Birth / childhood

Aeschylus was the first European dramatist whose plays were preserved. He was also the earliest of the great Greek tragedians. He was born to a noble and wealthy Athenian family in the Greek town of Eleusis. His father was Euphorion, a wealthy man. Aeschylus's education included the writings of Homer (Greek poet who lived during the 800s B.C.In fact it was Homer who proved most inspiring to Aeschylus when he began to write as a teen). He entered his tragedies into the annual competition. He won his first award as a young adult in 484 B.C. He carried home the first place award from the Athens competition thirteen times!