"Aeschylus is the oldest of the three great Greek tragedians. Born probably in 525 or 524 BC, he lived through the end of tyranny at Athens and the restitution of democracy. He took part in the battle of Marathon in 490 and probably also in the battle of Salamis in 480, the subject of his Persians. During his life he made at least two visits to Sicily, and died there at Gela in 456 or 455." "This book deals with Aeschylus' six extant plays in the chronological order of their first production: Persians, the earliest Greek tragedy that has come down to us, Seven against Thebes, Suppliants, and three plays of the Oresteia trilogy: Agamemnon, Libation Bearers and Eumenides. It also contains an essay on Prometheus Bound, now generally thought not to be by Aeschylus, but accepted as his in antiquity." "The book is intended primarily as an introduction to the dramatist for A-level students of Classical Civilization and Ancient History at school and in the first two years of university courses. It is also suitable for students of other disciplines and the non-specialist reader."--Jacket.