This document provides an overview of the origins of drama in ancient Greece and Rome. It discusses how Dionysus was the Greek god of wine and how Thespis was the first Greek playwright. It then summarizes some of the major tragic Greek playwrights like Aeschylus, Sophocles, and Euripides and describes the typical elements of Greek tragedy plays. In contrast, it notes that the Romans did not produce much original drama and instead favored more violent entertainment like chariot races and gladiator fights involving enemies and lions.