New Menander Mosaics from Antioch

In this thought-provoking article, the author discusses a newly-discovered mosaic pavement from Antioch (excavated in 2007) which illustrates scenes from four different comedies of Menander: Perikeiromene, Philadelphoi, Synaristosai, and Theophouromene, all identified by inscriptions that indicate particular acts in the plays. They fill one very long mosaic panel (with large lozenges placed between the figural scenes) which was found in what presumably was a corridor in a private house in the opulent suburb of Daphne. The pavement probably is to be dated to the first half of the 3rd c. CE; archaeological evidence as well as stylistic comparisons with other Antioch mosaics suggest this date. Unfortunately, the plan of the entire dwelling is unknown. Drawing upon several types of scholarly sources, including plays of Plautus that were inspired by Menander’s comedies, the author meticulously analyzes and interprets the mosaic imagery to explain the precise moment of action in each play represented in the mosaic. She also demonstrates how the Antioch pavement both resembles and varies with related depictions of Menander’s comedies, underscoring its originality. For example, the image of Theophouromene represents the possessed girl herself dancing with cymbals, and Synaristosai presents an expanded version of the traditional group of figures in illustrations of this play. The Antioch mosaic also contains the only known representation of Philadelphoi. One conclusion of the author’s is that performance and recitation of the plays of Menander were still very active in the 3rd c., and that mosaicists represented variations of standard scenes, emphasizing one aspect or another, because of their patrons’ close familiarity with the text. Altogether, the mosaic discovered at Antioch adds a precious new document to our understanding and appreciation of the survival of Classical culture in the Greek-speaking part of the Roman Empire.