Ancient Greek Theatre Terms and Figures

Theatron: The audience's area for viewing performances, typically semi-circular.

Auditorium: Area where the audience gathered, often synonymous with the theatron.

Orkestra: Circular area for the chorus to perform.

Thymele: Altar in the orkestra for sacrifices to Dionysus.

Skene: Backstage building for performance backdrop and storage.

Proskenion: Stage area in front of the skene, precursor to the modern proscenium.

Parados: Passageways for the chorus and actors to enter and exit.

Periaktoi: Rotatable triangular prisms for quick scenery changes.

Deus ex machina: Unexpected resolution of a problem by a divine intervention.

Choregus: Leader of the chorus, responsible for expenses.

Zeus: King of the gods, god of the sky, symbols include the thunderbolt.

Dionysus: God of wine and theater, symbols include the grapevine.

Hades: God of the underworld, symbols include Cerberus.

Poseidon: God of the sea, known for his trident.

Aphrodite: Goddess of love, symbols include the dove.

Apollo: God of the sun and arts, symbols include the lyre.

Thespis: First actor in drama, introduced interacting with the chorus.

Aeschylus: Father of Tragedy, expanded character roles in plays.

Sophocles: Added the third actor, wrote "Oedipus Rex."