Titles in Martial’s Manuscripts: Mistakes in interpretation?

This paper analyzes under different aspects the titles transmitted as an introduction to Martial’s epigrams. Its aim is to demonstrate that the titles provide new keys to interpreting Martial’s reading through the centuries and compel scholars to rethink and rewrite the history of the fortune of his epigrams by seriously considering the contexts of their production and their interpreta- tion over a span of time ranging from the 4th century AD to mediaeval times. A notable trait is their frequent inaccuracy or inexactitude: false/fake or mis- placed titles often imply a partial misunderstanding of the text itself.