Oedipus

Oedipus by Seneca is a play written sometime during the first century CE. Oedipus is a fabula crepidata, or a Roman tragedy with traditional Greek subject matter. The earliest written account of any part of the Oedipus myth is in Homer’s Odyssey. In the epic, Homer briefly summarizes the story of Oedipus and the prophecy, but his retelling ends with Oedipus remaining king, not blind or sent into exile. The most well-known dramatization of this story was written by Sophocles in ancient Greece around 429 BC. Variously referred to as Oedipus, Oedipus Rex, or Oedipus the King, Sophocles’s play was the first in a trilogy of plays, followed by Oedipus at Colonus and Antigone. While clearly heavily influenced by Sophocles, Seneca makes many notable changes to characters, themes, and the plot. While less-known and less-acclaimed than Sophocles’s text, Seneca’s play has been the subject of academic reevaluation in recent years.

It is unclear if the play was performed during Seneca’s lifetime, as it could have been meant for private recitation instead. Regardless, Roman theater was highly informed by Greek theater, and it was popular for playwrights to use Greek plays as a model.