Pro Roscio comoedo

oration by Cicero

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July 13, 2026

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The Pro Roscio comoedo is an oration delivered by Cicero in defense of the renowned Roman comic actor Roscius. Roscius, celebrated for his acting talent, was a freed slave who achieved significant fame and wealth. Cicero's speech, delivered around 79 BCE, helped establish his reputation as a lawyer. The oration is a testament to Cicero's rhetorical skill and his ability to defend prominent figures in Roman society.12

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Roscius
…on behalf of the actor, Pro Roscio comoedo, survives. Among those to acquire the honorary epithet Roscius were the English child star William Henry West Betty (1791–1874), known as the Young Roscius, and the American-born black tragedian Ira Aldridge (1807–67), dubbed the African Roscius.
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…on behalf of the actor, Pro Roscio comoedo, survives. Among those to acquire the honorary epithet Roscius were the English child star William Henry West Betty (1791–1874), known as the Young Roscius, and the American-born black tragedian Ira Aldridge (1807–67), dubbed the African Roscius.
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