Il paradosso dell’Egitto romano: una scena conviviale in Giovenale 15

This article focuses on the role of Egypt in Juvenal’s critique on Roman society, particularly with reference to satire 15. Whereas Juvenal’s satires frequently address the presence of Egyptians in Rome, in satire 15 the poet leaves Rome aside to recount an episode of cannibalism occurred in a far-away area of Egypt. Before starting to tell this gruesome story, Juvenal refers to Egypt as both a fearsome and a lascivious place (15, 44-46). This remark falls within a wellestablished literary tradition about the paradoxical nature of Egypt, not only a threatening province, but also a despicable land of pleasures, as highlighted by an intertextual reference to Lucan. A close reading of the description of an Egyptian festivity (15, 38-51) illustrates Juvenal’s literary construction of Egyptian debauchery: to depict it the poet enhances stereotypically negative aspects of Roman banquets well embedded in the moralistic critique to Roman society. By doing so, the satiric gaze turns from Egypt back to Rome, forcing the centre of the Empire to see its reflection in a remote corner of its most infamous province.