Seneca the Younger was a Roman writer and dramatist who authored notable works of tragedy during the first century CE. Around 50 CE, he composed Medea, a fabula crepidata—a Roman tragedy focusing on a Greek subject. Comprising approximately 1,027 lines of verse, this dramatic work is generally considered by scholars to be the strongest of Seneca's earlier plays.\n\nIn this play, Seneca dramatizes the intense vengeance of Medea against her betraying husband, Jason, and King Creon. The work explores deep thematic elements, portraying the title character as a form of divine payment sent by the gods to punish Jason for his sins and transgressions against natural laws. Seneca also emphasizes the theme of Medea's powerful, unsilenceable voice, which cannot be suppressed even by the king. This focus is reflected structurally, as the character of Medea dominates the tragedy by delivering over half of the play's total lines.
