The ancient Greek theatre was born in Athens around 2500 years ago and helped establish Western theatre. Some of the greatest plays ever written came out of this period, including works by famous playwrights like Euripides. The golden age of Greek theatre lasted from around 600 BC to 200 BC, when Athens was the cultural center. Plays were performed in competitions and used masks and costumes to convey meaning to audiences watching performances in open-air theatres during the daytime.