Aikaterini (Kaiti) Diamantakou
Professor
Theatre Studies – Theory and Theatre Analysis of Ancient Dramaturgy, with an emphasis on Ancient Comedy
Kaiti (Aikaterini) Diamantakou graduated with distinction from both the Department of Philology (specializing in Classical Philology) and the Department of Theatre Studies of the School of Philosophy at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (NKUA). She holds a PhD with distinction from the Department of Philology (School of Philosophy, NKUA), funded by a three-year scholarship from the State Scholarships Foundation (IKY).
Since the academic year 2004-2005, she has been working at the Department of Theatre Studies of the University of Athens, where she gradually advanced from the rank of Lecturer to the rank of Full Professor.
She teaches courses falling under the subject area “Theatre of Antiquity” in the Undergraduate Program of the Department of Theatre Studies at NKUA, while since 2008-2009 and for several years, she has taught courses related to ancient theatre and its reception in the Postgraduate Program of the Department of Theatre Studies at NKUA.
As a visiting professor, she has taught at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels (L2, M1, M2) at the Université Charles-de-Gaulle Lille 3, UFR Arts de la Scène (courses: “Réception du spectacle vivant”, “Pratiques scéniques”, “Histoire du théâtre”).
As an external collaborator, she has taught in the Postgraduate Program of the Faculty of Primary Education at NKUA (specialized course: “Educational-theatrical uses of ancient drama”) and in the Postgraduate Program “Education Sciences: Theatre Pedagogy” of the Department of Primary Education at the Democritus University of Thrace (course: “From Ancient Theatre to Modern Drama: Scenic Approaches”).
From the 1990s to the present, she has regularly presented papers at academic conferences and published her studies in scientific journals, conference proceedings, and collective volumes. She participates in theatre research projects and workshops, has edited academic publications, contributed essays to editions of plays, translations, theatre studies books, and theatre programs, and has translated seminal humanities books from French and English.
In 2008 she was awarded the Best Theatre Studies Essay Prize by the Hellenic Association of Theatre and Music Critics for her book In the Ancient Comic Hinterland: An Introduction to the Semiotics of Space and Time in the Theatre of Aristophanes (foreword by Pascal Thiercy, Book Institute - A. Kardamitsa).
In 2007 her book On Tragedy and Trugedy: Eight Interpretative Paths into Tragic and Comic Theatre (Papazisis Publications) was shortlisted for the same award.
Since 2022, she is co-Editor-in-Chief of Parabasis, the academic journal of the Department of Theatre Studies at NKUA ( ejournals.epublishing.ekt.gr/index.php/parabasis ).
Since June 2023 she has been Director of the Laboratory of Ancient Drama and Theatre Research of the Department of Theatre Studies at NKUA, within the framework of which numerous initiatives focusing on the theatrical, dramaturgical, translational, editorial, educational, and broader cultural reception of ancient drama are being developed (see ancientdramalab.theatre.uoa.gr ).
Research Interests
- Ancient Greek Drama and Theatre
- Theatrical Genres of Antiquity
- Dramaturgical, Staging, and Semiotic Analysis of Ancient Plays
- Reception of Ancient Drama in Modern Greek and International Playwriting, Theatre, and Broader Artistic Production
Participation in Projects
- Unpublished Translations of Ancient Drama: Identification - Documentation - Collection - Evaluation (Tsagadas Trust / ELKE - Department of Theatre Studies, NKUA)
- Translations of Ancient Drama in the New Millennium (ELKE - Department of Theatre Studies, NKUA)
- THYMELE: A Dynamic Open Access Multimedia Dictionary for the Performing Arts (ELIDEK / HFRI, University of the Peloponnese)
- HORIZON H2020: VAST - Values Across Space and Time (Department of Primary Education, NKUA - NCSR “Demokritos”)
- Modern Greek Plays on Classical Themes (1974-2009) (ELKE - Department of Theatre Studies, NKUA)
- Ancient Theatre Data Base (EPEAEK II - PYTHAGORAS - ELKE - Department of Theatre Studies, NKUA)
Selected Publications
- Theatrikes istories tou pappou Aristofani. Skines proslipsis (Theatrical Stories of Grandpa Aristophanes: Scenes of Reception) , Gutenberg, Athens 2021.
