Euripides

Euripides was born in 480 BC, in Phyle, near Athens. His character and life philosophy is different than Sophocles’. He was member of Sophist movement, an intellectual group that promoted unorthodox and unsettling views. He showed no interest in social life and had no official position in the Athenian state. He was friend with Socrates as well as with the General Alcibiades.

Euripides left Athens in 408 BC, after receiving a request from King Archelaus of Macedon. Eurpides was not popular to the Athenian society, because of his conception. He was an opponent of the Athenian democracy. Euripides died in Macedon around 406 BC.

Euripides is known to have written ninety-two plays, but only eighty names remained to nowadays. The most important of his works are the Medea, Hippolytus, Trojan Women, the Bacchae, and Iphigenia in Aulis.

Many historians consider Euripides should not be included among the great Athenian dramatists. One of their arguments is that although Euripides participated twenty-two times in drama festivals, he only won five times.