Large amounts of ancient Greek literature have only survived in more or less extensive fragments. This applies in particular to the genre of comedy, whose image is largely determined by the two authors whose entire plays have survived: Aristophanes (5th/4th century BC) and Menander (3rd/2nd century BC).
This research project will break new ground in literary history by commenting on the fragmentary surviving comedy authors - including the fragments of Aristophanes and Menander - and will correct and supplement the rather one-sided view of a central genre of European literature.
The aim of the commentaries is, on the one hand, to analyse the texts, which are generally difficult to understand, from all possible points of view and, on the other hand, to attempt a reconstruction of the plays where possible and to classify the authors in terms of literary history. The fragments and testimonies are translated into German. The results of the commentaries will be incorporated into general studies on comedy and comic techniques such as parody, satire and political function. The project is internationally networked and collaborates with centres for the study of fragmentary Greek literature in Italy, Great Britain and the USA.