The I.

Beginnings
History II.
III.
The Greek Period
The Roman Period
of IV.
V.
The Medieval Period
The Renaissance Period
Drama
I. BEGINNINGS
Beginnings

• The earliest recorded theatrical event dates to 2000 B.C.E. with the passion plays of
Ancient Egypt.

• The story of the god Osiris was performed annually at festivals throughout the
civilization, marking the known beginning of a long relationship between theatre and
religion.

• For a general overview through time (including early shamanistic singing and dancing
rituals) see https://www.newhistorian.com/2016/09/19/short-history-ancient-theatre/
and
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W79jIgqNZP4&ab_channel=TCCConnectCampusF
aculty
Beginnings

Osiris succeeded his father as ruler and married his sister Isis. In one of many versions,
Osiris’ brother Seth grew jealous, killed and dismembered Osiris, and buried parts of
his body throughout the kingdom. Isis gathered up the pieces and revived Osiris, but
Osiris was unable to remain on earth, was buried at a place called Abydos, and went to
the underworld, where he became judge of souls. In time, Osiris’ son Horus won back
his father’s kingdom.

Look at ‘Isis and Osiris’, a long lecture about myths with specific reference to the love
story of Osiris and Isis but also ruminates about the nature and function of myths (and
stories, because myths are very powerful stories. Maybe ask why are these stories so
powerful?):
youtube.com/watch?v=8hZGcvw2Ji8&ab_channel=ThePhilosophicalResearchSociety )
STRONGLY RECOMMENDED
Beginnings

• At Abydos, every year for 2000 years this story was retold. But, although
scholars have called it the Abydos Passion Play, we can’t prove that it
was acted out as a drama. Our only piece of primary evidence is a stone
tablet written in approximately 1868 B.C.E. by Ikhernofret, a participant
in the ritual that year, on which he wrote what he did.
Beginnings
Beginnings

• The Ikhernofret Stela is an important Ancient Egyptian stela dated to

the Middle Kingdom and is notable for its veiled description of how the
mysteries of Osiris were carried out in Abydos.

• The stela is 100 cm high and made of limestone.

• The story of Osiris is one of the most revered ancient Egyptian myths.
 Beginnings
• Another text that exists is the so-
called Memphite Drama, also about
the death and resurrection of Osiris,
said to have been performed on the
first day of spring.

• The acting of those days must

certainly have been quite as realistic
as that of any modern stage, for later
Greek historians tell us that many
actor-warriors died of the wounds
received in the "sham" battles
between the enemies of Osiris and
the forces led by his son, Horus.