description The Oresteia Overview
The Oresteia is a trilogy of Greek tragedies by Aeschylus, first performed in Athens in 458 BCE. Comprising Agamemnon, The Libation Bearers, and The Eumenides, it follows murder and revenge within the House of Atreus after the Trojan War. The cycle moves from hereditary blood vengeance to the public trial of Orestes before an Athenian court, connecting a violent family history with questions of justice, civic institutions, divine authority, and political order.
insights Ranking position
The Oresteia ranks #1 of 203 in the Play ranking, ahead of Sunday in the Park with George.
help The Oresteia FAQ
In what order should the three Oresteia plays be read?
The trilogy begins with Agamemnon, continues with The Libation Bearers, and ends with The Eumenides. The sequence moves from Agamemnon's murder through Orestes' revenge to his trial in Athens.
Why does Clytemnestra kill Agamemnon?
She seeks revenge for Agamemnon's sacrifice of their daughter Iphigenia before the Trojan War. His return with the captive Cassandra and the family's inherited cycle of violence deepen her motives.
Why is Orestes put on trial in The Eumenides?
The Furies pursue Orestes because he killed his mother, Clytemnestra, even though Apollo ordered him to avenge Agamemnon. Athena establishes a court on the Areopagus to replace endless blood vengeance with civic judgment.
Is The Oresteia the only surviving Greek tragic trilogy?
It is the only complete trilogy of connected ancient Greek tragedies that survives. Aeschylus presented it in Athens in 458 BCE along with a satyr play that is largely lost.
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