Thespis
Thespis (* 6th century BC in Ikaria , Attica ) was one of the first Greek tragedy poets, theater director and actor in Athens . He was already considered the inventor of drama , especially tragedy, in ancient times .
At the great Dionysia in Athens he appeared between 536 BC. BC and 533 BC In a tragedy contest in appearance. He led in 534 BC BC the first tragedy by confronting the choir singing and dancing (with human masks) on Dionysus festivals (Bakchos festivals ) for the first time with an actor (in the costume of Dionysus). Bakchos were mostly referred to . According to Aristotle , with this trick he created the transition from mere choir performance to drama. The authorship of the tragedies and verses ascribed to him has been questioned since ancient times.
There is no evidence from Greek sources that Thespis moved around with a traveling stage on a cart . Horace claims this. That is why the caravan of wandering actors or their wandering stage is also called thespis cart .
literature
- Bernhard Zimmermann : The Attic Tragedy . In: Bernhard Zimmermann (Hrsg.): Handbook of the Greek literature of antiquity , Volume 1: The literature of the archaic and classical times . CH Beck, Munich 2011, ISBN 978-3-406-57673-7 , pp. 484-610, here: 555-557
Web links
- Literature by and about Thespis in the catalog of the German National Library
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Thespis |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | Greek tragedy poet and actor |
| DATE OF BIRTH | 6th century BC Chr. |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Ikaria , Attica |
| DATE OF DEATH | after 533 BC Chr. |