Abstract
This thesis represents the first full-scale commentary on Book 10 of Martial's Epigrams. Jenkins' commentary on Book 10, a thesis from Cambridge in 1982, is the other detailed commentary on Book 10, but examines only 23 of the 104 epigrams from the book, selected according to significance or as being representative of broad categories and themes. My primary purpose is to present a literary analysis of the complete book, taking into account the literary tradition, and explaining the poems from a historical, social and political perspective. Most commentaries follow a traditional approach where the focus is investigation of the philological aspects of each epigram. These commentaries in their analysis of individual poems often fail to provide insight into Martial's literary intentions for a particular poem, and the book as a coherent whole is generally not taken into consideration. My commentary provides an exploration of programmatic and structural issues which contribute to the book's thematic continuity and unity. Aspects for consideration include the function and application of themes and motifs throughout the book, interrelationships of poems and their position within the book. Examination of these features is fundamental towards understanding Martial's literary objectives in Book 10.