Pompeii, Tombe del Fondo Santilli. Tombs at Fondo Santilli.

Located about 200m from Porta Stabia.

Excavated 1893 to 1897.

Bibliography

Castell D., 2012. Funerary inscriptions in Pompeii: A study of the epitaphs of Pompeian freed slaves. Thesis, Lund University, III.7.

Cooley, A. and M.G.L., 2004. Pompeii: A Sourcebook. London: Routledge.

Ephemeris Epigraphica, Vol. VIII, 1899, p. 87, no. 319.

Mittheilungen des Kaiserlich Deutschen Archaeologischen Instituts, Roemische Abtheilung, 1894, p. 62-5; 1895, p. 156-9.

Notizie degli Scavi di Antichità, 1893, pp. 333-5.

Notizie degli Scavi di Antichità, 1894, pp. 14-16; pp. 382-385.

Notizie degli Scavi di Antichità, 1897, pp. 275-6.

Notizie degli Scavi di Antichità, 1886, p. 334.

Stefani, G., 1998. Pompei oltre la vita: Nuove testimonianze dalle necropoli. SAP Exhibition Catalogue.

 

Pompeii Tombs at Fondo Santilli. 2012. Aerial view of location of where tombs were found.

Photo © courtesy of Google Earth.

According to Castell, there were 37 tombs, 43 inscriptions and 42 deceased.

See Castell D., 2012. Funerary inscriptions in Pompeii: A study of the epitaphs of Pompeian freed slaves. Thesis, Lund University, III.7.

 

Pompeii Tombs at Fondo Santilli. 2012. Looking north across area where tombs were found.

Photo © courtesy of Google Earth.

 

Pompeii Tombs at Fondo Santilli. 2012. Looking south across area where tombs were found.

Photo © courtesy of Google Earth.

 

Inscriptions found at the Fondo of Sig. Eduardo Santilli in 1893.

See Notizie degli Scavi di Antichità, 1893 p. 333-5.

 

FS93-a FS93-b Tomb of Marcus Petacius Dasius, M. Petaciom[…], M. Petaciom Severo and Petaciae Vitali.

A small chambered tomb with entrance arch.

In the Fondo of Mr Eduardo Santilli south in Pompeii, about 200 metres from the Porta Stabia, and to the east of the road that goes out of the Porta Stabiana, a little to the south at the first tower, was found a masonry tomb, facing north.

It was at a depth of about 3.70m from the current surface of the road and 1.20m from the surface of the countryside. The old surface, from which it rose, was at a depth of 6.20m.

 

On the front (north) were paintings of trees. It comprised a cell covered with a barrel-vaulted roof, with an arched entrance topped by pediment and it was painted inside and out. It was attached to a wall, which ran east to west, almost parallel to the street and to the east, at the distance of 7.50m from the axis of the tomb, turned at an angle towards the north. It was worth recalling that a similar wall was found near one of the tombs discovered in the Fondo Pacifico (see NdS 1886, p. 334).

There was a double-sided inscribed plaque on the tympanum.

On both sides the marble surface was partly corroded.

Six marble cippi in the form of herms were found buried in the earth in the tomb.

See Mittheilungen des Kaiserlich Deutschen Archaeologischen Instituts, Roemische Abtheilung, 1894, p. 62-5.

 

Embedded in the pediment gable of the tomb was a marble slab with inscriptions on both the sides, 0.23m high and 0.66m wide:

 

FS93-a. Inscription plaque on the tympanum on the front side:

 

M • PETACIVS • M •  L •  D asius

[sic)

M • PETACIOM • F • MEn////////////////

M • PETACIOM • F • MEN • SEVEro. fil.

PETACIAE • ML • VITALI eX Testamento?

 

M(arcus) Petacius M(arci) l(ibertus) D(asius)

M(arco) Petaciom f(ilio) Men(enia tribu) […]

M(arco) Petaciom f(ilio) Men(enia tribu) Seve(ro)

Petaciae M(arci) l(ibertae) Vitali (e)x t(estamento)

 

A freedman erected this for his two sons and one freedwoman.

Visible from the street.

See Notizie degli Scavi di Antichità, 1893, p. 333

 

FS93-b. Inscription plaque on the tympanum on the face against the wall:

 

M pETACIVS • M • L • DASIVS

m.peTAClo M F MEN • SEVERO • FIL

PETACIAE • M • L • VITALI • L

 

(Marcus) (Pe)tacius M(arci) l(ibertus) Dasius

M(arco) (Pe)tacio M(arci) f(ilio) Men(enia tribu) Severo fil(io)

Petaciae M(arci) l(iberta) Vitali l(iberta)

 

A freedman erected this for his son and a freedwoman.

Visible from the street.

See Notizie degli Scavi di Antichità, 1893, p. 333

 

According to Cooley, this epitaph shows a case of the marriage of two ex-slaves freed by the same master.

