity by giving them fire this angers Zeus who then decides to strap Prometheus to a rock and have a eagle eat his liver for eternity. The Play itself is thought to either have been written by Aeschylus or his son. The time it was written is also not completely known adding to the confusion.

The Death of Tragedy

455 BCE

The Father of Tragedy, Aeschylus, died around 456/455 in Gela, Sicily. His death should be considered a comedic tragedy if anything, he was trying to avoid a prophesy that something would fall on him and kill him by staying outside only to have a eagle drop a tortoise on his head.

The Lost Plays

454 BCE

Aeschylus is noted to have authored and performed an estimated 80 plays however of those only 7 survived to the modern day and thus a lot of his work will remain a mystery, perhaps one of his lasting tragedies carried on.

Quote 1

400 BCE

"Nothing forces us to know
What we do not want to know
Except pain" - Aeschylus

Quote 2

400 BCE

"Wisdom comes through suffering.
Trouble, with its memories of pain,
Drips in our hearts as we try to sleep,
So men against their will
Learn to practice moderation.
Favours come to us from gods." Aeschylus in his play Agamemnon