Quintus Roscius
Quintus Roscius was a celebrated Roman comic actor of the first century BCE, renowned for his performance skills and admired by Cicero.
Cicero: Marcus Tullius Cicero was a Roman orator, politician, and writer of the late Republic. He praised Roscius’s acting and defended his namesake in a major inheritance lawsuit.
Roman theatre: Roman theatre encompassed staged drama, performance venues, and theatrical practices in ancient Rome. Roscius made his reputation within Rome’s developing theatrical culture.
Ancient Roman comedy: Ancient Roman comedy was a dramatic genre that adapted Greek comic plots for Roman audiences. It supplies the theatrical form most closely associated with Roscius.
Roman celebrity: Roman celebrity was public fame built through achievement, reputation, patronage, and visibility in Roman society. Roscius’s renown shows that performance could create exceptional public fame.
Quintus Roscius (defendant): Quintus Roscius was a Roman landowner accused of arranging the murder of his business partner. Cicero defended this man, who was distinct from the celebrated actor.
Atellan farce: Atellan farce was a comic Roman stage form featuring stock characters and improvised elements. It represents the comic tradition in which Roscius became renowned.
Roman acting: Roman acting was the professional performance of roles in staged drama and other public entertainments. Roscius’s fame rested on the techniques and demands of Roman performance.
Actor training: Actor training develops vocal, physical, and interpretive skills for performance. Ancient accounts credit Roscius with disciplined refinement of gesture and speech.
Sulla: Lucius Cornelius Sulla was a Roman general and dictator who dominated Roman politics in the 80s BCE. Roscius’s career flourished amid the political world shaped by Sulla.
Fabula palliata: Fabula palliata was Roman comedy adapted from Greek plays and set in Greek dress and surroundings. This popular comic genre formed part of the theatrical world Roscius inhabited.