The Life of Terence, Revisited

Suetonius’ biography of Publius Terentius Afer, i.e., Terence the African (c. 195-159 BCE), identifies the Roman comic poet as a former slave from Carthage, describing him physically as a slim man of medium height and “dark color” (colore fusco). Yet classicists have historically denied Terence’s blackness out of a belief that “humanistic” or linguistic excellence could not be reconciled with blackness and African identity. This article addresses the Eurocentric logic underpinning classical scholars’ treatment of Terence, ultimately affirming both the ancient and modern traditions which make legitimate claims on the black poet as an ancestral figure.