Why did Horace often make himself the target of mockery in his Satires?

In his Satires, Horace adopted a persona characterized by mild mockery and playful wit rather than harsh invective. By frequently making himself the target of his own humor, Horace projected the image of an urbane, self-aware man of the world who was concerned about the prevalence of folly but preferred to address it through laughter rather than malice or rage.1

This approach served several purposes:

• Defensive Strategy: Horace viewed satire as a defensive tool to protect himself from the attacks of malicious critics. By mocking his own shortcomings, he disarmed potential detractors and maintained a position of humility.21
• Moral Philosophy: Influenced by Hellenistic principles such as metriotes (the just mean) and autarkeia (self-sufficiency), Horace used irony to reconcile traditional morality with his own life experiences.2
• Tone and Accessibility: Unlike the harsh, aggressive style of his predecessor Lucilius, Horace’s choice to laugh at his own nonsense made his critiques feel unpretentious and flexible, allowing him to navigate between grave and gay subjects effectively.1