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== History of Theater ==

== History of Theater ==

=== Greece and Greco-Macedonian Civilizations ===

=== Greece and Greco-Macedonian Civilizations ===

The first instances of theater gave the term its name. It involved actors performing on a stage in the well of a half-circle arena--often called an ''amphitheater'' (from the Greek ''amphi'', a preposition meaning "on both sides of"). The usual subject matter in the Greek theater involved the Greek pantheon and various heroic and military stories of the ancient Hellenic civilizations prior to the [[First Olympiad]]. Besides the paying of homage to pagan gods, the classic Greek plays quite often treated sensitive subjects--famously including incest, adultery, rape and murder--in a mature and forthright manner. Most Greek plays were tragedies, involving characters who came to bad ends, usually by displaying excessive pride and trying to outdo the gods or thwart prophecy.

The first instances of theater gave the term its name. It involved actors performing on a stage in the well of a half-circle arena. The usual subject matter in the Greek theater involved the Greek pantheon and various heroic and military stories of the ancient Hellenic civilizations prior to the [[First Olympiad]]. Besides the paying of homage to pagan gods, the classic Greek plays quite often treated sensitive subjects--famously including incest, adultery, rape and murder--in a mature and forthright manner. Most Greek plays were tragedies, involving characters who came to bad ends, usually by displaying excessive pride and trying to outdo the gods or thwart prophecy.

The people of [[Israel]] received their first exposure to theater with the conquest of restored Israel by [[Alexander the Great]] and their subsequent subjection to the [[Seleucid Empire]]. The leaders of that empire sought to expose their subjects to all things [[Greece|Greek]], a process called "Hellenization" (from the Greek name for the country of Greece, ''Hellas''). The Jews were scandalized and, with the ouster of the forces of [[Antiochus IV Epiphanes]] by [[Judas the Maccabee]], were determined never to partake of theater or any other Greek thing ever again.

The people of [[Israel]] received their first exposure to theater with the conquest of restored Israel by [[Alexander the Great]] and their subsequent subjection to the [[Seleucid Empire]]. The leaders of that empire sought to expose their subjects to all things [[Greece|Greek]], a process called "Hellenization" (from the Greek name for the country of Greece, ''Hellas''). The Jews were scandalized and, with the ouster of the forces of [[Antiochus IV Epiphanes]] by [[Judas the Maccabee]], were determined never to partake of theater or any other Greek thing ever again.