The great era of classical drama continues to be widely studied today. One of the most extensive works of its kind, The Facts On File Companion to Classical Drama examines the history and development of ancient Greek and Roman drama from the late sixth century BCE through the first century CE. Approximately 400 entries cover the 80 complete plays that survived from the classical era; the major authors; the background, characters, and themes of the dramas; and the conventions and practices of their respective theaters.