How did pantomime portray stories without spoken dialogue in ancient Rome?

In ancient Rome, the pantomimus was a solo performer who portrayed stories without spoken dialogue by relying entirely on body movement, posture, and rhythmic gestures. Because the performer wore masks to identify different characters, they could not use facial expressions, making hand movements and physical attitude the primary tools for storytelling.12

The performance was structured as follows:

• Narrative Support: While the pantomimus acted out all roles in succession, a chorus sang or recited a libretto, typically adapted from well-known tragedies, historical events, or mythology.12
• Musical Accompaniment: The dancer was accompanied by an orchestra consisting of wind and percussion instruments, such as flutes, pipes, trumpets, and cymbals.12
• Costume: The performer typically wore a cloak and a long tunic, similar to a traditional tragic actor.12

Unlike the Roman mime, which often featured coarse humor and farce, the pantomime focused on loftier themes and relied on the supreme skill of the dancer to convey complex narratives through silent, expressive motion.12