Aelius Lamia is a Roman senator and the first husband of Domitia. When Domitian makes Domitia his empress, Lamia prays that the gods will use Domitia to destroy Domitian. Lamia is executed for treason when he fails to show sufficient admiration for Domitia's singing.
AESOPUS
A player in Paris's acting company, Aesopus takes the part of the son in the first inset play.
ANAXARETE
Anaxarete is a character in the second inset play. Played by Domitilla, she scorns Iphis, her would-be lover.
ARETINUS CLEMENS
Aretinus is Caesar's spy. He accuses Paris and the other players of treason for their libelous depictions of the state. He curries favor with Caesar by informing against Junius Rusticus, Palphurias Sura, and Aelius Lamia, leading to their execution. However, when he informs Domitian of Domitia's love of Paris, his reward is to be strangled.
ASCLETARIO
Ascletario is an astrologer who accurately foretells the day and hour of Domitian's violent death, which will occur only after Ascletario's own body is eaten by dogs. Domitian orders that Ascletario's throat be cut and his body burned, but a violent storm prevents guards from carrying out the orders, and dogs do, in fact, eat his body.
CAENIS
Caenis is a concubine to Vespasian, the father of Domitian. When Domitia becomes empress, Caenis is forced to wait upon her. Caenis joins with Aretinus and others in the plot to reveal Domitia's love for Paris, for which Caenis is cast in the dungeon. Condemned to death, she joins others in the final plot against Domitian.
DOMITIA (AUGUSTA)
Domitia is the wife of Aelius Lamia. Domitian orders her divorce from Lamia—to which she readily complies. He makes her his wife and endows her with the title of "Augusta." Domitia falls in love with Paris and attempts to seduce him. Domitian interrupts this attempt but cannot initially bring himself to order her execution. Instead, Domitia dominates Domitian completely and taunts him for his weakness. When Domitian finally does write out the order for her death, she joins the other conspirators in the final plot to kill him.
DOMITIANUS CAESAR
As Caesar, Domitian frequently asserts that his divine status automatically renders all of his actions good. These actions include torturing and/or killing everyone who opposes or displeases him. Domitian also enjoys the sexual favors of his niece, Julia, his first cousin, Domitilla, and Domitia, the wife of Aelius Lamia. He makes the latter his wife, giving her the title "Augusta," but when he discovers her adulterous lust for Paris, Domitian cannot bring himself to order her execution. As a result, she dominates him completely, although he does finally order her death along with that of all the other remaining characters. These characters, however, join together and assassinate Domitian in the play's final act.
DOMITILLA
Domitilla is the first cousin of Domitian. Prior to the action of the play, he has raped her. Domitilla is forced to serve Domitia, who addresses her as "Dwarf." Upon Domitia's orders, Domitilla plays Anaxarete in the second inset play. She joins Aretinus and others in the plot to reveal Domitia's love for Paris, for which Domitilla is cast in the dungeon. Condemned to death, she joins in the final plot against Domitian.
DWARF
Domitia's nickname for Domitilla, who is forced to serve Domitia.
ENTELLUS
Entellus is one of the conspirators who join in the final plot against Caesar.
FATHER, MISERLY
A part taken by Latinus in the first inset play. In the second inset play he portrays the porter. The first inset play is performed for the benefit of Philargus, an old miser and the father of Parthenius. Parthenius seeks to cure his father of his miserliness by showing him a play in which an old miser sees the error of his ways. When the play fails to have its desired effect, Domitian orders Philargus's execution.
FULCINIUS
Fulcinius is a senator.
GHOST OF JUNIUS RUSTICUS
For his opposition to Domitian, the senator Junius Rusticus is tortured and executed. His ghost (and Sura's) returns to haunt Domitian.
GHOST OF PALPHURIUS SURA
For his opposition to Domitian, the senator Palphurius Sura is tortured and executed. His ghost (and Rusticus') returns to haunt Domitian.
HUSBAND, JEALOUS
A part played by Domitian in the final inset play. In the climax of the final play, Domitian plays a jealous husband who kills a faithless servant, played by Paris. Having discovered the actor with his wife Domitia, Domitian chooses this method to murder his erstwhile favorite, Paris.
IPHIS
Iphis is a character played by Paris in the second inset play. In the play, he is in love with Anaxarete (performed by Domitilla), but she scorns him.
JULIA
Julia is Domitian's niece. Prior to the action of the play, Domitian has seduced her by promising her the title of Augusta. Forced to act as waiting woman to Domitia, Julia joins with Aretinus and others in the plot to reveal Domitia's love for Paris, for which Julia is cast in the dungeon. Condemned to death, she joins in the final plot against Domitian.
JUNIUS RUSTICUS
Junius Rusticus is a senator. For his opposition to Domitian he is tortured and executed along with Palphurius Sura, though their stoic resolve under torture terrifies Domitian and makes him realize his own guilt. His ghost (and Sura's) returns to haunt Domitian.
LATINUS
Latinus is a player in Paris's acting company. He plays the part of the miserly father in the first inset play and the porter in the second inset play.
PALPHURIUS SURA
Palphurius Sura is a senator. For his opposition to Domitian, he is tortured and executed along with Junius Rusticus, though their stoic resolve under torture terrifies Domitian and makes him realize his own guilt. His ghost (and Rusticus') returns to haunt Domitian.
PARIS
Paris is the principal player of the theatrical company. Accused with libel by Aretinus, he gives an impassioned defense of the theatre before the senate. Paris plays the part of the son in the first inset play and Iphis in the second. He is favored by Domitian but becomes the object of Domitia's affections. When she attempts to seduce him and Domitian finds them together, Domitian regretfully orchestrates Paris's death as the climax of a play in which a jealous husband, played by Domitian, kills a faithless servant, played by Paris.
PARTHENIUS
Parthenius is a freeman of Caesar's. He serves as messenger for Domitian to Domitia and seeks to have his father, Philargus, cured of miserliness with the first inset play. Increasingly horrified by Domitian's cruelty, he joins other characters in the final plot against Domitian.
PHILARGUS
Philargus is an old miser and the father of Parthenius. Parthenius seeks to cure his father of his miserliness by showing him a play in which an old miser sees the error of his ways. When the play fails to have its desired effect, Domitian orders Philargus's execution.
PORTER
A part taken by Latinus in the second inset play. In the first inset play he portrays the miserly father.
SEJEIUS
Sejeius is one of the conspirators who join the final plot against Domitian.
SERVANT, FAITHLESS
A part played by Paris in the final inset play. He performs the part of the son in the first and Iphis in the second. In the climax of the final play, Domitian plays a jealous husband who kills a faithless servant, played by Paris.
SON
A part played by Paris in the first inset play. He performs the part of Iphis in the second. In the climax of the final play, Paris plays a faithless servant who is killed by a jealous husband, played by Domitian.
STEPHANOS
A former bondman to Domitilla, Stephanos is one of the principal conspirators who orchestrate the final plot against Domitian.
THRASEA PAETUS
A "ghost character," Thrasea is a stoic killed by Domitian. He is only mentioned by other characters. Palphurius Sura and Junius Rusticus are put to death for their objections to this execution. Their own stoic stance under torture is inspired
by his example.
TITUS
A "ghost character," Titus is the deceased older brother of Domitian who precedes him as Caesar.
VESPASIAN
A "ghost character," Vespasian is the deceased father of Domitian.