Sophocles: Some Important Dates

SOPHOCLES

Chronology of Important Dates

c. 497/95 B.C. Birth of Sophocles, son of Sophillos of Colonus, near Athens

480 Sophocles leads public victory song after battle of Salamis

468 Sophocles' first tragic victory. Aeschylus loses.

467 No production by Sophocles

463? Sophocles wins second place to Aeschylus' Danaid Trilogy

early 440's Production of Ajax

443/442 Sophocles elected Hellenotamias (treasury official)

442? Production of Antigone, probably with first prize

440/441 Sophocles elected general with Pericles in Samian War

438 Sophocles wins first prize over Euripides' Alcestis third

c. 435-428 Production of Trachiniae

431 Sophocles wins second place, Euripides' Medea third.

428 No production by Sophocles

427? Production of Oedipus Tyrannus, probably in second place to Philocles, son of Aeschylus

c. 427 Sophocles elected general with Nicias

420 Sophocles receives cult of Asclepius on its arrival in Athens

c. 420-410 Production of Sophocles' Electra

415 No production by Sophocles

413 Sophocles elected proboulos or member of special executive committee after Athenian defeat in Sicily

409 Production of Philoctetes, with first prize

406 Death of Sophocles

401 Posthumous production of Oedipus at Colonus by Sophocles' grandson Sophocles, with first prize.

This material has been published on the web by Prof. Tom Sienkewicz for his students at Monmouth College. If you have any questions, you can contact him at toms@monm.edu.