HOW TO MAKE FRIENDS AND INFLUENCE PEOPLE.

The article focuses on ancient Roman electioneering practices, particularly the advice found in the Handbook of Electioneering (Commentariolum Petitionis) and its reflection in the electoral programmata—painted campaign notices—discovered in Pompeii. The handbook, attributed to Quintus Tullius Cicero, offers strategic guidance on canvassing, including forming alliances with diverse social groups, making public promises, and maintaining a visible presence, despite the discomfort such tactics caused in Roman society. Pompeii's extensive electoral programmata provide tangible evidence that candidates, including those like Marcus Cerrinius Vatia and Gnaeus Helvius Sabinus, actively engaged in these recommended practices by cultivating broad networks of supporters. Although the handbook's authorship and some advice are debated, the combination of literary and archaeological sources illustrates the complex social maneuvering behind Roman political campaigns.