Aristophanes, Thesmophoriazusae [The Women's Festival]

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Aristophanes’

Thesmophoriazusae

(

The Women’s Festival

) was performed in Athens at the City Dionysia of 411 during one of the most volatile phases of Athenian political history. In the previous winter, Athenian oligarchs plotted the overthrow of Athens’ democracy in an attempt to secure an alliance with the Persians against the Peloponnesians, with whom the city had been at war since 431 BCE. The historian Thucydides tells us that after they made their case to the Athenian Assembly (8.53) the oligarchs began undermining the democracy through a campaign of violence, assassinating certain prominent democrats before a full takeover in June. Although the democracy would eventually be restored the following year, a cloud of fear and uncertainty hovered over the Athenians that spring. This…

2525 words

Citation: Sells, Donald. "Thesmophoriazusae". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 26 March 2013 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/sworks.php?rec=true&UID=13330, accessed 19 March 2024.]

13330 Thesmophoriazusae 3 Historical context notes are intended to give basic and preliminary information on a topic. In some cases they will be expanded into longer entries as the Literary Encyclopedia evolves.

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