Portrait of Euripides

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This portrait of Euripides is a replica of the Roman marble copy of the Greek original housed at The National Museum of Naples. Euripides stands out as one of the three Athenian tragedians whose works have survived in more than fragments; indeed, the number of his surviving plays far surpasses those of Aeschylus and Sophocles combined (seven each compared to Euripides' eighteen, or nineteen if we count Rhesus, which is likely a spurious work). Chance certainly played a role, but Euripides was also the most widely performed, read, and admired tragedian in the later Greco-Roman world. His influence on subsequent drama is arguably unmatched. The available evidence suggests that his works offered an unparalleled range of emotions, presented unsettling perspectives, and sparked the greatest debates. Euripidean drama continues to challenge theatergoers, readers, and critics alike.