The Theatre and the Actors in Ancient Rome

1. Introduction, legal and literary sources.

2. The theatre in ancient Rome

3. Cause of actors' infamy and applying rules

4. The effects of actors’ infamy

5. Actors in the family law.

6. Actors in the law of succession.

7. Actors in the law of obligations – question of trust.

8. Status of actors in the procedural law.

9. Actors in the public law

10. Unusual legal position of Metrobius, Roscius, etc.

11. Influence of the social status of the actors on their legal position.

The purpose of the course is to show the place of the theatre in ancient Rome. It was strictly connected with social and juridical status of stage people in ancient Rome, both in public and private law, from the times of the Republic (first appearance of actors in Rome) to the reign of Justinian – the end of the development of Roman law.

It will be demonstrated what the significance of being an actor in Rome was. It is very probable that their status was specific only due to the profession they performed and the lack of reputation alleged with it, disgrace recognised and somehow reinforced by law. The ambiguity between the significance of the theatre itself and actors will be shown.

There is also an obvious difference in the ancient legal status of men and women, the difference was possibly deeper between actors and actresses, as there exist some source-texts insinuating this point of view.

Moreover, it would be precised, what the reason of the specific status of actors was and whether this status was the same for every stage person. Was this caused by morality, by fear of the actors’ influence on the mind of the audience, or by yet another reason?

Main sources:

Gaius, Institutions

The Codification of Justinian

The Theodosian Code

Livy, History of Rome

Aulus Gellius, Noctes Atticae

Cicero, In Defence of Quintus Roscius the Comoedian.

Main Literature:

A.H.J. GREENIDGE. Infamia, Its Place in Roman Public and Private Law, Oxford 1984

P. EASTERLING, E. HALL (red.), Greek and Roman Actors. Aspects of an Ancient Profession, CUP 2002

M. KOCUR, We władzy teatru. Aktorzy i widzowie w antycznym Rzymie, Wrocław 2005

G. Manuwald, Roman Republican Theatre, Cambridge 2011

More references will be given during the course

Student:

EK1: Has a knowledge of Roman law concerning actors

EK2: Understands and explains the relationship between the social and juridical position of actors

EK3: Is able to independently analize the different types of sources of law

Hours of classes (according to the plan of study) with a teacher 30

Student's own work # preparation for classes 70

100 TOTAL HOURS

TOTAL NUMBER OF POINTS FOR COURSE 8 credits

Student:

For grade 2

EK1: Hasn't a knowledge of Roman law concerning actors

EK2: Can not understand and explain the relationship between the social and juridical position of actors

EK3: Isn't able to analize the different types of sources of law

For grade 3

EK1: Has a basic knowledge of Roman law concerning actors

EK2: Understands and explains the relationship between the social and juridical position of actors

EK3: Is able to analize the different types of sources of law with help

For grade 4

EK1: Has a good knowledge of Roman law concerning actors

EK2: Understands and explains the relationship between the social and juridical position of actors

EK3: Is able to independently analize the different types of sources of law

For grade 5

EK1: Has a very good knowledge of Roman law concerning actors

EK2: Perfectly understands and explains the relationship between the social and juridical position of actors

EK3: Is able to independently and creatively analize the different types of sources of law