Sophocles Importance In The Public Hall Of Athens

Sophocles was born 497/496 BC. He was a wealthy manufacture of amour. In 442 he served as a treasurer responsible for receiving and manage tribute money from Athens’ subject allies in the Delian League. Sophocles studied theatre arts in school. He gave up performing because of his relatively weak voice. Sophocles won at least 20 festival competitions, including 18 at the City of Dionysia. He also came in second many times and never had the ignominy of being voted third and last in competitions. As a child Sophocles had been the chief dancer in the festivities to celebrate victory over the Persians in 479 BC. Sophocles became the man of importance in the public halls of Athens. In 443 BC he served as one of the hellenotamiai, or treasures of Athena. In 413 BC he was elected one of the commissioners. He managed the finances of the city during the political ascendency of Pericles. Only 7 out of 123 plays survived in complete in form. …show more content…
By the age 16 he was already known for his grace and beauty and was chosen to lead a choir of boys at a celebration of victory of Salamis in 480 BC. At the age of 28 he defeated Aeschylus, whose pre-eminence as a tragic poet had long been undisputed in a dramatic competition Sophocles was the most-awarded writer in the dramatic competitions of ancient Athens. He had two sons, by two marriages. He was very religious and he transformed his home in worship place for the healing god Asclepius, while a temple was being built. It is said he died while reading aloud Antigone