Actors and Icons of the Ancient Theater examines actors and their popular reception from the origins of theater in Classical Greece to the Roman Empire

Presents a highly original viewpoint into several new and contested fields of study
Offers the first systematic survey of evidence for the spread of theater outside Athens and the impact of the expansion of theater upon actors and dramatic literature
Addresses a study of the privatization of theater and reveals how it was driven by political interests
Challenges preconceived notions about theater history