Laughter in Ancient Rome. What They Joked About and What They Laughed At in the Eternal City

What did the ancient Romans joke about? What provoked their 'ironic smile' or made them 'roll with laughter'? What role did jokes play at the imperial court, in the gladiatorial arenas, and even in court? The reader will find answers... to these and many other questions in this publication. Mary Beard, a renowned British expert on Ancient Rome, explores one of the most intriguing and complex issues — the culture of laughter. Drawing on a wide range of sources — from the immortal 'Bucolics' of Virgil and the provocative novel of Apuleius 'The Golden Ass' to the oldest collection of anecdotes 'Philogelos' and the witty treatise of Macrobius 'Saturnalia', — the author introduces the reader to ancient Roman humor, trying to answer the main question: will we ever truly understand the jokes of the Romans? The publication is addressed to historians, classical philologists, and a wide range of readers interested in the culture of Antiquity.