The article examines the diffusion of graffiti and pamphlets as a sociopolitical phenomenon in the Roman Republic. The question of their value as evidence for popular politics is approached using a survey of the lexical repertoire used by both Greek and Latin sources when they quoted them. The analysis highlights that the wording used tended to overlook the physical nature of the device, so that in some cases it is possible to reinterpret some alleged references to pamphlets as actual evidences for graffiti; moreover, this allows for the hypothesis that the diffusion of political contents was favoured by the simultaneous circulation of the same message in differentiated forms – including popular songs. Furthermore, graffiti and pamphlets appear to have been socially marked phenomena, the former being intended as a typical non-elite way for expressing political issues.
Graffiti e pamphlet. Lessico e sociologia di un fenomeno politico
Andrea Angius
2015-01-01
Abstract
The article examines the diffusion of graffiti and pamphlets as a sociopolitical phenomenon in the Roman Republic. The question of their value as evidence for popular politics is approached using a survey of the lexical repertoire used by both Greek and Latin sources when they quoted them. The analysis highlights that the wording used tended to overlook the physical nature of the device, so that in some cases it is possible to reinterpret some alleged references to pamphlets as actual evidences for graffiti; moreover, this allows for the hypothesis that the diffusion of political contents was favoured by the simultaneous circulation of the same message in differentiated forms – including popular songs. Furthermore, graffiti and pamphlets appear to have been socially marked phenomena, the former being intended as a typical non-elite way for expressing political issues.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.