Fescennine Verses

Fescennine Verses, one of the oldest forms of popular poetry in Italy, consisted of dialogues in rude extempore verses, generally in Saturnian measure, in which the parties rallied and ridiculed one another. The making of them formed a favourite amusement of the country-people on festive occasions, especially at the conclusion of harvest and at weddings. But, degenerating into extreme license, the practice had at last to be regulated by law. The Fescennine verses are usually considered to derive their name from the Etrurian town Fescennium.