The author of this article analyzes two variations on the
theme of the nouveau-riche: Martial's Zoilus and Petronius' Trimalchio. ln
Zoilus, we can grasp ali the main features attached to the image of a
freedman, and by this we have a clear example of the social type Martial
verberates. Petronius evokes the guidelines of the sarne satyrical tradition,
but he ais o gives his literary creation enough psychological density to make
of Trimalchio a real character, with much more complexity than a simple
social type would expect to have.