Terence

Publius Terentius Afer (/təˈrɛnʃiəs, -ʃəs/; c. 195/185 – c. 159? BC), better known in English as Terence (/ˈtɛrəns/), was a playwright of the Roman Republic, of North African descent. His comedies were performed for the first time around 170160 BC. Terentius Lucanus, a Roman senator, brought Terence to Rome as a slave, educated him and later on, impressed by his abilities, freed him. Terence apparently died young, probably in Greece or on his way back to Rome. All of the six plays Terence wrote have survived.

One famous quotation by Terence reads: "Homo sum, humani nihil a me alienum puto", or "I am human, and nothing of that which is human is alien to me." This appeared in his play Heauton Timorumenos.

Biography

Terence's date of birth is disputed; Aelius Donatus, in his incomplete Commentum Terenti, considers the year 185 BC to be the year Terentius was born;Fenestella, on the other hand, states that he was born ten years earlier, in 195 BC.

He may have been born in or near Carthage or in Greek Italy to a woman taken to Carthage as a slave. Terence's cognomen Afer suggests he lived in the territory of the Libyan tribe called by the Romans Afri near Carthage prior to being brought to Rome as a slave. This inference is based on the fact that the term was used in two different ways during the republican era: during Terence's lifetime, it was used to refer to non-Carthaginian Libyco-Berbers, with the term Punicus reserved for the Carthaginians. Later, after the destruction of Carthage in 146 BC, it was used to refer to anyone from the land of the Afri (Tunisia and its surroundings). It is therefore most likely that Terence was of Libyan descent, considered ancestors to the modern-day Berber peoples.

Terence (given name)

Terence is a male given name, derived from the Latin name Terentius. The diminutive form is Terry. Spelling variants include Terrence, Terance, and Terrance.

Notable people with this name

  • Terry Fox, Canadian athlete, humanitarian, and cancer research activist
  • Terence, Latin playwright
  • Saint Terence, referring to one of several Christian figures sharing the name
  • Terrence ("Terry") O. Callier (1945–2012), Chicago-born jazz and folk singer and guitarist
  • Terence Trent D'Arby, R&B musician
  • Terence Dials, American basketball player
  • Terrence Howard, an American actor and singer
  • Terence James, Co-author of The Regency Detective series of novels, with David Lassman
  • Terrence Jenkins, aka Terrence J, American actor, TV personality, and model
  • Terence McKenna, American writer and philosopher
  • Terence McKenna, Canadian film producer
  • Terence Newman, American football player
  • Terence O'Neill, Ulster Unionist politician, Prime Minister of Northern Ireland
  • Sir Terence/Terry Pratchett, English author
  • Terence Rattigan, British dramatist
  • Podcasts:

    Terence

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