Bassilla

Bassilla (fl. 3rd century CE), was a mime actress in Ancient Rome.^[1]^[2]

A memorial was made to her memory by her colleague, the actor-dancer Heracleides, at the Roman amphitheatre of Aquileia.^[2] The memorial consists of a stone stele, which features a carved portrait of Bassilla, shown in fine, modest clothing and a dignified pose. Beneath the portrait there is a Greek-language inscription praising her.^[1]^[2]^[3]

She was an actress in Roman mime, described as a stage performer who acted both in speaking roles in theatre plays and pantomime performances, as a dancer, and as part of the chorus.^[4] Her fame reached across many cities of the Empire. She was referred to as an archimima, which was the title of the leading lady in a Roman theatre, and her epitaph praised her as a "10th Muse".^[2]^[1] She may have been particularly noted for performing death scenes, as her epitaph describes her as having "died many a time on stage - but never thus!".^[4]^[5]

A role she is believed to have performed was the famous comedy role of the plotting wife Charition.^[6]

References

^ ^a ^b ^c Stewart, Michael; Parnell, David; Whately, Conor (2022-03-30). The Routledge Handbook on Identity in Byzantium. Routledge. ISBN 978-0-429-63340-9.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Ferris, Iain (2021-01-15). The Dignity of Labour: Work and Identity in the Roman World. Amberley Publishing Limited. ISBN 978-1-4456-8422-2.
^ Harvey, Brian K. (2016-02-11). Daily Life in Ancient Rome: A Sourcebook. Hackett Publishing. ISBN 978-1-58510-796-4.
^ ^a ^b Sewell, Jan; Smout, Clare (2020-04-29). The Palgrave Handbook of the History of Women on Stage. Springer Nature. ISBN 978-3-030-23828-5.
^ Poli, Mattia De; Rallo, Giuseppe Eugenio; Zimmermann, Bernhard (2021-11-15). Sub palliolo sordido: Studi sulla commedia frammentaria greca e latina - Studies on Greek and Roman Fragmentary Comedies (in Italian). Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht. ISBN 978-3-949189-22-7.
^ Pat Easterling, Edith Hall: Greek and Roman Actors: Aspects of an Ancient Profession

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[:0-1] Stewart, Michael; Parnell, David; Whately, Conor (2022-03-30). The Routledge Handbook on Identity in Byzantium. Routledge. ISBN 978-0-429-63340-9.

[:1-2] Ferris, Iain (2021-01-15). The Dignity of Labour: Work and Identity in the Roman World. Amberley Publishing Limited. ISBN 978-1-4456-8422-2.

[3] Harvey, Brian K. (2016-02-11). Daily Life in Ancient Rome: A Sourcebook. Hackett Publishing. ISBN 978-1-58510-796-4.

[:2-4] Sewell, Jan; Smout, Clare (2020-04-29). The Palgrave Handbook of the History of Women on Stage. Springer Nature. ISBN 978-3-030-23828-5.

[5] Poli, Mattia De; Rallo, Giuseppe Eugenio; Zimmermann, Bernhard (2021-11-15). Sub palliolo sordido: Studi sulla commedia frammentaria greca e latina - Studies on Greek and Roman Fragmentary Comedies (in Italian). Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht. ISBN 978-3-949189-22-7.

[6] Pat Easterling, Edith Hall: Greek and Roman Actors: Aspects of an Ancient Profession

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