Choreography of Lupercalia

Abstract

In this paper, I apply the methodologies of dance studies and cultural studies of the body to an analysis of the Roman Lupercalia. Focusing on the corporeality of the participants as the most striking component of the performance, I demonstrate that the physicality of these bodies and their mobility through the city of Rome not only transmit but also generate cultural significance, which is crucial for understanding the role of dance in Roman public rituals and its consequent part in the construction of Roman identities.