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Claire Parry

Dr. Noah Lelek

TH HIST I

December 5, 2017

Greco-Roman Mime: A Trace Through History

Throughout history, the influence of Greco-Roman theater has shaped theater into what it

has become today. From the early start of calling upon the Muses, to the chorus narrating the plot

came a unique form of art shaped differently in every culture it touched. The art of the mime is

now popularly resided in historical stock figures such as Italy’s commedia dell’arte and

contemporary figures such as Marcel Marceau, and silent film artists Charlie Chaplin, Laurel &

Hardy. Each of these people were subsequently influenced by the Greco-Roman period of mime.

Such fame couldn’t have been possible from its humble, or better yet, crude beginnings. But at

what point is the line of Greek and Roman mime blurred? Mime flourished in both Greek and

Roman times, but under wildly different circumstances. Both contributed specific characteristics

that defined the art form within their time period. In turn, how has the art of mime transcended

from Greek to Roman and now into the classroom for historical and practical learning purposes?

Before the art of mime within Greco-Roman time can be traced, it is vital to visualize a

time before mime was an established art form. In The Origins and Development of Mime,

Annette Lust recounts a time before our hunter-gatherer ancestors relied on the use of gestures in

order to communicate (Lust ii). While it has been proven that our former neanderthal ancestors

had the ability to speak based on the shape of their lower jaw, it is still a valid belief that the use

of gestures aided the peoples as they developed language. Although we have no proof what

they’re language sounded like, we do have pictorial evidence of the use of gestures in the Great
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Pyramids. Unfortunately with the hieroglyphs there is no way of knowing exactly what the

emperor's slaves were portraying. But, it is now interpreted into a wide variety of myths that

shaped what we know about Egyptology and ancient practices. With the use of charcoal, sand,

and soot the Egyptians were able to portray ritual practices and dances in a 2-D art form

(Fantham 155). Stemming from this 2-D art we are met with three dimensional expressive

movement that was incorporated in countries spanning from Egypt, China, Japan, and Greece (to

name a few). Thus, the evolution of mime has been a staple in history since evolution of

mankind, and can be traced far before the Greeks.

But to put things back into perspective of how this timeline is related specifically to the

invention of the art of mime, we must revisit ancient Greece. The word “pantomime” comes

from the ancient name “pan” which stood in ancient times as the god of nature. The Greek word

“mimos” which is translated as “imitator,” combined with the god of nature “pan” produces

“pantomime.” Thus, pantomime literally translates to “imitator of nature” (Duckworth 2). The

earliest traces of mime is thought to have begun in 581 B.C. in Megara. Examples of mimetic

action within Greek tradition is displayed in the popular Pyrrhic dances portraying scenes of war.

These dances involved rhythmic movement and the imitation of battles in war. Plato describes

the dance by rapid movements of the body “the way in which missiles and blows from weapons

were avoided, and also the mode in which the enemies were attacked” (Antiquary). Such dances

involving the action of mime slowly contributed to the development of mime into a drama.

According to Richter , “with the increase of the power of the populace the mime grew in

importance”(152). Within the fifth century the mimes were predated acting troupes traveling

from city to city to perform in festivals. In the next century mimes were of popular demand

within court as performers and welcomed as esteemed guests of kings and nobles. By the third
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century, the height of the Alexandrian period, mimes finally earned a “recognized place” in both

literature and on the stage.

Unfortunately, the same cannot be said of mimes within the Roman culture. Given that

most of Rome’s assets were mere carbon copies of Greek culture, i.e. gods, theater, it is odd they

held mimes in a different esteem of their counterparts. With the new implementation of

Christianity rearing its head within Roman homes, mimes were pushed further into the

background of high esteemed drama. Over one century ago a numerous amount of small statues

were displayed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York entitled “grotesques.” Such

statues are believed to have been created during the Roman period, but its significance for

existence in unclear. Some believe that is was used as a charm against the evil eye. The statue

itself is only ten centimeters high, with the deformities such as a hunchback: twisted arms, long

pointed nose, and lumpy skull. Richter argues it is a model for the unpopular mime plays often

displayed during the Roman period. Such grotesque portrayal is evident in the speeches and

criticisms of Cicero, deemed one of the greatest orators of Rome (Laberius and Panayotakis 54).

