Expert: Maria - 1/24/2005

Question
Hi I'm interested in actors in Ancient greece.  There doesn't seem to be a lot of information about them on the internet and I'd like to know more about who the actors were and how they were viewed by society.
Thanks,
leigh

Answer
Hello,

With regard to your questions I'll tell you all  we know  about the actors in ancient Greece.

1st.QUESTION:“Who were  the actors ?”
ANSWER:
First of all I must tell you that at first in dithyramb, from which Greek theatre  derives,  there were no actors.
Thespis (6th.century BC), known as the "inventor of tragedy" ,  was the poet who imported the first actor (Greek ‘protagonistes') separate from the chorus, Aeschylus the second (Greek, deuteragonistes') and Sophocles the third one (tritagonistes).
Masks, make up and costumes are also a  contribution of Thespis who acted in his own plays.

Besides these actors, who were playing the leading parts, there were also some other persons on the stage ( Greek ‘orchestra'), like the chorus (originally twelve members) that narrated and reflected on the action.

At the beginning the actors were  chosen by the playwrights , while later they were  chosen by the State that paid a salary to them.

The actors were always men.
They wore large masks that exaggerated facial features and emotions. The mouth hole was large to help amplify the voices so that it was  possible to hear the actors everywhere in the theatre.
Moreover the mask allowed the actor to portray the universality of human existence.
In comedies the actors  wore bright colours, while in tragedies wore dark colours.Long robes and platform shoes, called "cothurni",  added to the effect as these shoes helped  the actors  to look taller and more impressive.

There were some who specialized in female roles as the profession was all-male,  and to portray a woman the actors wore a garment resembling a hard pillow on his chest and another across his stomach.

2nd.QUESTION:”How are they viewed by society?”.
ANSWER:
In a certain sense Greek actors were like modern stars.
They dined with world leaders, travelled extensively and negotiated contracts through their guilds.
As I've already said, at first they were  chosen by the poets, while later they were  chosen by the State that paid a salary to them.
Generally speaking, they were highly esteemed by society and at times wielded even political influence as well as a very good reputation like for example the actors Thettalus, Neoptolemus, Athenodorus , Molon and Theodorus, who refused to allow anyone to come on stage before him, as we read in Aristotle.
Moreover the actors  enjoyed  some privileges like right of way through  hostile territory and exemption from military service.
Finally we read in Plutarch that the actors  put into their performances their own passion, character and reputation so that the best became very famous.

Hope this outline  can be helpful to you.
Best regards
Maria