In Ancient Rome, the praeficae were women hired to lead a funeral procession while singing funereal songs such as the lessus, 'lamentation,' and the naenia, 'dirge,' and performing theatrical wailing, keening, and lamentation which could be either generalised (such as for citizens with few accomplishments the public would consider noteworthy) or specific to the decedent (if the decedent could boast a significant curriculum vitae).
The naenia genre of songs in particular appears to have been considered somewhat catchy, as the same term is used to refer to popular ditties and tunes, as well as to lullabies sung for children. Roman funeral processions were conducted strictly at night, when children would be in bed or on their way to bed, but would also be loud enough to be heard in houses near the processional roads, so it is speculated that tunes were sometimes selected to minimally disrupt the bedtime routines of households, and would be heard around the neighbourhood for days after, repeated by those who had heard them through the night.
The praeficae were situated in the procession behind groups of musicians called siticines (musicians who strictly performed for funerals as their entire income) and cornicines (horn blowers who cleared the roads ahead of the procession by drawing attention), and before a troupe of comedic performers including the scurrae (jesters) and the histriones (actors), including an actor called the Archmimus, whose task was to imitate the decedent, following his mannerisms and speaking quotes the decedent was known to have said in life.
Iron Noder 2021, 4/30