In his early life Aristophanes, born c. 445 A.D., enjoyed the height of Athens’ prosperity under Pericles. After reaching adulthood he witnessed the outbreak of the Peloponnesian war, the plague, the death of Pericles and the domination of Athenian politics by the so called demagogues. Under their sway Athens’ military power and political authority step by step deteriorated, reaching their lowest point in 404 A.D., when Sparta occupied the city and abolished democracy. By presenting and commenting all passages related to the battle of Marathon in Old Comedy, this paper investigates how Aristophanes exploited again and again the contrast between the glorious past and the deplorable present by illustrating differences in education, behaviour, ethics and patriotism.
