Explain how the origins of theatre in Athens are tied to both religion and politics.

In Athens theatre was used for religious reasons like honoring the gods as part of festivals and for entertainment around 550 B.C. The purpose of the festival was to gain the trust and loyalty of the tribes of Attica. Also the festivals were brought to Athens’s colonies for political reason like keeping a common cultural identity. The dramas preformed in Athens are still revered and like as much today as they were back then.

Source

Theatre of ancient Greece. Web. 10 Feb. 2010. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theatre_of_ancient_Greece.

Picture source

Epidaurus Theater.jpg. Web. 10 Feb. 2010. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Epidaurus_Theater.jpg.