After his death, the comedies of the Roman dramatist Plautus continued to be staged, and were interpreted by scholars and read by enthusiasts and students. The present study deals with the textual history and reception of these comedies from their first performances (approx. 220 - 185 BC) until the start of their direct transmission (approx. 400 AD). The author traces the changes that occurred in the course of the comedies' performance, commentary and exploitation by scholars and teachers. In the process, he not only draws a fascinating and comprehensive picture of the history of Plautus reception and scholarship in classical times, but also provides important insights into the history of literary and linguistic studies in Rome.

Marcus Deufert is Senior Research Fellow in the Department of Classical Studies at the Georg-August University of Göttingen.