Information about Greek Clothing and Greek Theatre are both

presented here on this Power Point. If you are researching

“Ancient Greek Theatres,” skip ahead to the slides for

“Theatre”.

GREEK CLOTHING ANDGREEK THEATRE

Manufacture of Ancient Greek and Roman Clothing:

One of the principal occupations of women in ancient society was weaving. Women wove

garments generally of wool for their families. Garments were simple in construction. They

were either designed to be wrapped and draped leaving the right arm free or to be

entered -- like tunics.

GREEK CLOTHING

Material of Ancient Clothing:•Most ancient clothing was made of wool. •Sometimes linen was available. •The very wealthy could also afford silk and cotton. •Most clothing was not dyed, although geometric designs would be woven in with colored thread.

GREEK CLOTHING

Tunics and Mantles:Most people wore a tunic (a chiton in Greece). The

tunic was the basic garment. It could also be an undergarment. Over it would go a mantle of some

sort. This was the rectangular himation for the Greeks, which was draped over the left arm..

GREEK CLOTHING

Women's Garments:

•Greek Women also wore the peplos which was a square of cloth with the top third folded over and pinned at the shoulders. •Such garments were worn over the tunics and under the palla.

GREEK CLOTHING

peplos 

palla 

The first real hat, the broad - brimmed petasos, was invented by the ancient

Greeks! It was worn only for traveling. A chin strap held it on, so when it was not

needed as protection from the weather, it could hang down ones back.

GREEK CLOTHING

Information about Ancient Greek Theatres begins with this slide.

ANCIENT GREEK THEATRE

In ancient Greece, theatre was a really big deal. Crowds of 15,000 people would gather to see

a play. Theatre was so important to the ancient Greeks that prisoners would be

released from jail temporarily, so they could also attend. 

GREEK THEATER

Every town had at least one theatre. The ancient Greeks were always bragging about the wonderful performances

in their city-state. The ancient Greeks held drama competitions with winners for playwriting and performing. Because so many people came to see the plays, the Greeks

built huge outdoor theatres on hillsides, so that people could be seated in a way that let them see what was going on down in the orchestra pit - the stage area.  The entire

seating section was called the Theatron, which is the origin of our word "theatre". 

GREEK THEATER

•Part of the reason plays were so important is that originally plays were performed to honor Dionysus, the ancient Greek god of harvest and wine. But over time, many different gods got in the act, so to speak, especially the 12 Olympians - the major gods of ancient Greece. The Greeks were always weaving the gods into their stories.

• Orchestra: ("dancing space") was normally circular. It was a level space where the chorus would dance, sing, and interact with the actors who were on the stage near the skene.

•Theatron: ("viewing-place") is where the spectators sat. The theatron was usually part of hillside overlooking the orchestra, and often wrapped around a large portion of the orchestra

•Skene: ("tent") was the building directly behind the stage. The skene was directly in back of the stage, and was usually decorated as a palace, temple, or other building, depending on the needs of the play. It had at least one set of doors, and actors could make entrances and exits through them. There was also access to the roof of the skene from behind, so that actors playing gods and other characters.

•Parodos: ("passageways") are the paths by which the chorus and some actors (such as those representing messengers or people returning from abroad) made their entrances and exits. The audience also used them to enter and exit the theater before and after the performance.

GREEK THEATER

Tragedies: The first type they invented was the tragedy. In tragedies, one or more major characters always suffered a disastrous end. 

Comedies: Comedies were invented next. In comedies, plays always had a happy end. The third type was the satire. 

Satires: Satires were plays that made fun of mortal legends and of real people. In ancient Greece, you did not poke fun at the gods - not in a play, not in real life, not ever. But you could poke fun at your leaders. And that was uniquely Greek. Satires in ancient Greece were often political in nature, and could indeed affect people's opinions about current events. 

THREE TYPES OF PLAYS

•The Ancient Greek term for a mask is prosopon•They were helmet-like masks, covering the entire face and head, with holes for the eyes and a small aperture for the mouth, as well as an integrated wig

THEATER MASKS

•In a large open-air theatre, the classical masks were able to bring the characters' face closer to the audience, especially since they had intensely exaggerated facial features and expressions. •They enabled an actor to appear and reappear in several different roles, thus preventing the audience from identifying the actor to one specific character. •Their variations help the audience to distinguish sex, age, and social status, in addition to revealing a change in a particular character’s appearance•Only 2-3 actors were allowed on the stage at one time, and masks permitted quick transitions from one character to another. •There were only male actors, but masks allowed them to play female characters.

MASK FUNCTIONS

For more information visit “The Structure of the Greek Theater” by clicking here:

http://www2.cnr.edu/home/bmcmanus/tragedy_theater.html

ANCIENT GREEK THEATRES AND MASKS