Aeschylus

Aeschylus (c. 525–456 BCE) was an ancient Greek tragedian born in Eleusis, near Athens. He fought at the Battle of Marathon and likely at Salamis, experiences that informed his patriotic themes. Aeschylus is credited with revolutionizing drama by adding a second actor, enabling dialogue and conflict, and diminishing the role of the chorus. He wrote approximately 70 to 90 plays, of which only seven survive, including the Oresteia trilogy—the only complete trilogy from ancient Greece—of which Agamemnon is the first part. His works often grapple with the tension between human will and divine justice, as seen in The Persians, Seven Against Thebes, and Prometheus Bound. Aeschylus won numerous prizes at the City Dionysia festival and his innovations laid the foundation for later tragedians like Sophocles and Euripides. His legacy endures as a cornerstone of Western literature and dramatic art.