Final answer:
The majority of Athenian audiences attending plays were adult, land-owning men, constituting about 10% of the population. These native-born Athenian men had political rights and actively participated in cultural events such as theater, which was also seen as a civic duty.
Step-by-step explanation:
The majority of Athenian audiences attending plays during the classical period were adult, land-owning men, which was synonymous with the citizenry of Athens. In the context of Athenian democracy, which was a form of direct democracy, participation in both state affairs and cultural events, like theater, was mainly reserved for this group. While Athenian society prominently featured egalitarian ideals and theatrical performances were considered a civic duty, the actual population that was involved in these activities was quite limited. The audience predominantly comprised native-born Athenians with political rights, which was only about 10% of the total population. Women, slaves, and non-citizens, despite being part of Athenian society, were excluded from political life and thus had a limited role in these civic events.