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484 BCE
Euripides is born
Euripides was born sometime around 484 BCE in Athens Greece. (No available pictures of young Euripides) -
484 BCE
Education
Euripides was educated at the center of Ancient Greek learning, the city of Athens. According to later biographers, Euripides studied with the philosophers Prodicus and Anaxagoras meaning he was interested and well connected to Athenian societies. -
484 BCE
Health
Though not stated clearly, Euripides was known for having mental health issues due to clues in his works and writings. -
484 BCE
Historical Events
Another historical event Athens faced was the battle of Salamis. It was arguably the largest naval battle of the ancient world and marked a turning point in the invasion. -
484 BCE
Family Members
There is very little to no information about Euripides's parents and siblings. However his mother's name was Cleito and his father's was Mnesarchus who was born 160BC and died 85BC. His father was known for being a retailer -
484 BCE
Marriages
Euripides had two tragic marriages where they were unfaithful. Melite and Choerine were the mothers of three of his children named Xenofon, Mnisarhidis, and Mnisilohos. Not much is known about his personal life. -
484 BCE
Places Euripides Lived in
Euripides was born, but also lived in Athens Greece. However, after his unfaithful marriages, he moved into a cave now called, "Cave of Euripides" which is located in Salamis Island. It is said he would compose his works in that very cave and is now a historical landmark in Greece. -
484 BCE
Who Influenced Euripides
Sophacles (497/496-406/405BC) was the most celebrated for being the most known tragedian. Socrates 470-399BC was credited as the founder of Western philosophy and was among the first moral philosophers of the ethnical tradition of thought. Euripides was known for hanging around them. -
484 BCE
Historical Events
In 480BC Athens experienced a number of historical events including the destruction of Athens by the Persians -
484 BCE
Plays
Euripides wrote at the very most 92 plays. However only 19 were recovered. -
431 BCE
Play: Medea
Medea is Euripides's best known play. It was a Greek tragedy based on a myth. It was about a former princess of the kingdom of Colchis and the wife of Jason; she finds her position in the world threatened as Jason leaves her for a princess of Corinth and takes vengeance on him by murdering his new wife and her own two sons, before escaping to Athens to start a new life. -
412 BCE
Play: Helen
The play Helen is about her receiving word from the exiled Greek Teucer that Menelaus never returned to Greece from Troy, and is presumed dead, putting her in the perilous position of being available for Theoclymenus to marry, and she consults the prophetess to find out Menelaus' fate. This was also one of Euripides best known plays. -
406 BCE
Death of Euripides
There are many theories about Euripides's death. Some of them being harsh winter weather, age, or an attack from King Archelaus's hounds due to jealousy of his power and/or works. -