Who were the Roman playwrights, and what were their contributions to Western tragic theater?

Roman tragic theater was heavily influenced by Greek drama and was developed during the Roman Republic and later the Roman Empire. The most famous Roman playwrights were Seneca, Ennius, Accius, and Pacuvius.

Seneca was a philosopher, statesman, and playwright who wrote many tragedies in the first century AD. His plays were known for their gruesome and violent scenes, and were often criticized for being overly melodramatic. Despite this, Seneca's plays had a significant impact on later European drama, particularly during the Renaissance.

Ennius, Accius, and Pacuvius were all Roman poets and playwrights who wrote tragedies during the third and second centuries BC. Their plays were modeled after Greek tragedy, but also incorporated Roman history and culture.

The Roman playwrights made several contributions to Western tragic theater, including the use of larger casts and more elaborate stage sets, as well as the development of stock characters like the tyrant, the hero, and the villain. They also introduced new themes to tragic theater, such as the conflict between duty and personal desire.