5 moments

1. Victory paean after Salamis

   0480-01-01 BC · Kynosoura, Salamis Island, Attica, Greece

   As a youth, Sophocles led the singers of a victory paean after the Greek naval victory at Salamis. The ancient biography does not identify the monument more precisely. Coordinates represent Cape Kynosoura, the documented location of the ancient Salamis victory trophy.

2. First Dionysia victory

   0468-01-01 BC · Athens, Greece

   

   Sophocles achieved his first recorded dramatic victory at the Athenian Dionysia, defeating Aeschylus according to the later tradition summarized by the source. Coordinates represent Athens because the source identifies the Dionysia competitions as Athenian; the precise performance venue is not stated in the quoted passage.

3. Samian campaign

   0440-01-01 BC · Samos, Greece

   

   Sophocles served as a general in the Athenian campaign against Samos, an uncommon documented military role in his life. The campaign is conventionally dated 440–439 BC; 440 BC is used as the first year of the conflict. Coordinates represent the Samian War's documented location rather than a precisely attested encampment.

4. Reception of Asclepius at his house

   0420-01-01 BC · Athens, Greece

   

   Sophocles was chosen to receive the image of Asclepius in his own house during the introduction of the cult to Athens; the tradition later earned him the epithet Dexion. The source itself notes that some doubt attaches to this story. The location of Sophocles's house is not known; coordinates represent Athens.

5. Mourning appearance at the City Dionysia proagon

   0406-01-01 BC · Odeon of Pericles, Athens, Greece

   

   After Euripides's death, Sophocles reportedly appeared in mourning and led in his chorus and actors at the proagon before the City Dionysia. This is a reported ancient anecdote. The source identifies the 406 BC City Dionysia proagon and its Odeion venue; coordinates represent the conventional site of the Odeon of Pericles.