Cicero despised the buffoonery art of mime, often condemning one of his opposing

colleague’s to that of a mime. In chapter 68 of de Oratore II, Cicero remarks “ What can be so

ridiculous as a clown? But we laugh at his grimaces, his mimicry of other people’s

characteristics, his voice; in short, his whole person. I can call him witty, not, however, in the

way I should wish an orator to be witty, but only the mime. Such characters are in themselves

ridiculous; we jer at such roles on the stage; we do not act them.” These eerily similar

characteristics of mimes compared to the grotesque statues are undeniable. These mimetic plays

were representations to showcase the life of a common man and the buffoonery that goes along

with it. It is conceivable to believe that while the societal status of mimes was at an all time low,
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its popularity never ceased. The idea that artists would portray their view of mimes in a literal

“grotesque” manner is representative within these statues. Cicero’s hatred of the mimicry and

cheap humor is evident within his oratory works, but mimes were not limited to phallic

improvisational themes he despised.

According to Stavros Tsitiridis, he theorizes that Roman mime plays were far more than

phallic plays and imitation of daily life. In fact, when dramatic mimetic plays were established,

he argued it is highly improbable that improvisational techniques were used in mimetic plays

during the Roman period. Within his article he cites two nearly full length mime plays by the

names of Charition and Moicheutria. Tsitiridis disproves the idea that Charition is simply a

scenario script similar to Italy’s Commedia dell’arte. Such thought is improbable because of the

lack of action that is written within each scene. Instead, the scenes contain technical jargon such

as music cues, stage directions, and few lines of the script itself. Thus, it is more likely the script

of Charition is a prompt book of a dramatic mimetic play used by the director.

On the other hand we have Moicheutria which is solely lines, but no indication as to what

character is speaking. Tsiridis theorizes that the text we have is an incomplete manuscript of a

different version of the play, which would explain the textual pieces missing within the script. In

terms of the improvisational aspect, the text we are given contains many moments of stalling, no

advancement of the plot whatsoever. Alongside this, we have numerous exits and entrances,

along with a costume change to signify a woman in fake mourning that could not be plausibly

improvised. Thus we are left with two nearly complete dramatic mimetic plays that drastically

differentiate from the stereotypical improvisational comedies and burlesque scenes of the

Greeks.
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Popular dramatic mime plays were not originated in Roman times, instead one of the

earliest dated mime plays, or rather scenes, on record is The Mime of Herodas. It was only within

the last two centuries (1891) that these mime plays were published in The British Museum.

Unfortunately, the century wear and tear of the papyrus in which these were found have erased

any sign of the correct spelling of “Herodas.” Often times, depending on what country or

language it is published in, the variety of spelling include Herodas or Herondas. The distinct

difference of drama and mime is best said in the words of J.A. Nairn, “While in the case of

drama the action is important, the mime is chiefly concerned with the representation of

characters” (xxii). Herodas’ characters within his scenes are often times matriarchs or women of

the house in heated discussions or personal anguish. The scenes are basic and without much flare

of imagination to them. Instead the author focuses on the trials of daily life: women gossiping, a

monologue of a owner of a brothel, the conversations between slaves all written in a natural

verse that can easily be understood by the audience. The first of Herodas’ mimes translated as

“The Go-Between” is between an old nurse and her long widowed employer discussing the

thought of remarrying a young man who has fallen in love with her (Herodas Mime I). The

simplicity of such mimetic scenes of both Greek and Roman have the opportunity to be a

valuable tool within the classroom. Considering how short they are, it would be easy to learn the

scenes and perform them in class following an in depth conversation on the differences (if any)

of the two.

The Greco-Roman period was a pivotal period for theatre. The extensive development of

the art created a profession that lives on centuries after its birth and will continue on in legacy

after death. The art of mime is now celebrated in acclaimed silent films and ancient papyrus that

is studied within the classroom because of its groundbreaking foundation. In turn, it is

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recognized that although the art of mime may have begun with the Greeks, it was a common

practice molded into many shapes and forms in every culture. In the words of Marcel Marceau

““No art is superior to another one, but every art looks for expertise and perfection. This is life,

which continues; this is why there is no death. There is continuation. There is no silence. There is

a continuation of thought.”

