Plautus

Who Was Plautus?

Plautus was a funny writer from ancient Rome who lived a long time ago, from about 254 to 184 BC. He wrote funny plays called comedies in Latin. All the plays by Plautus that we still have today are from this time. His stories help us learn about life and theater in ancient Rome.

Plautus wrote a special kind of play called Palliata comoedia. This means “plays based on Greek stories.” Another writer, Livius Andronicus, started this style. Famous writers from much later, like Shakespeare and Molière, were inspired by Plautus. One of Molière’s plays, The Miser, uses ideas from Plautus's play called Aulularia.

Because Plautus's plays have lasted so long, we can still enjoy them today. They show us about life in ancient Rome and how humor has always been a big part of stories.

Early Life

Not much is known about Plautus's early life. He was likely born in Sarsina, a small town in what is now Emilia-Romagna in northern Italy, around 254 BC. Plautus may have worked as a stage-carpenter before he found his talent for acting. He later studied Greek plays, especially the works of Menander. These plays inspired him to write his own comedies. His plays, performed between about 205 and 184 BC, were very popular. They are the earliest surviving complete works in Latin literature.

Plautus's comedies were often based on Greek stories but changed to suit Roman audiences. His plays brought joy and entertainment to many people in Rome.

Some of Plautus's Plays

Here are a few of Plautus's funny plays that we still have today:

• Amphitruo – A fun story about a god visiting Earth and causing surprises.
• Asinaria – A tale about tricky servants helping young lovers.
• Aulularia – A story about a greedy man who finds gold and loses it.
• Bacchides – Two sisters named Bacchis and a young man's clever tricks.
• Captivi – A story about prisoners and a lost son.
• Casina – A funny mix-up over who will marry a girl named Casina.
• Cistellaria – A young woman finds her true family.
• Curculio – A clever trick to win a woman's love.
• Epidicus – A servant helps his master in a tricky situation.
• Menaechmi – Two twins cause lots of funny mix-ups.
• Mercator – A story about a young man and a beautiful girl.
• Miles Gloriosus – A boastful soldier gets tricked by clever friends.
• Mostellaria – A young man tricks his father with a ghost story.
• Persa – A clever plan to buy a woman's freedom.
• Poenulus – A happy reunion of lost daughters.
• Pseudolus – A tricky servant helps a young man win his love.
• Rudens – Two girls escape from the sea and find their family.
• Stichus – Two sisters wait for their husbands to return.
• Trinummus – A clever trick to help a young couple marry.
• Truculentus – A woman with three lovers and a funny baby mix-up.

Why Plautus Matters

Plautus wrote his funny plays when Rome was just starting to build its theaters and the Roman Republic was getting bigger. His work helps us understand what life was like back then.

Plautus’s plays have inspired many great writers. For example, Shakespeare used ideas from Plautus in his comedies. The French writer Molière also loved Plautus’s funny stories and used them in his own plays.

Plautus’s work is still enjoyed today because of its humor and clever characters. His stories show us that funny tales have always been important, no matter where or when they are told.