The Satyrica, also commonly known as the Satyricon, is a fragmentary Roman novel attributed to Titus Petronius Niger (also known as Gaius Petronius Arbiter and hereafter Petronius). The work is dated to the reign of Emperor Nero and was likely produced after Petronius’ consulship and his entry into Nero’s inner literary circle (post-62 CE). Although the fragmentary nature of the text makes it difficult to reconstruct the plot in full, the narrative broadly follows the (mis)adventures of the narrator Encolpius and his young sexual partner and possible slave, Giton. The pair encounter a series of characters, including Ascyltos, the unscrupulous rival for Giton’s affection; Trimalchio, the opulent and ignorant freedman; and Eumolpus, the much-maligned poet, as they wander throughout southern Italy. Intertextuality and literary allusion permeate the Satyrica, compelling readers to constantly engage with Petronius’...
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Citation: Preston, Liam. "Satyrica". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 23 July 2025 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/sworks.php?rec=true&UID=26811, accessed 09 June 2026.]
