La questione de patria nell'Apologia di Apuleio

Abstract

In Apologia 24, Apuleius, as a response to the accusation of being Seminumida and Semigaetulus, deals with the topic de patria. Behind the clichés on the foreigner and the theories of geo-climatic determinism in the ancient world, a very accurate speech comes out. This oratory performance recalibrates the various aspects of the accusation: the intention of the opponents is reversed and the mores of Apuleius and his familiar credibility are emphasized. In fact, his speech is provided with ethnic pride and irony: the subject under discussion is very probably linked to the crimen magiae.