14

Introduction

2. Chronology and Career
Test. 2 suggests that Anaxandrides wrote dithyrambs as well as comedies.
Although the writing of dithyrambs is occasionally attested for tragedians
(e. g. Ion of Chios [TrGF19]; Hieronymus [TrGF31]; Dicaeogenes [TrGF52]), it
is not otherwise attested in the case of comic poets. Aside from Anaxandrides,
the only possible example is Nicostratus, but the latter name is exceedingly
common, and there is no reason to identify the dithyrambic poet and the comic
poet. Although it is possible that Anaxandrides in fact wrote dithyrambs and
thus that he was an almost unqiue example of this sort of genre crossing,
far more likely test. 2 refers to a feature within a comedy; cf. fr. 6 (quota-
tion of Timotheus); Cratin. fr. 20 Κρατΐνος άπό <6ι>θυράμβου έν Βουκόλοις
άρξάμενος (άρ<πα>ξάμενος Rutherford).4
The evidence for Anaxandrides’ output, success and general chronology
is greater and less open to skepticism.5 There is no reason to doubt the gen-
eral accuracy of the assertion that he wrote 65 plays and took first 10 times
(test. I);6 that three of his victories were at the Lenaia, and thus the remaining
seven presumably at the Dionysia, is certain (test. 6). His first victory at the
Dionysia occurred in Ύ1ΊΙ6 (test. 3), his second the following year (test. 4).
He remained active until at least 349, but probably not for more than a few
years after that.7

4 Scholars have generally accepted uncritically the apparent claim that Anaxandrides
was also a dithyrambic poet; e. g. Sutton includes him without comment as #50 in
his corpus of dithyrambic poets.
5 Cf. Dittmer 1923. 48-53.
6 Although Anaxandrides’ productivity is high compared, for example, with Aristo-
phanes, who wrote 44 plays in a career of approximately the same length, it pales
beside the other major poets of later comedy: Antiphanes (280 [or 365]); Alexis
(245); Menander (108); Eubulus (104). Alexis’ great productivity can be attributed
in part to a lengthy career; on the other hand, Menander wrote 75 % more plays
than Anaxandrides in a shorter career. The vastly increased levels of production
over the course of the fourth century are clear evidence for the explosive growth
in non-Athenian venues for the performance of new plays. As for victories, Ana-
xandrides seems to have been at least as successful as his rivals in terms of the
ratio of victories to plays (Lenaian victories: Anaxandrides 3 [4.6 %]; Antiphanes,
8 [2.9%]; Eubulus, 6 [5.8%]; Alexis, 2-4 [0.8-1.6%]; Menander, 3 [2.8%]).
7 Test. 5.8 records that in 349 BC he took fourth place at the Dionysia with the
play Άγ[-]; the available space at the end of this line and the beginning of the
following, where the entries switch to the Lenaia, seems too great to allow only
for the restoration of this title even if the name of a producer is also restored at the