Ancient Greek comedy was a popular and influential form of theatre performed across ancient Greece from the 6th century BCE. The most famous playwrights of the genre were Aristophanes and Menander and their works and those of their contemporaries poked fun at politicians, philosophers, and fellow artists. In addition to maintaining their comic touch, the plays also give an indirect but invaluable insight into Greek society in general and provide details on the workings of Greek government, political institutions, legal systems, religious practices, education, and warfare in the Hellenic world. Uniquely, the plays also reveal to us something of the identity of the audience and show just what tickled the Greeks' sense of humour. Finally, Greek comedy and its immediate predecessor Greek tragedy would together form the foundation upon which all modern theatre is based.
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Definition
Timeline
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c. 460 BCE - c. 380 BCELife of Greek comic poet Aristophanes.
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426 BCECheimazomenae by Cratinus is first performed.
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425 BCENumeniae by Eupolis is first performed.
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425 BCEArcharnians by Aristophanes is first performed.
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424 BCESatyrs by Cratinus is first performed.
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424 BCEThe Knights by Aristophanes is first performed.
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423 BCEThe Clouds by Aristophanes is first performed.
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423 BCEPytine by Cratinus is first performed.
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422 BCEThe Wasps by Aristophanes is first performed.
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421 BCEPeace by Aristophanes is first performed.
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421 BCEMaricas by Eupolis is first performed.
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421 BCEFlatterers by Eupolis is first performed.
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420 BCEAutolycus by Eupolis is first performed.
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414 BCEThe Birds by Aristophanes is first performed.
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411 BCELysistrata by Aristophanes is first performed.
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411 BCEThesmophoriazusae by Aristophanes is first performed.
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405 BCEThe Frogs by Aristophanes is first performed.
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c. 392 BCEEcclesiazusae by Aristophanes is first performed.
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388 BCEPlutus by Aristophanes is first performed.
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c. 368 BCE - 263 BCELife of Greek comic poet Philemon.
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c. 342 BCE - c. 291 BCELife of Greek comic poet Menander.
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316 BCEDyskolos by Menander is first performed.