Did Greek tragedy die along with Euripides? This accessible survey demonstrates that this is far from being the case. In it, thirteen eminent specialists offer, for the first time in English, broad coverage of a little-studied but essential part of the history of Greek tragedy. The book contains in-depth discussions of all available textual evidence (including inscriptions and papyri), but also provides historical perspectives on every aspect of the post-fifth-century history of tragedy. Oft-neglected plays, such as Rhesus, Alexandra, and Exagoge (the only surviving Biblical tragedy), are studied alongside such topics as the expansion of Greek tragedy beyond Athens, theatre performance, music and dance, society and politics, as well as the reception of Greek tragedy in the Second Sophistic and in Late Antiquity, and the importance of ancient scholarship in the transmission of Greek tragic texts.

In 17 original essays, a distinguished international cast considers the text, interpretation and cultural context of Greek tragedy. There are detailed studies of single plays, of major themes in each of the three tragedians, of modern approaches to tragic text and interpretation, and of the genre's social, political and religious background. Some of tragedy's most distinguished interpreters here present their latest work, and pay tribute to the scholarly achievements of the volume's honor and, Professor A F Garvie.

Rhesus, a tragedy traditionally (but wrongly) attributed to Euripides, has been the object of too little scholarly attention over the last decades. While debate has focused largely on the question of the play's authenticity, consequently overlooking the features of the play itself, this important new commentary explores the essential elements such as language, style, character-portrayal, and metre. The play's stagecraft and plot-construction are scrutinized and shown to be generally idiosyncratic and often defective despite occasional flashes of genius in the handling of dramatic time and theatrical space.
Through the detailed introduction, translation, and commentary, Liapis shows that Rhesus is largely derivative, as it contains a significant amount of textual material taken from other classical tragedies and genres. The conclusion is that the contested author's familiarity with fifth-century drama bespeaks a professional actor, probably one specializing in re-performances of classical repertoire. Such evidence suggests that Rhesus can therefore be considered as not only a surviving fourth-century tragedy, but also one conceived for performance outside of Athens.

Did Greek tragedy die along with Euripides? This accessible survey demonstrates that this is far from being the case. In it, thirteen eminent specialists offer, for the first time in English, broad coverage of a little-studied but essential part of the history of Greek tragedy. The book contains in-depth discussions of all available textual evidence (including inscriptions and papyri), but also provides historical perspectives on every aspect of the post-fifth-century history of tragedy. Oft-neglected plays, such as Rhesus, Alexandra, and Exagoge (the only surviving Biblical tragedy), are studied alongside such topics as the expansion of Greek tragedy beyond Athens, theatre performance, music and dance, society and politics, as well as the reception of Greek tragedy in the Second Sophistic and in Late Antiquity, and the importance of ancient scholarship in the transmission of Greek tragic texts.

Adaptations of Greek tragedy are increasingly claiming our attention as a dynamic way of engaging with a dramatic genre that flourished in Greece some twenty-five centuries ago but remains as vital as ever. In this volume, fifteen leading scholars and practitioners of the theatre systematically discuss contemporary adaptations of Greek tragedy and explore the challenges and rewards involved therein. Adopting a variety of methodologies, viewpoints and approaches, the volume offers surveys of recent developments in the field, engages with challenging theoretical issues, and shows how adapting Greek tragedy can throw new light on a range of contemporary issues - from our relation to the classical past and our shifting perceptions of ethnic and cultural identities to the place, function and market-value of Greek drama in today's cultural industries. The volume will be welcomed by students and scholars in Classics, Theatre, Drama and Performance Studies, as well as by theatre practitioners.