Ancient Greece. Play contests begin in Athens, 534 B.C.E. Comedy introduced to City Dionysus 487 B.C.E. Alexander succeeds Phillip II 335 B.C.E. Theatre of Dionysus completed 325 B.C.E.  Greek theaters built throughout Mediterranean 320 B.C.E. Rome. Punic Wars 264-241 B.C.E. First permanent theatre in Rome 55 B.C.E. Golden age of Roman literature 58-50 B.C.E. Jesus crucified 30 C.E. Actors forbidden sacraments 398 B.C.E. Asia. Development of professional theatre companies in China, 960. No theatre becomes an aristocratic entertainment 1650. Kabuki becomes popular form of theatre 1675-1750. Banraku (puppet theatre) formalized in Japan 1685. Song dynasty in China 960-1279. Medieval Europe. Traveling performers 500-925. Charlemagne crowned Holy Roman Emperor 800. Beginnings of Gothic architecture 1140. Peak of medieval theatre 1350-1550. Martin Luther born 1483. Italian Renaissance. Gutenberg invents movable type 1450. Da Vinci's Mona Lisa 1503. Peak of commedia dell' arte 1550-1650. Teatro Olimpico built 1584. Galileo dies 1642. English Renaissance. Henry VIII reigns 1509-1547. Marlowe's Doctor Faustus 1588. Globe Theatre built 1599. King James Bible 1611. Charles I beheaded 1649. Spanish Golden Age. Spain united under Ferdinand and Isabella 1469. Lope de Rueda, Spain's first popular playrwright 1545. Jesuits begin missionary work in South Africa 1549. Woman licensed to appear on stage 1587. Carlos II rules 1665-1700. French Neoclassical. Henry II rules 1547-1559. St Bartholomew's Day massacre 1572. Racine's Phaedra 1677. Comedie Francaise founded 1680. Louis XIV dies 1715. Fin.

Last modified: Friday, June 14, 2019, 8:10 AM