Were there any recurring jokes (A.K.A Memes) in any ancient civillization?

by dankman2

Just wondering, for example did the citizens of Rome made any jokes towards any of their conquered cities or failed generals?

Iphikrates

Of course. Prominent people were mocked for typical features of their looks, character or behaviour, just like they are today. Plutarch preserves a whole list of jokes from different comedy writers at the expense of Perikles, who was born with a misshapen skull. Aristophanes mocked Kleon for his low birth and Sokrates for his poverty; when his plays feature women, they tend to have an extremely effeminate way of speaking, which is a clear sign of a derisive stereotype. There is also a recurrent joke throughout centuries of Greek literature that people from the region of Boiotia are hillbillies.

There is some fascinating scholarship on the way the Greek perception of the Persians shifted after their victory in the Persian Wars. In the early 5th century, Persian warriors are depicted as Herodotos describes them - as heavy infantry with spears and tower shields, bravely going toe to toe with Greek hoplites. But as the century wears on, the Greeks increasingly start to favour the stereotype of the Persians as effeminate, weak and cowardly. They are depicted wearing silly multicoloured onesies, carrying only bows (a coward's weapon) and often running away from their Greek opponents. Despite its lack of grounding in reality, the stereotype of "Eastern" peoples as being less tough and manly persists to this day.

Samnoname

A meme isn't necessarily a joke, it's just any idea that is spread between multiple people

bonejohnson8

The problem with jokey memes from history is that the information wasn't nearly as widespread as it is now. An internet meme is a modern phenomenon that can occur thanks to an abundance of information and context. You have to get the meme in order to spread it.

So, the basis of comedy has to be common ground. In this regard, dicks and farts have always been funny. If you are looking for something like a meme in history, the best answer will almost always be dicks. Chaucer joked about dicks and farts. Medieval jesters joked about testicles and shit. For reference, you can look at Facetiae by Bracciolini, considered the first joke book. This is a where jokes start to evolve into memes thanks to better distribution.

Before a joke was written and distributed, most stuck to the basics that everyone could get. Dicks, shit, balls, sex and farts. I present to thee, the Penis tree .

Off the top of my head for more recent history, the Aristocrats joke is a great example. It combines the dirty sexual jokes that everyone can get, with a meme-ified punchline. It's hard to track down it's origin, but it's been told since the vaudeville era.

Xxxxx33

No mention of the snail knight? They always get a giggle out of me (I've got a bad sense of humour, I know). Anyway they were on ask historians some time ago, here's the link: https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/3tva6h/why_are_there_so_many_medieval_paintings_of/