I just finished listening to Dynasty by Tom Holland on the early Roman imperial era.

In ancient Rome, actors were looked down upon. They were viewed as professional liars who had to do other men’s bidding (playwrights, directors), much as did slaves. But all under Augustus and all the way to 540 AD or so the Senate was turned into a warren of play actors. The real power lay elsewhere. The “optimates” play acted at being independent while in truth, they were puppets of Caesar, the Praetorians and the legions.

Caligula and Nero ripped off the Senate’s mask and were killed for it. Nero rubbed the Senates nose in the death of mores by performing as an actor himself. Galba tried to put the mask back on, so the prateorians killed him. Only with Vitellius and later Vespasian backed by legions was the naked truth revealed.

But the play acting continued for another 500 years or so. SPQR indeed.