The trace of Greek and Roman mimes within theatrical history is the first step in order to

teach the art of mime within a classroom. In order to understand how to be a Greek mime, first

we must comprehend what sort of plays were produced and how it was relevant to society. The

introduction of the history of mime can often be seen as a bit redundant. Mime plays were

produced, Greeks liked them, Romans didn’t, end of story. In order to keep the students

interested we must sprinkle in a bit of hands on experience as well as informational learning to

constantly peak their interest. We as educators must continue the legacy of the Greek and Roman

history within the classroom. Mime is a specific part of theatrical history that many within the

profession know very little about other than Commedia dell’arte. Including this piece of history

alongside tactical and performance approach will enforce the students learning tenfold. Not only

will they be more knowledgeable about the history of the mime but they will also be well

informed in a specific style that can be used in all sorts of acting methods.

Works Cited

B, Mr. “Always Care!” Always Care!, 20 Mar. 2015, www.mrbalwayscare.com/.

Duckworth, George E. “Early Italian Popular Comedy.” The Nature of Roman Comedy: a Study in

Popular Entertainment, University of Oklahoma Press, 1994, pp. 2–15.

Fantham, R. Elaine. “Mime: The Missing Link in Roman Literary History.” JSTOR, The Johns
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Hopkins University Press, http://www.jstor.org/stable/4350348

Herodas, and J. A. Nairn. The Mimes of Herodas. Clarendon Press, 1904.

Laberius, D., and Costas Panayotakis. “Defining the Roman Mime.” Decimus Laberius: the

Fragments, Cambridge University Press, 2010.

Lust, Annette. “The Origins and Development of the Art of Mime.” The World of Mime Theatre *

Library * History of Mime, 1 Jan. 2003, www.mime.info/history-lust.html.

Tsitsiridis, Stavros. “‘Greek Mime in the Roman Empire (P.Oxy. 413)", Logeion 1 (2011) 184-232.”

Academia.edu, 2011, www.academia.edu/1786731/_Greek_Mime_in_the_Roman_Empire_

Petriccione, Sylvia. “Improvisational Drama- Without Words.” 90.02.02: Improvisional Drama-Without

Words, Yale- New Haven Teacher Institute, 2016, teachersinstitute.yale.edu

Richter, Gisela M. A. “Grotesques and the Mime.” American Journal of Archaeology, vol. 17, no. 2, 1

Apr. 1913, pp. 149–156. JSTOR, JSTOR.

http://www.phstheatre.org

Name: Claire Parry

Title of Unit: The Art of Mime

Title of Lesson: The origin of mime and its contemporary counterparts

Grade Level(s): 9-12

Goal: Introduce the concept of mime before it was established as an art form and the
concept of mime as a contemporary art form.
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Objectives Standards/Anchors Formative Assessment

Mime from the Introduce the word “mime” to Discuss with the class their
beginning of time the class and discuss how first thoughts and previous
the use of knowledge of the word “mime.”
gestures/performance has
benefitted cultures
throughout time.

Modern Age Mime The instructor will lead a Discuss and watch examples
discussion introducing the of Charlie Chaplin, Laurel &
idea of the word “mime.” Hardy, and Marcel Marceau.
DIscuss with the students
their knowledge (if any) of
modern day mimes and
examples of them in pop
culture.

Content Knowledge: In order to properly understand the establishment of the art of

mime, the students must first have a preconceived notion of what mime is without this
information. While the art of mime was established in Greece, the use of gestures as a
means of communication precedes them. Our ancestors, the hunter-gatherers used
gestures in order to communicate as well as their unknown spoken language. For
example, hieroglyphs and the numerous amount of art that is lined within the Great
Pyramids is a perfect form of written language that portrayed stories and rituals of their
cultures. It is with these stories that they clearly express gestures within the use of
rituals and performance in order to appease the gods. This 2-D art form translates into a
three dimensional performance act that defines Egypt as a brilliantly ancient period.
Such use of gestures is not limited to Egypt, as seen in numerous contemporary
cultures containing ancient traditions, rituals are imperative within their respective
cultures. On the other hand, us as individuals have a preconceived idea of mimes within
this time period. Such silent film stars like Charlie Chaplin and Laurel & Hardy come to
mind when silent film was at its peak. The idea of a mute mime with a pale white face,
black and white striped shirt, white gloves comes from this age of silent films.

