The Acharnians

The Acharnians
Sculpture of Bacchus, by Michelangelo
Written by	Aristophanes
Chorus	old men of Acharnae
Characters	The Dramatis Personae in ancient comedy depends on interpretation of textual evidence.[1] This list is based on Alan Sommerstein's translation.[2] Dikaiopolis Crier Amphitheus an immortal Ambassador lately returned from Persian court Pseudartabas The Great King's Eye Theorus ambassador to Thrace Daughter to Dikaiopolis Cephisophon Euripides' leading actor Euripides the tragic poet Lamachus the general A Megarian Two daughters to the Megarian Informer A Boeotian Nicarchus another informer A servant of Lamachus Farmer Best Man Two messengers Silent Roles Reconciliation divine woman The Executive Committee or Prytanis Scythian Policeman Second ambassador Two 'eunuchs' Odomantian soldiers Wife to Dikaiopolis Boeotian pipe band Eel Bridesmaid Two dancing girls The Archon basileus Citizens, slaves, revellers, Lamachus' friends etc.
Setting	1.Pnyx at Athens 2.Street outside the houses of Dikaiopolis, Euripides and Lamachus

The Acharnians or Acharnians^[3] (Ancient Greek: Ἀχαρνεῖς Akharneîs; Attic: Ἀχαρνῆς) is the third play — and the earliest of the eleven surviving plays — by the Athenian playwright Aristophanes. It was produced in 425 BC on behalf of the young dramatist by an associate, Callistratus, and it won first place at the Lenaia festival.

The Acharnians is about an Athenian citizen, Dikaiopolis, who miraculously obtains a private peace treaty with the Spartans and enjoys the benefits of peace in spite of opposition from some of his fellow Athenians. The play is notable for its absurd humour, its imaginative appeal for an end to the Peloponnesian War, and for the author's spirited response to condemnations of his previous play, The Babylonians, by politicians such as Cleon, who had reviled it as a slander against the Athenian polis. In The Acharnians, Aristophanes reveals his resolve not to yield to attempts at political intimidation.

Along with the other surviving plays of Aristophanes, The Acharnians is one of the few – and oldest – surviving examples of a highly satirical genre of drama known as Old Comedy.