The ancient Greek comedy flourished mainly between the fifth and third centuries BC in Attica and beyond. Aristophanes and Menander are the most well-known comic poets and the only ones whose works have survived intact. However, many hundreds of fragments from the works of dozens of other comic playwrights are also preserved.

This volume offers an updated and excellent introduction: it overall presents the genre of ancient Greek comedy, examines issues of sources (literary and archaeological), and combines themes of literary criticism with the study of the social, historical, and performance context. It thus provides a complete picture of ancient Greek comedy through the lens of different scientific approaches.

The original English volume has already charted an extremely successful course as a reference manual and as a starting point for new research endeavors. The translated Greek volume continues this path addressing both the general public and students, as well as researchers of the ancient world, drama, comedy, and theater.