The John and Penelope Biggs Department of Classics is delighted to highlight a major new contribution by Professor Tim Moore, John and Penelope Biggs Distinguished Professor of Classics, to the forthcoming Cambridge University Press volume Ennius Beyond Epic (2025), edited by Jesse Hill and C.W. Marshall. Professor Moore’s chapter, “Ennian Tragedy as Musical Theater” (pp. 141–167), offers an innovative re-examination of Ennius’ tragic fragments through the lens of performance and musicality.
Reimagining Ennius on the Roman Stage
Although Ennius is best known for his epic Annales, he was also a prolific tragedian whose works shaped the development of Roman drama. In this chapter, Professor Moore demonstrates that to understand Ennius’ tragedies fully, we must view them not simply as texts but as vibrant theatrical performances rich with musical expression.
Drawing on his extensive expertise in the music of ancient theater, Moore argues that Ennian tragedy employed a range of sonic elements—lyric meters, choral performance, instrumental accompaniment, and vocal modulation—that would have deeply affected how Roman audiences experienced these plays. His analysis encourages readers to imagine the tragedies as dynamic works of musical theater rather than as static literary remnants.
Expanding the Study of Ennius
Ennius Beyond Epic aims to broaden the scholarly conversation surrounding one of Rome’s foundational poets by moving beyond the traditional focus on epic. Professor Moore’s contribution underscores the artistic diversity of Ennius’ corpus and highlights the importance of tragedy as a site of experimentation in early Roman literature.
By situating Ennius within the wider traditions of Mediterranean musical performance, Moore sheds light on how the dramatist’s innovations influenced later Roman playwrights and helped shape the evolution of tragic style.
A Continuing Legacy of Scholarship
Professor Moore is widely recognized for his groundbreaking work on the role of music in Roman comedy and tragedy. His interdisciplinary approach—combining literary analysis, musicology, and performance studies—has transformed the modern understanding of how ancient drama functioned on stage. “Ennian Tragedy as Musical Theater” continues this trajectory, offering an engaging and insightful exploration of how sound, song, and rhythm animated one of Rome’s earliest tragedians.
The Department celebrates Professor Moore’s latest achievement.
