Focus on Pasquino and discuss the Tradition of wit.
Before long, other statues appeared on the scene, forming a kind of public salon or academy, the  "Congress of the Wits" (Congresso degli Arguti), with Pasquino always the leader, and the sculptures that Romans called Marphurius, Abbot Luigi, Il Facchino, Madama Lucrezia, and Il Babbuino as his outspoken colleagues. The cartelli (translated as posters, placards, boards; probably the equivalent of pamphlet) on which the epigrams were written were quickly passed around, and copies were made, too numerous to suppress. These poems were collected and published annually by the Roman printer Giacomo Mazzocchi as early as 1509, as Carmina apposita Pasquino, and became well known all over Europe.
The lampooning tradition was ancient among Romans. For a first-century versified lampoon, see Domus Aurea.
Il Babbuino salon Marphurius Madama Lucrezia Il Facchino Europe Domus Aurea Abbot Luigi Pasquino lampoon Giacomo Mazzocchi Romans epigram