The Athenian Institution of the Khoregia

This book is the first major study of a central cultural institution of classical Athens, the khoregia. This was a mechanism run by the state that required a super-rich elite to shoulder the very considerable expense of training and equipping a chorus for the competitive performance of tragedy or comedy or for a range of other events. Peter Wilson examines the institution in all its detail and shows its importance for issues crucial to democratic society, while also demonstrating the central role played by competition among the elite.