L’étude des pyrrhiques d’amphithéâtre sous l’empire : l’apport de l’iconographie

Abstract

Literary sources, as well as iconographic documents, testify to the introduction in Rome, as part of the programme of amphitheatre performances, of short plays on mythological themes, known as pyrrichae (pyrrhic). They were executions, re-enactments of the hunting exploits of heroes close to the uenationes, or mime extracts. However, their performance in the arena, first in Rome then in the provinces, implied the choice of mythological themes that had already been disseminated through vectors accessible to all, such as the theatre or the decoration of everyday objects. Consequently, these amphitheatre shows contributed to the confirmation and extension of the success of the same themes in the iconography of the Roman world, whether in the decoration of the wealthiest residences or in mass-produced everyday objects. Furthermore, the role of these pyrrichae in creating a “common denominator” of mythological references in the décor and imagination of all the empire’s inhabitants of raises the question of the influence of imperial power, as the main organizer of these shows, on the choice of the themes thus favoured.