Paris was an actor in Rome in the 1st century AD.

Born in Egypt, he came to Rome in the reign of Domitian, where his skills as a pantomimus won him popular favour, noblewomen as lovers, influence within the imperial court and the power to promote his favourites within the court. That influence would seem to be demonstrated by the story of Juvenal's banishment to Egypt for attacking Paris^[1] Titus Flavius Domitianus (24 October 51 – 18 September 96), commonly known as Domitian, was a Roman Emperor of the gens Flavia. ... Mime Artist Dressed as a Hobo A mime artist is someone who uses mime as a theatrical medium or as a performance art. ... Woodcut of Juvenal from the Nuremberg Chronicle Decimus Iunius Iuvenalis, Anglicized as Juvenal, was a Roman satiric poet of the late 1st century and early 2nd century. ...

His affair with Domitian's wife Domitia Longina led Domitian to divorce her and murder Paris, and even to kill one of Paris's pupils merely for looking like Paris and ordinary people for mourning Paris's death by placing flowers and perfumes on the site where he was murdered. ^[2] Titus Flavius Domitianus (24 October 51 – 18 September 96), commonly known as Domitian, was a Roman Emperor of the gens Flavia. ... Domitia Longina was a Roman matrona that lived in the 1st century. ...

Martial composed epithet xi.13 in Paris's honour, calling him "sales Nili" (wit of the Nile) and "Romani decus et dolor theatri" (ornament and grief of the Roman theatre-world). He is also recorded in Juv. vi. 82-87 ^[3] and was the subject of Philip Massinger's play The Roman Actor.[1] Philip Massinger (1583 - 1640) was an English dramatist. ...

Notes

1. ^ Pseudo-Suetonius, vii. 86-91, though this story is probably unreliable.
2. ^ Dio Cassius lxvii. 3; Suet. Dom. 3, 10
3. ^ "When Eppia, the senator's wife, ran off with a gladiator to Pharos and the Nile and the ill-famed city of Lagus, Canopus itself cried shame upon the monstrous morals of our town. Forgetful of home, of husband and of sister, without thought of her country, she shamelessly abandoned her weeping children; and--more marvellous still--deserted Paris and the games."

External links

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