Aeschylus

Born around 525/524 BCE at Eleusis near Athens, Aeschylus was the earliest of the three great Greek tragedians whose works still survive. Ancient sources and modern reference works credit him with giving tragedy greater scale and power, helping move it beyond simpler earlier forms into a richer dramatic art.

He lived through the Persian Wars and is said to have fought for Athens, including at Marathon. That experience echoes in The Persians, one of his most famous plays, while works such as the Oresteia, Seven Against Thebes, and The Suppliants show his fascination with conflict, divine justice, and the heavy cost of human choices.

Only a small part of his output survives, but it was enough to secure his place at the foundation of Western drama. He died around 456/455 BCE in Gela, Sicily, leaving behind plays that are still read, performed, and admired for their force, solemn beauty, and moral seriousness.