Lucius Ambivius Turpio
Encyclopedia
Lucius Ambivius Turpio was a celebrated actor, stage manager, patron, promoter and entrepreneur in ancient Rome
around the time of the playwright Terence
, that is, around the 2nd century BC. Formerly working with the playwright Caecilius Statius
, and already known as a promoter of contemporary comic writers, Turpio moved on to serve as the producer and lead actor in most if not all of Terence's plays.
In some ways, Turpio served as Terence's metatheatrical mouthpiece on stage. In several of his plays Terence began with a prologue to the audience explaining his method of playwriting, ostensibly spoken by an actor in a manner suggesting a close relationship with the playwright. In at least two plays--Heauton Timorumenos (The Self-Tormentor)
and Hecyra (The Mother-in-Law)--this speaker in the prologue explicitly identifies himself as Turpio.
The general scholarly opinion is that it was Turpio who purchased all of Terence's pieces after they were put up for sale, and his acting troupe that was the primary performer of most of Terence's works.
Ancient Rome
Ancient Rome was a thriving civilization that grew on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 8th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea and centered on the city of Rome, it expanded to one of the largest empires in the ancient world....
around the time of the playwright Terence
Terence
Publius Terentius Afer , better known in English as Terence, was a playwright of the Roman Republic, of North African descent. His comedies were performed for the first time around 170–160 BC. Terentius Lucanus, a Roman senator, brought Terence to Rome as a slave, educated him and later on,...
, that is, around the 2nd century BC. Formerly working with the playwright Caecilius Statius
Caecilius Statius
Statius Caecilius, also known as Caecilius Statius was a Roman comic poet.A contemporary and intimate friend of Ennius, he was born in the territory of the Insubrian Gauls, probably in Mediolanum, and was probably taken as a prisoner to Rome , during the great Gallic war...
, and already known as a promoter of contemporary comic writers, Turpio moved on to serve as the producer and lead actor in most if not all of Terence's plays.
In some ways, Turpio served as Terence's metatheatrical mouthpiece on stage. In several of his plays Terence began with a prologue to the audience explaining his method of playwriting, ostensibly spoken by an actor in a manner suggesting a close relationship with the playwright. In at least two plays--Heauton Timorumenos (The Self-Tormentor)
Heauton Timorumenos
Heauton Timorumenos is a play written by Publius Terentius Afer, known in English as Terence, a dramatist of the Roman Republic. The play has presented academics with some problems. Firstly it is not entirely clear whether Heauton Timorumenos is Terence's second or third play...
and Hecyra (The Mother-in-Law)--this speaker in the prologue explicitly identifies himself as Turpio.
The general scholarly opinion is that it was Turpio who purchased all of Terence's pieces after they were put up for sale, and his acting troupe that was the primary performer of most of Terence's works.