roman laughter
DESCRIPTION
ROMAN LAUGHTER. Comedy in Italy. 6 th - 5 th century BCE EPICHARMUS a Sicilian writer of comedy 4th-3rd century Attic style comedy Native forms of entertainment 3rd Greek style plays in Latin. Traditional Latin entertainment :. Fescennine ritual jokes Satura ‘ medley ’ - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
ROMAN LAUGHTER
Comedy in Italy
6th - 5th century BCEEPICHARMUS a Sicilian writer of comedy
4th-3rd century Attic style comedy
Native forms of entertainment
3rd Greek style plays in Latin
Traditional Latin entertainment:
Fescennine ritual jokes
Satura ‘medley’
Atellane Oscan farce
Fescennine
Originated at harvest festivals
Improvised at weddings and triumphs;
Versus fescennini 2
“Urbani servate uxores, moechum calvom adducimus”
Suet. Iul. 51
“Citizens, hide your wives,
We are brining in the bald ******
Caesar’s soldiers were also mocking his meager vegetarian diet while in on campaign in Dyrrahium
Atellanae
Oscan farce performed by amateurs, involving stock characters
Maccus, the fool
Bucco the glutton
Dossenus the smart and cynical hunchback
Maccus or Dossenus
wearing platform shoes
Satura
‘Medley’ a dramatic libretto flute music performed by professional actors—histriones (name
borrowed from the Etruscan name for masked dancers).
Tragedy and Comedy
Were performed on festive days named LUDI
Ludi = days of entertainment
Included circus, gladiatorial shows, and theater (ludi scaenici)
Their numbers evolved from 55 days per year under the Republic through 77 days in the 1st century CE to 177 in 4th century CE.
Ludi…
Ludi Romani September from 213 BCELudi plebeii November from 194 BCE
LATER also
Ludi Megalenses April
Ludi Apolinares July
Triumphs
Funerals
One play a day, c. 3 hours.
Ludi scaenici
Free admission for everyone (including women and slaves)
Plays were staged originally in temporary settings, then from 1st century BCE onwards in permanent theaters.
Introduced in 363 BCE First drama performed in 240 BCE