Procedures:

Lesson Beginning
Introductory Review:
● Begin with a mirror exercise. In pairs of two the students will mirror each
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other’s actions with no words, first beginning with the face then the arms.
● After the warm up, ask the students what the first thought comes to mind
when they think of the word “mime.”
● Give background on the extent of mime’s historical significance.
● Ask the students if they know of any contemporary mimes.
Motivation/Focus
● Watch examples of Charlie Chaplin and Laurel & Hardy.

Lesson Development
Student Involvement
● Students will take notes during the silent film excerpts that will be used for
discussion after video. Focus on the specific characteristics that
differentiate them from acting we see now.

Lesson Ending
Review and Closure
● Each student will complete a KWL chart with three columns regarding
what they Know, Want to know, and Learned within this lesson.
Preview of Next Lesson
● Tell students to research Greek theater or Roman theater and bring at one
of the at least one interesting fact for next class.

Materials: Theater notebook/composition, pen/pencil, Laurel & Hardy or other

contemporary mime video on YouTube

References: Laurel & Hardy in “Busy Bodies”,“The Best of Charlie Chaplin”, The
Origins and Development of Mime by Annette Lust

Anticipated Difficulties: Considering how far in history we are traveling, the students
might not have as much knowledge regarding ancient practices as I have anticipated.
But, because of this introductory lesson they will have greater exposure and take
interest regarding the topic.

Reflection: TBD
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Name: Claire Parry

Title of Unit: The Art of Mime

Title of Lesson: Introduction of Greek and Roman Mime

Grade Level(s): 9-12

Goal: Briefly trace the history of Greek and Roman mime. Discuss the societal
differences of mime within both cultures.

Objectives Standards/Anchors Formative Assessment

Origin of “Mimos” Briefly trace the origin of the Discuss relationship of the act
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word “mime” and pantomime of pantomime to the mirror

to the students. warm up game we completed.

Greek Mime Students will understand the Completion of venn diagram of

importance of mimes within Greek and Roman Mimes as a
societal standards. class.

Roman Mime Students will understand the Completion of venn diagram of

decline of importance of Greek and Roman Mimes as a
mimes within societal class.
standards. Introduce the
concept of “grotesque
statues.”

Content Knowledge: The timeline of of Greek mime as an art form begins with the
origin of the word as an “imitator of nature.” The Greeks popularized the art of mime
within theater as well as completing mimetic actions within ritualized war dances,
namely “Pyrrhic dances.” Slowly, Greek mimes became a staple within the theater. The
phallic and low comedy was a relief from the back to back tragedies performed at the
famed City of Dionysia. Mimes were a breath of fresh air sprinkled with a hearty laugh to
relieve the audience of the constant catharsis. Over the next two centuries mimes
became a fan and royal favorite, the mimes earning a spot on the esteemed guest list
within the court itself. On the other hand, the Romans failed to take a chapter from the
Greek’s book regarding the societal importance of mimes. Unlike most of their culture
that is a near carbon copy of the Greeks, the Christians disapproved of the low comedy
the mimes often performed. The mimes were just as popular in Rome but were not held
in the same esteem as those in Greece. Instead, mimes were slowly pushed into the
background and lost its traction within the theater. The famous senator and orator
Cicero famously dragged the art of mime, often comparing his rival colleagues to the art
form. It is important to note t te students the dramatic change within in each culture
regarding mime. Although mime never ceased to be popular, it fluctuated in terms of
importance and esteem.

Procedures:

Lesson Beginning
Introductory Review:
● Begin with the mirror warm up now with a focus on how to express
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emotion through body movements and facial expressions in unison.

Motivation/Focus
● Students are expected to take notes for better understanding and
comprehension of the topic.

