Ātella, ae, f., = Ἀτέλλα.
I An ancient town of the Osci , in Campania , on the Clanius , near the present Aversa , Cic. Agr. 2, 31; Suet. Tib. 75; Sil. 11, 14; cf. Mann. Ital. I. p. 779.—
II Derivv. Ātellānus , a, um, adj., of or belonging to Atella , Atellan : municipium, Cic. ad Q. Fr. 2, 14 fin. : Ātel-lāni , ōrum, m., the inhabitants of Atella , Plin. 3, 5, 9, § 63.—But esp. freq. Atellana fabula, fabella, or simply Ātellāna , ae, f., a comic but not wanton kind of popular farce that originated in Atella , which , with the comedy borrowed from Greece , was highly relished at Rome , especially by the youth , and continued to be represented even to the time of the emperors; the class. passage for it is Liv. 7, 2, 12; Juv. 6, 71; Suet. Tib. 45; id. Calig. 27; id. Ner. 39; Gell. 12, 10, 7; 17, 2, 8; Fest. s. v. personata, p. 217 Müll.; Diom. pp. 487 and 488 P.; Varr. L. L. 7, §§ 29, 84; 95 Müll.; Cic. Fam. 9, 16, 7 al.; cf. Munk de Fabulis Atellanis, Lips. 1840, and Teuffel, Röm. Lit. §§ 6, 4 and 9 sq.—Hence,
III Derivv.
1 Ātellā-nus , i, m., an actor in an Atellan farce , Suet. Galb. 13; Quint. 6, 3, 47; also as adj.: gesticulator, Tert. Spect. 17.—
2 Ātellā-nĭus , a, um, adj., pertaining to the Atellan farce : versus, Cic. Div. 2, 10, 25: ars, Macr. S. 1, 10.—
3 Ātellānĭcus , a, um, adj., the same: exodium, Suet. Tib. 45: versus, Petr. 68, 5.—
4 Ātellānĭŏla , ae, f. dim., a small Atellan piece , M. Aur. ap. Fronto , Ep. ad M. Caes. 2, 3.