Skip to product information
1 of 1

Laughter in Ancient Rome

Laughter in Ancient Rome

On Joking, Tickling, and Cracking Up

Paperback

Regular price £15.73
Regular price Sale price £15.73

Join our rewards scheme and earn 48 reward points on this purchase!

Earn 48 points on this!

Sign in or Sign up!
View full details
  • Release Date: 05/03/2024
  • Barcode: 9780520401495
  • Imprint: University of California Press
  • Publisher: University of California Press
Laughter in Ancient Rome

Laughter in Ancient Rome

Collapsible content

DESCRIPTION

On Joking, Tickling, and Cracking Up

"Superbly acute and unashamedly complex."—The Telegraph
"Rich and provocative."—Times Literary Supplement
"An engaging exploration."—The New Yorker

"The phenomenal Ms. Beard has written another cracking book, one of her best."—The Independent

What made the Romans laugh? Was ancient Rome a carnival, filled with practical jokes and hearty chuckles? Or was it a carefully regulated culture in which the uncontrollable excess of laughter was a force to fear—a world of wit, irony, and knowing smiles? How did Romans make sense of laughter? What role did it play in the world of the law courts, the imperial palace, or the spectacles of the arena?

Laughter in Ancient Rome explores one of the most intriguing, but also trickiest, of historical subjects. Drawing on a wide range of Roman writing—from essays on rhetoric to a surviving Roman joke book—Mary Beard tracks down the giggles, smirks, and guffaws of the ancient Romans themselves. From ancient “monkey business” to the role of a chuckle in a culture of tyranny, she explores Roman humor from the hilarious, to the momentous, to the surprising.  But she also reflects on even bigger historical questions. What kind of history of laughter can we possibly tell? Can we ever really “get” the Romans’ jokes?

DELIVERY & RETURNS

UK Delivery:

  • Free delivery on all orders of £10 or more.
  • £1.49 delivery fee on orders below £10.
  • UK orders are shipped via Royal Mail 2nd Class.

International Delivery:

  • Flat rate delivery charges vary by country.

Dispatch and Delivery Times:

  • All orders are shipped from our warehouse in Northampton, UK within 48 hours of receipt during working hours.
  • UK mainland orders typically arrive within 3-5 working days via Royal Mail 2nd Class.
  • International estimated delivery times:
  • Europe & Channel Islands: 7 to 10 working days
  • USA: 7 to 15 working days
  • Rest of the World: 9 to 21 working days

View our full delivery infomation here.

  • OVER

    2 MILLION PRODUCTS

  • 60 MILLION CUSTOMERS

    ACROSS 190 COUNTRIES