Comedy

The Romans preferred comedies, especially exaggerated ones. Mime, or performing without speaking, was popular with the audiences. Such mimes recreated and made fun of middle class citizens, as well as famous myths. Features included drunkenness, obscenity, dances, greed, acrobatics, and jokes. By the end of the Roman Empire, a particular type of mime began to emerge. One actor played all the parts in the performance (wearing masks), danced and mimed while a chorus narrated or told the story he was acting out to music. This became known as pantomime, and still survives today in children's plays.