Pro Q. Roscio Comoedo

Pro Roscio Comoedo ("On behalf of the actor Roscius") is a legal speech by the Roman statesman and orator Marcus Tullius Cicero, which is traditionally dated to 77 BC, though some scholars propose a later date around 66 BC.^[1] The speech was delivered in defense of the famous comic actor Quintus Roscius Gallus in a legal dispute over the ownership and value of a murdered slave actor who was named Panurgus.

Background

Quintus Roscius Gallus, known for his portrayal of the pimp Ballio in the play Pseudolus by Plautus, was one of the most greatest comedic actors in the late Roman Republic.^[2] He also taught Cicero about the stage and performances, and Cicero credited Roscius with teaching him the techniques of delivery, gesture, etc, that contributed to his success in oratory.^[3]

Roscius entered a partnership with a man named Fannius to train an enslaved performer named Panurgus. At some point, Panurgus was murdered by a third party, Flavius. Flavius compensated Roscius with a plot of land (a forma) in lieu of the slave’s value. Fannius later claimed half of the farm's value, asserting that as co-trainer of Panurgus, he was entitled to a share of the compensation.

Legal Dispute

The main part of the fight concerned whether Roscius acted in a private or actual, representative capacity when he accepted the settlement from Flavius. According to Cicero’s account, the original decisio (settlement) between Roscius and Flavius occurred almost fifteen years before the actual lawsuit— though different interpretations suggest a shorter timeline.

After waiting more than a decade, Fannius initiated legal action, first before an arbitrator named Piso. Piso ordered Roscius to pay Fannius 100,000 sesterces, on the condition that Fannius in turn pay Roscius half of whatever amount he recovered from Flavius. Roscius complied by paying Fannius an initial 50,000 sesterces.

Later, Fannius sued Flavius and reportedly won 100,000 sesterces, but he denied receiving any payment and refused to compensate Roscius as agreed. In the present suit, Fannius attempted to extract the second installment from Roscius without honoring his prior obligation to share his own recovery.^[4]

Legacy

The epithet "Roscius" became synonymous with being a great comic actor.^[5] In later centuries, several prominent performers were given the honorary title "Roscius," including William Henry West Betty ("the Young Roscius") and Ira Aldridge, the 19th-century African-American tragedian dubbed "the African Roscius."^[6]

See also

• Cicero
• Roman theatre
• Slavery in ancient Rome
• Pseudolus