- “Human Achievements and Transgressions of the Natural Order in Greek Drama: The Literary Ancient Roots of a Real Current Crisis”, Critical Stages/Scènes critiques, Winter Issue no. 26 (2022), special topic “Theatre & Ecology” (guest editors: Vicky Angelaki and Elizabeth Sakellaridou).
- “Lysistrata (1972): Political and Sexual Refractions of the Peloponnesian War during the Greek Junta”, in Konstantinos P. Nikoloutsos (ed.), Brill’s Companion to Ancient Greek and Roman Warfare on Film , Brill, Leiden 2023, pp. 450-478.
- (ed.): “Chamenoi sti Metafrasi” i (Di)Erevnontas tis Adimosievtes Metafraseis Archaiou Dramatos. Praktika Imeridas (“Lost in Translation” or (In)vestigating Unpublished Translations of Ancient Drama. Conference Proceedings) , Kapa Ekdotiki, Athens 2024.
- Archaio Elliniko Theatro. Stichomythies keimenon (Ancient Greek Theatre: Stichomythies of Texts) , Institouto tou Vivliou – Kardamitsa, Athens 2025.
- “Parallages polemou: Apo tis Troades tou Evripidi stis Troades tou Souzouki” (“Variations of War: From Euripides’ Trojan Women to Suzuki’s Trojan Women”), in Stavros Tsitsiridis (ed.), Evripidis Troades. Anagnoseis (Euripides’ Trojan Women: Readings) , Crete University Press, Heraklion 2025, pp. 297-318.
Books and Monographs
- Ancient Greek Theatre: Stichomythies of Texts , Book Institute - A. Kardamitsa, Athens 2025.
- (ed.) “Lost in Translation” or (In)vestigating Unpublished Translations of Ancient Drama. Conference Proceedings , Kapa Ekdotiki, Athens 2024.
- Co-edited with Professor Andreas Markantonatos, Policies of Violence and Politics of Life in Ancient Theatre: From the Classical Fifth Century to the Twenty-First Century , Conference Proceedings dedicated to Chara Baconicola, Department of Theatre Studies, NKUA and Hellenic Foundation for Culture, Athens 2024.
- Theatrical Stories of Grandpa Aristophanes: Scenes of Reception , Gutenberg, Athens 2021.
Research Areas
- Ancient Greek Drama and Theatre
- Theatrical Genres of Antiquity
- Dramaturgical, Staging, and Semiotic Analysis of Ancient Plays
- Reception of Ancient Drama in Modern Greek and International Playwriting, Theatre, and Broader Artistic Production
Research Projects
-
Unpublished Translations of Ancient Drama:
Identification - Documentation - Collection - Evaluation
Tsagadas Trust / ELKE - Department of Theatre Studies, NKUA -
Translations of Ancient Drama in the New Millennium
ELKE - Department of Theatre Studies, NKUA -
THYMELE: A Dynamic Open Access Multimedia Dictionary
for the Performing Arts
ELIDEK / HFRI - University of the Peloponnese -
HORIZON H2020: VAST - Values Across Space and Time
Department of Primary Education, NKUA - NCSR “Demokritos” -
Modern Greek Plays on Classical Themes (1974-2009)
ELKE - Department of Theatre Studies, NKUA -
Ancient Theatre Data Base
EPEAEK II – PYTHAGORAS - ELKE - Department of Theatre Studies, NKUA
Laboratory of Ancient Drama and Theatre Research
Visit the Laboratory website
Undergraduate Teaching
She teaches courses falling under the subject area “Theatre of Antiquity” in the Undergraduate Program of the Department of Theatre Studies at NKUA.
Postgraduate Teaching
Since 2008-2009 and for several years, she has taught courses related to ancient theatre and its reception in the Postgraduate Program of the Department of Theatre Studies at NKUA.
Visiting and External Teaching
- Université Charles-de-Gaulle Lille 3, UFR Arts de la Scène, undergraduate and postgraduate levels (L2, M1, M2): “Réception du spectacle vivant”, “Pratiques scéniques” and “Histoire du théâtre”.
- Postgraduate Program of the Faculty of Primary Education, NKUA : “Educational-theatrical uses of ancient drama”.
- Postgraduate Program “Education Sciences: Theatre Pedagogy”, Democritus University of Thrace : “From Ancient Theatre to Modern Drama: Scenic Approaches”.