La società degli attori sotto Giustiniano: Coricio di Gaza e l’Apologia dei mimi

Abstract

Justianian’s legislation includes many norms against theatre, particularly against mimes. Before becoming the Emperor’s wife, Theodora had been both an actress and a mime. Lawmakers aimed at restoring the Empress’ holy and respectable image. In Coricius of Gaza’s declamation Apologia mimorum, on the other hand, one realizes that the defence of theatre is actually a cunning challenge to imperial power. Moreover the text can be seen as a remarkable theatre source. This article aims at disclosing and highlighting the subtle connection beetween defence (of theatre) and challenge (to royal power), going deeply into different sources, in particular some Novellae from Codex Iustinianus.