Greek Drama - the Persians

Through observation of Greek drama one is able to conclude that the role of gods in human affairs is primarily revealed.

The “Persians” written by Aeschylus is the only surviving Greek tragedy whose plot is about a historical event as oppose to a mythical legend. When Aeschylus’ play was first preformed at the annual Dionysia festival at Athens in 472 BCE, only eight years had passed since the naval battle which the play narrates. Further-more, only eighteen years had passed since the battle of Marathon, that legendary battle in which Aeschylus himself was proud to have fought, when the Athenians forced the invading Persian armies out of mainland Greece. 


The play is set ten years after the Battle at Marathon, in 480 BCE. The deceased Persian King Darius’ son Xerxes undertook his invasion of Greece to avenge his father’s defeat. Ancient Greek historian Herodotus writes of Xerxes “insane whipping and branding of the Hellespont” that strait of water that connects Asia to Europe, because his first attempt to build a bridge across the strait was destroyed by a storm. His second attempt succeeded when he tied his boats together to form a land bridge.

The play opens with the chorus (Persian elders) and Queen Atossa (Xerxes mother) are gathered together in Persia’s capital Susa awaiting the arrival of news regarding the battle between the Greeks and the Persians. The Queen is anxious to tell her dream. “Every night dreams visit me; But never yet so clear a vision as I saw this night that’s past”. Her dream was as follows: she saw two women- one dressed like a Persian, one like a Greek - who began fighting with each other. The Queen’s son Xerxes yoked both women to his chariot, as one would yoke horses. One of the women/horses was submissive, but the other broke free of the bridle and smashed the yoke. Xerxes fell out of the chariot, and his father darius appeared to look down on him with pity - whereupon Xerxes began tearing his own garments. This portrays significant symbolism of how Xerxes is able to tame Persia but cannot tame Greece and how he will be left a broken man after the battle. 


The messenger reports back the news of the battle at Salamis by stating: “No. The results show with what partial hands the gods weighed down the scale against us, and destroyed us all. It is the gods who keep Athene’s city