greek theater 2- Aeschylos \u2013 The Persians - Aeschylos The Persians Study Guide The Persians The play was produced in 472 o 8 years after the Battle of

Aeschylos – The Persians Study Guide The Persians • The play was produced in 472 o 8 years after the Battle of Salamis (which occurred in 480) • Earliest surviving play by Aeschylos, and therefore our oldest surviving fully extant play from the Athenian theater • It is not known what other plays may have accompanied The Persians in the original trilogy, although some scholars have postulated plays dealing with the tragic theme of hubristic kings and the downfall of kingdoms, with the overarching topic of divine retribution • It is known that Aeschylos served in the Athenian military, it is not clear if he was an hoplite, fighting primarily in the infantry, or if he served on the ships. o The Battle of Salamis was a momentous occasion for the Athenians and marked the start of the end of the Persian Wars  Famously, the Athenians elected to abandon their city in advance of the arrival of the Persian army  They retreated to their ships and allowed the Persians to destroy and