The madness of Heracles

Year: 
between 22 BC and 14 AD
Scripts: 
Not known
Medium of performance: 
Pantomime
People involved: 
(Pantomime dancer)
Venues and occasions: 
Production notes: 
According to Macrobius, when Pylades was criticized by members of the audience while dancing the Madness of Heracles he took off his mask and told them that he was trying to dance a madman. When performing this role he is also said to have shot arrows at the spectators. Heracles is often mentioned as a subject of pantomime but the length of time separating Macrobius from the reign of Augustus makes it impossible to be sure that this particular anecdote account is reliable.

How to cite this ancient performance

The madness of Heracles, accessed at http://www.apgrd.ox.ac.uk/ancient-performance/performance/988 <13 May 2024>