Titus Maccius Plautus

Bio

A brief biography of Titus Maccius Plautus

Titus Maccius Plautus was born in the year 254 BC in Sarsina, Italy. He was a famous Roman playwright who studied Greek drama. Plautus’ well known works include Amphitruo, Bacchides—among the twenty out of a hundred-thirty plays that survived.

There is little information about Plautus’ early life. He worked as a stage-carpenter and possibly developed the love for theater in that aspect. Plautus also studied Greek dramas, inspiring him to eventually write his own plays. In his day, Plautus was a success in the theatrical world. His works are the earliest versions of Latin literature known to survive, which were originally performed between 205-184 BC.

There is no known information regarding Plautus’ death, besides the year of 184 BC. He is buried somewhere in Rome, Italy, leaving behind no trace of a tomb besides an epitaph which read:
“postquam est mortem aptus Plautus, Comoedia luget, scaena est deserta, dein Risus, Ludus Iocusque et Numeri innumeri simul omnes conlacrimarunt. English Translation: “Since Plautus is dead, Comedy mourns, The stage is deserted; then Laughter, Jest and Wit, And all Melody’s countless numbers wept together.”

Many playwrights after Plautus’ time would be influenced by his work, developing their own plays using his as a guide. Shakespeare would be inspired by his plots and characters. Plautus’ play, Amphitruo, was regarded as one of the most famous plays during the Middle Ages and was performed widely—also being the first of his plays to be translated from Latin to English.