The Life of Sophocles timeline.

496 BCE

Birth of Sophocles

Sophocles was born in Kolonus, near Athens. His father, Sophillus, was a wealthy arms manufacturer, therefore, Sophocles grew up rich and received a good education. This would later set him off to play an important role in Athenian society.
https://www.britannica.com/biography/Sophocles
Period: 496 BCE to 406 BCE

Sophocles

Sophocles was one of Athens Three Great Greek Tragedians. Sophocles wrote 120 plays during his lifetime, with only seven surviving today(Ajax, Antigone, Women of Trachis, Oedipus Rex, Electra, Philoctetes, and Oedipus at Colonus. He competed in 120 competitions and won 24. Sophocles would heavily influence the development of drama later by, adding a third character, and developing his characters to a greater extent. Sophocles passed away in 406 BCE and died of unknown causes, but dying happily.
485 BCE

Life Goals

Sophocles's goal in life was to improve Tragedy art. Greek drama wasn't doing well and needed a change.
480 BCE

The Paean

When Sophocles was 16, he was chosen to lead the Paean(Choral Chant), to celebrate the victory over the Persians at the Battle of Salamis. This information suggests he had outstanding talents and actively participated in his community.
https://www.britannica.com/biography/Sophocles
478 BCE

Childhood

As a child, Sophocles was the chief dancer in festivities to celebrate the victories over the Persians. As some time went by he would act in some plays but he settled with the role of a writer due to the weak projection of his voice while performing.
468 BCE

Dionysus Dramatic Festival Win

Sophocles won his first competition in the Dionysus Dramatic Festival, with his play "Triptolemus" he took first prize and Aeschylus took second.
456 BCE

Start of Sophocles

Aeschylus dies, and Sophocles becomes the pre-eminent playwright. Sophocles believed Aeschylus's work was to be respected, so Sophocles began imitating his work as a tribute.
450 BCE

Marriages

No exact dates are given on when he married his first and second wives, Nicostrata and Theoris. Sophocles had 2 kids with Nicostrata, Iophon and Sophocles. Sophocles also had a kid with Theoris named Ariston.
Period: 450 BCE to 425 BCE

Women of Trachis

Sophocles writes "Women of Trachis", this play is generally considered less developed than Sophocles's other works and is one of the plays that would later survive. This play is about the ill-fated attempt of Deianeira to win back her husband Heracles after he has fallen in love with another woman.
Period: 443 BCE to 442 BCE

Imperial Treasurer

Sophocles became an Imperial Treasurer for Athens, managing the city's finances during the political ascendency of Pericles, he also helped control the funds for the Delian confederacy for the Athenian Empire.
442 BCE

Ajax

Sophocles writes the play "Ajax". This play is about Ajax who is a great hero, who fights many battles and wins, Ajax later becomes insane and commits suicide by falling onto his sword because he couldn't obtain Achilles's armor.
441 BCE

Antigone

Sophocles writes the play "Antigone". Antigone is a play about the aftermath of a civil war in which the two sons of Oedipus kill each other. Antigone is important now as it came to symbolize democracy and resonated with Greece's war of independence against the Ottoman Empire, as well as America's struggle against communist Soviet Russia during the Cold War.
440 BCE

Electra

Sophocles writes the play "Electra". The play is about Electra, a girl who seeks revenge for her fathers murder.
440 BCE

Military Commander

Sophocles becomes a Military Commander for Athens. Although Sophocles was known for his artistic works, he was very involved in politics. For instance, he served as a general in the siege of an island named Samos right next to Pericles.
431 BCE

Peloponnesian War

The Peloponnesian War was an ancient Greek war fought between the Delian League, led by Athens, and the Peloponnesian League, led by Sparta. People say Sophocles's work was affected by this due to him being heavily in politics.
430 BCE

Oedipus Rex

Sophocles writes the play "Oedipus Rex". This play would later be known as Sophocles's masterpiece in his lifetime. The tragedy is about Oedipus who is fated to kill the king and marry his mother, he goes on in life and realizes he did what he fated to do.
413 BCE

Commissioner

Sophocles served as one of the commissioners crafting a response to the catastrophic destruction of the Athenian expeditionary force during the Peloponnesian war.
Period: 412 BCE to 411 BCE

Magistrate

In his eighties, he was named member of a special group called magistrates. He was assigned to organizing both financial and domestic recovery after the disastrous Greek defeat at Syracuse.
410 BCE

Philoctetes

Philoctetes was a play by Sophocles that depicted events from the Trojan War but also incorporated mythological ideals and creatures. Philoctetes was a mythological creature who bit a soldier on his way to the Trojan War.
406 BCE

Death.

Sophocles dies at the age of 90. Evidence shows he died laughing joyfully.
401 BCE

Oedipus at Colonus

Oedipus at Colonus was produced after Sophocles's death. And it is the longest of his dramas. It also brings to a conclusion his concern with the Oedipus theme. Sophocles presents the death of Oedipus. This play was produced 5 years after the playwright’s death.
2024

After Death Influences

To this day, Sophocles's plays still are enjoyed and performed all around the world. Sophocles also inspired many people and changed tragedy as we know it.
2025

Bibliography