Lesson Development
Instruction
● Lecture given regarding the difference of Greek and Roman mimes.
Student Involvement
● After the lecture, as a class we will complete a large venn diagrams to
differentiate the Greek and Roman mimes. This diagram will be hung in
the class for the remainder of the unit for class comprehension purposes.

Lesson Ending
Review and Closure
● Students should share the interesting fact they learned about their
research on contemporary mimes.
● Discuss what we know so far about contemporary mimes in comparison to
the Greek and Roman mimes. Importance in society, acting style, themes
of performance etc.
Preview of Next Lesson
● Prepare students with aspect of reading and performing scenes from
original works of Greek and Roman mime plays.

Materials: Pen/ pencil, Theater composition notebook, Large paper and markers

References: De Oratore II by Cicero, Grotesques and the Mime by Richter, Defining

the Roman Mime.” by Laberius, D., and Costas Panayotakis.

Anticipated Difficulties: Since this is basically a history lesson it is easy for the
students to lose interest within the topic. Adding the element of the venn diagram will
force the student to listen in order to contribute to the process.

Reflection: TBD
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Name: Claire Parry

Title of Unit: The Art of Mime

Title of Lesson: The performance of Greek and Roman Mime

Grade Level(s): 9-12

Goal: Effectively perform pieces of original Greek and Roman mime.

Objectives Standards/Anchors Formative Assessment

Themes of Greek and Project to the students the
Roman plays non stereotypical theme that
are associated with mimes
as previously discussed.
Introduce mime themes
Students should take notes
regarding the themes and
recognize mimetic themes are
more complicated than history
writes it to be.
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regarding the common man

and complex plots.

The Mimes of Students should identify the Students will be asked to

Herodas theme of the scenes, how briefly rehearse and perform
does it differentiate from our the scenes in front of the class.
previous knowledge of
Greek mime plays?

Moicheutria Students should identify the Students will be asked to

elements that correlate with briefly rehearse and perform
contemporary plays. How the scenes in front of the class.
does it correlate to what we
know about the societal
standards in which Roman
mimes are held?

Content Knowledge: Given the classes previous knowledge of the extent of Greek and
Roman mime plays, the original works are throw for a loop. The Mimes of Herodas was
a unique papyrus that has survived multiple centuries that is an original piece of work
from the Greek period. These short scenes focus on domestic struggles and are without
much flare. But the scenes are a perfect tool for students to replicate the scenes in
order to better understand the writing and themes not related to an improvisational
phallic themed play. On the other hand, we have the near full length dramtic, complex
plot of Moicheutria. This tragicomedy leaves no room for improvisational feats that many
critic once believed ruled all Roman plays.

Procedures:

Lesson Beginning
Introductory Review
● This warm up will focus on expression through body movements. Students
will walk in silence throughout the room not touching any of the other
students. I will instruct them to act as though we are walking through water
up to our hips, channeling all their energy to their feet.
○ How does it feel under your feet? Is it difficult to walk through it?
What’s the temperature like? How does your upper body help you
move?
● Students are familiar with the history of Greek and Roman mimes and its
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often crude, improvisational aspect associated with it.

Motivation/Focus
● Students should refer back to our class venn diagram and their notes in
preparation of performing their designated scenes for the class.

Lesson Development
Student Involvement
● Students are required to participate in their groups and block and rehearse
their scene from either the Roman or Greek mime play. While the other
students are watching, they should pay close attention to how their peers
act out their specific scenes.

Lesson Ending
Review and Closure
● As a class we will discuss the scenes that we watched and how it related
to the context of the Greek and Roman mime history we learned.
● The students will lead a discussion comparing the ancient mimes to the
contemporary mimes we discussed earlier in the unit.
○ What has changed? Which do you prefer? What does each culture
focus their themes of mime on, if any?

Materials: Pen/pencil, Theater composition notebook, Script of plays (provided)

References: The Mimes of Herodas by Herodas, Greek Mime in the Roman Empire by
Tsitiridis, Improvisational Drama- Without Words by Petriccione

Anticipated Difficulties: The warm up is much different than the mirror warm up we
have done in class together. But it will be an important to challenge them physically in
order to create a realistic physical appearance of a specific emotion.

Reflection: TBD