Cicero's Use of Judicial Theater

Praise / Awards

• "In the book as a whole, Hall provides an elegant and well-documented account of a significant, if restricted, aspect of the practice of Roman forensic oratory in Cicero’s day, combining analysis of language with some comparative sociology, sensible speculation and touches of humor."
  —Bryn Mawr Classical Review
• "Working with very little hard evidence, Hall has illuminated the concept of judicial theatrics and their effectiveness through a careful study of Cicero's speeches. His book has helped us to understand the manipulation of emotion by non-verbal means, and to see the ways in which such behaviour was intrinsic to Roman aristocratic culture. Cicero indeed excelled in performance; Hall has excelled in explaining the orator's judicial theatre to us in this fine book."
  --Jane Crawford, The Classical Review
• "[Cicer's Use of Judicial Theater] is a signi?cant book, not only for its individual insights, but also, more importantly, for what can be inferred from remaining scripts for the organization of Roman society and the rôle of ‘performances’ within it."
  --Journal of Roman Studies
• "Cicero’s Use of Judicial Theater provides a lucidly written, well-argued, and highly interesting study of Cicero’s use of “theatrics” in his forensic speeches."
  --Phoenix
• "Hall's work brings a new and very interesting light to the functioning of justice in Roman times through a very precise and detailed analysis of technical theatrical techniques used for Cicero's arguments in court."
  --Latomus

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