The Banqueters

play by Aristophanes

Also known as: “Daitaleis”

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June 18, 2026

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"The Banqueters" (Daitaleis) was an early play by Aristophanes, the most celebrated writer of ancient Greek Old Comedy. This comedic genre was known for its bold fantasy, sharp political criticism, and often licentious humor. Aristophanes' plays frequently satirized contemporary social, literary, and philosophical issues, as well as events of the Peloponnesian War. "The Banqueters" itself appears to have been a satire on the educational and moral theories of Aristophanes' time. The term "symposium" also refers to an ancient Greek aristocratic banquet where men discussed philosophy and politics, a setting featured in Plato's work of the same name, which includes Aristophanes among its imagined participants.123

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Aristophanes
Life and career
…a play, the Daitaleis (The Banqueters), which appears, from surviving fragments, to have been a satire on his contemporaries’ educational and moral theories. He is thought to have written about 40 plays in all. A large part of his work is concerned with the social, literary, and philosophical life…
Read More
…a play, the Daitaleis (The Banqueters), which appears, from surviving fragments, to have been a satire on his contemporaries’ educational and moral theories. He is thought to have written about 40 plays in all. A large part of his work is concerned with the social, literary, and philosophical life…
Read More