Introduction: Freedom of Speech and Self-Censorship in the Roman Empire

Abstract

This paper, which serves to introduce the studies collected in this dossier, examines the practical reality of free speech in the Roman and later Roman empires. The Roman Empire had few legal restrictions on speech and imperial officials who were thought to punish critical speech generally provoked hostile reactions. Social pressures and the danger that certain types of speech would adversely affect one’s career did much more to limit what people said and wrote. At the same time, modern readers need to be cautious lest they overanalyze moments where ancient authors use coded language. Some of this may well be an attempt to communicate controversial ideas without facing social or political consequences, but many cases of coded speech instead represent rhetorical game playing designed not to fool an audience but to amuse them.