Lucius Afranius (poet)

Lucius Afranius (c. 150 BC) was a Roman writer of comedies. He was, according to Quintilian considered the most important author of the fabula togata ( comedy with Roman arena ).

From the work of Afranius about 200 fragments are known and 43 titles of his pieces. He imitated Menander and Terence, but added independent vocal parts ( cantica ). The pieces played among the common people of Rome and other Italian cities. In contrast to the other members of the Togata, and Titus Quinctius Atta Titinius, Afranius chose but something more upscale themes that he presented in an appropriate language.

The works of Afranius were rarely mentioned in the 1st century BC. At the time of Hadrian, when they became interested in the early stages of the Latin Language and Literature ( archaism ), a commentary on the pieces of Afranius was written, has been lost like this.

Expenditure

• Otto Ribbeck (ed.): Comicorum Romanorum et praeter Plautum Terentium Fragmenta ( = Scaenicae Romanorum Fragmenta Poesis Vol 2. ). 2nd edition. Teubner, Leipzig, 1873, pp. 164-222 (Repro Graphic Reproduction. Olms, Hildesheim 1962) ( Internet Archive ).