Daily Life of the Ancient Greeks

Pleasure and Leisure 277
Comic actors wearing masks (Roman date). Courtesy akg-images, London:
Peter Connolly.
huge phalluses to depict the erect male organ, strapped around
the waist by means of a belt. Actors were also provided with role
markers, such as a scepter to indicate a king or a club to indicate
Herakles.
Initially the main character in the drama, known as the protagonist,
was played by the dramatist. By the end of the fifth century
b.c.e. , however, actors were professionals and allocated to each production
by lot.
The Judges
Drama was a highly competitive activity. The prizes for first, second,
and third place were decided by a panel of 10 kritai or judges.
It is from kritês that the word critic is derived, although the English
word is something of a misnomer, because Athenian kritai were
elected by lot and in no sense constituted a panel of experts. Each
wrote his choice for first prize on a tablet. The 10 choices were