Page "Tragedy" Paragraph 15

Following the expansion of the Roman Republic ( 509 – 27 BCE ) into several Greek territories between 270 – 240 BCE, Rome encountered Greek tragedy.

From the later years of the republic and by means of the Roman Empire ( 27 BCE-476 CE ), theatre spread west across Europe, around the Mediterranean and even reached England.

While Greek tragedy continued to be performed throughout the Roman period, the year 240 BCE marks the beginning of regular Roman drama.

Livius Andronicus began to write Roman tragedies, thus creating some of the first important works of Roman literature.

Five years later, Gnaeus Naevius also began to write tragedies ( though he was more appreciated for his comedies ).

No complete early Roman tragedy survives, though it was highly regarded in its day ; historians know of three other early tragic playwrights — Quintus Ennius, Marcus Pacuvius and Lucius Accius.