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