Euripides

Born

484 BCE

Euripides was born in Athens, Greece to wealthy parents

Dionysia

455 BCE

Euripides competed in Dionysia, an ancient theatrical festival and event that celebrated the god of wine, Dionysus. Many famous Greek poets including Euripides attended and won prizes. In fact, during this time, Euripides wrote his first tetralogy and submitted in to the Dionysia.

Victory

441 BCE

In 441, Euripides won the Dionysus for the first time. After his first victory, he ended up winning the Dionysus four more times.

Medea

431 BCE

Euripides wrote his most prominent play Medea, about a women who is abandoned by her husband Jason. Jason leaves the women Medea to marry the Princess of Corinth. Medea punishes Jason by killing their two son’s and his new wife.

Hippolytus

428 BCE

Hippolytus tells the story of a man named Hippolytus who is repulsed by sexual passion and only interested in the virgin huntress, Artemis. The goddess of love, Aphrodite, is deeply upset by this and decides to destroy the life of Hippolytus leading to his death

Andromache

426 BCE

The Andromache play is an Athenian Tragedy that occurs after the Trojan War. The play explains the life of a slave Andromache and her troubles with her new headmaster’s wife, Hermione.

The Trojan Woman

415 BCE

The Trojan Woman illustrates the difficult time Trojan wives and children had to face after the city of Troy is conquered. Specifically, it talks about the old Trojan queen Hecuba and her family.

Athens to Macedonia

408 BCE

Euripides left Athens to travel to Macedonia, Greece by Archelaus king of Macedonia.

Iphigenia at Aulis

406 BCE

While in Macedonia, Euripides composed his last and final piece, Iphigenia in Aulis. The play reveals the huge hardship that Agamemnon, king of Mycenae must commit in order to please the goddess Artemis who has caused unpleasant weather within his kingdom.

Death

406 BCE

Euripides dies in the spring of 406 BC, in Macedonia