The Negotiation of Provincial Identity through Literature

Apuleius' cultural identity has always been a contentious subject, and he has been considered fundamentally Greek, Roman or African by different scholars. ¹ Those who want to highlight his African roots can find much useful material in the Apology and Florida, two works whose origin is, or is commonly thought to be, ² directly connected to Apuleius' life and career in Africa; the novel, in contrast, does not seem to offer much food for thought. Starting with the prologue, it appears to be much more concerned with a negotiation between Greek and Roman cultural contexts; Africa has no place in it, and Carthage is mentioned only once, in passing, in the story of Cupid and Psyche.