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Sometime around 500-200 B.C., during the golden age of Greek
theater, masks were worn that had very dramatic expressions that
were visible from far away in the large theaters of the day.
Along with the elaborate costumes, the expressions on the masks
helped to tell the story the actors wanted portrayed and they
also enabled the actors to play more than one character.
The masks represented the two sides of Dionysus, the God of
fertility and wine. Dionysus is the patron god of the Greek
stage and was a god who was worshiped during that time.
The masks were a significant part of that worship and they
were often dedicated to the altar of Dionysus after the
performances.
Today the comedy and tragedy masks are widely recognized as
the symbols for theater and drama.
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