night lights
gellius the satirist roman cultural authority in attic nights
this monograph presents an original portrait of the second century miscellanist aulus gellius based on a detailed reading of attic nights against its contemporary background . highlighting gellius use of humour and irony in his portrayals of controversial celebrities such as favorinus and herodes atticus the book provides a necessary corrective to interpretations of gellius as an uncritical philhellene or an apolitical bookworm . distinguishing gellius various literary personae the youthful sectator the independent researcher the mature writer and adviser the book uncovers the many layered sophistication of gellius self presentation . noting previously unrecognised allusions to literary works and contemporary events it offers a fresh perspective on gellius as a satirical writer whose roman cultural programme reflects the ambiguities and complexities of antonine intellectual life .