Lucius Pomponius

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This is an article about Lucius Pomponius Bononiensis. For Lucius Pomponius Secundus, see under Lucius Pomponius (Secundus).

Lucius Pomponius (fl. ca. 90 BC or earlier), Roman dramatist. Called Bononiensis (“native of Bononia” (Bologna)), Pomponius was a writer of Atellanæ Fabulæ (Atellan Fables), and a near contemporary of Quintus Novius. Pomponius was the first to give artistic dignity to the Atellan Fables by making them less improvised and providing the actors with a script (written in the metrical forms and technical rules of the Greeks) and a predetermined plot. Pomponius’ skill in the utilization of rustic, obscene, quotidian, alliterative, punning, and farcical language was remarked on by Macrobius in his Saturnalia, as well as by Seneca the Elder and Marcus Velleius Paterculus.

His work included political, religious, social, and mythological satires. Some of the titles of the seventy works attributed to him are:

Macchus Miles (“Macchus the Soldier”)
Leno ("The Pimp")
Pytho Gorgonius
Pseudo-Agamemnon (“Supposititious Agamemnon”)
Bucco Adoptatus
Bucco Auctoratus
Prostibulum ("The Brothel")
Munda
Aleones ("The Gamblers")
Pappus agricola ("Pappus the Farmer")
Sponsa Pappi ("Pappus' Bride")
Pappus Praeteritus (not to be confused with the work of Quintus Novius of the same name)
Marsyas