Since their son was born after his father had been freed, he is of freeborn status, and this is emphasized by reference to his citizen tribe.

 

Cooley translates this as

[Marcus Pe]tacius Dasius, freedman of Marcus. [To Marcus Pe]tacius Severus, son of Marcus, of the Menenian tribe, his son; to Petacia Vitalis, freedwoman of Marcus, freedwoman.

See Cooley, A. and M.G.L., 2004. Pompeii: A Sourcebook. London: Routledge, G32, p. 148.

 

According to Mau, M. Petacio Dasio, having to bury a second child, turned the plaque over and engraved the new inscription on the back, with the added name of the second child, which remains unknown to us.

See Mittheilungen des Kaiserlich Deutschen Archaeologischen Instituts, Roemische Abtheilung, 1894, p. 62.

 

The surname Dasi(us) was also in another Pompeian epigraph, which belonged to the series of inscrlptiones ministrorum Mercurii Maiae, postea Augusti [CIL X, 920].

 

Marble columellae found inside the tomb.

FS93-1. Marble columella of Marcus Petacius Dasius.

Found inside the tomb, 0.85m high, 0.24m wide, carelessly engraved.

 

M- P- D

 

M(arcus) P(etacius) D(asius)

 

The burial of a freedman.

Not visible from the street.

See Notizie degli Scavi di Antichità, 1893, p. 333, no. 1.

 

FS93-2. Marble columella of Marco Petacio Communi.

Found inside the tomb, 0,47m high, 0,23m wide, in fragments

 

M • PETACIO

COMMVNl

 

M(arco) Petacio

Communi

 

The burial of the son of a freedman.

Not visible from the street.

See Notizie degli Scavi di Antichità, 1893, p. 334, no. 2.

 

FS93-3. Marble columella of Marcus) Petacius Severus.

Found inside the tomb, 0.65m high, 0,30m wide, letters with traces of red colouring.

 

M • PETACIVS • M • F

MEN • SEVERVS

VIXIT • ANN • XVII

 

M(arcus) Petacius M(arci) f(ilius)

Men(enia tribu) Severus

vixit ann(is) XVII

 

The burial of the son of a freedman.

Not visible from the street.

See Notizie degli Scavi di Antichità, 1893, p. 334, no. 3.

 

FS93-4. Marble columella of Petacia Montana.

Found inside the tomb, 0.66m high, upper width 0.15m, with poor letters

?

PETACIA • MONTAN 

VIX • ANN XICI II (sic)

 

Petacia Montan(a)

vix(it) ann(is) XICI II (sic!)

 

The number was not intelligible but may have been XXIII.

The burial of a freeborn person.

Not visible from the street.

See Notizie degli Scavi di Antichità, 1893, p. 334, no. 4.

 

FS93-5. Marble columella of Petacia Rufilla.

With a circular hole towards the base, found inside the tomb, 0.70m high, 0.18m wide. Red letters.

 

PETACIA

RVFILLA

 

Petacia

Rufilla

 

The burial of a freeborn person.

Not visible from the street.

See Notizie degli Scavi di Antichità, 1893, p. 334, no. 5.

 

FS93-6. Marble columella of Petacia Vitalis.

With a circular hole towards the base, found inside the tomb, 0.75m high, 0.23m wide.

 

PETACIA • VI

TALIS

 

Petacia Vitalis

 

The burial of a freedwoman.

Not visible from the street.

See Notizie degli Scavi di Antichità, 1893, p. 334, no. 6.

 

Marble columellae found in the area between wall and tomb.

A further six marble cippi in the form of herms, with the following inscriptions, were found in the small enclosure between the tomb and the return formed by the above-mentioned wall:

 

FS93-7. Marble columella of Q(uintus) Caecilius Capitolini l(ibertus) Eros.

Found in the area between wall and tomb, 0.90m high, 0.25m wide, of African marble.

 

Q • CAECILIVS

CAPITOLINI • L • EROS

 

Q(uintus) Caecilius

Capitolini l(ibertus) Eros

 

Burial of a freedman.

See Notizie degli Scavi di Antichità, 1893, p. 334 no. 7

 

FS93-8. Marble columella of Quintus Caecilius Quinti filius Iunionis.

Found in the area between wall and tomb, 0.82m high, 0.23m wide.

 

Q • CAECILIVS • Q • F

IVNONIVS

VIXIT • ANN • XXVII

 

Q(uintus) Caecilius Q(uinti) f(ilius)

Iunionis

vixit ann(is) XXVII

 

Burial of a freeborn person.

See Notizie degli Scavi di Antichità, 1893, p. 334 no. 8

 

FS93-9. Marble columella of Lucius Gavius Iucundus.

Found in the area between wall and tomb, 0.70m high, 0.23m wide, with traces of red in the letters.

 

L • GAVIVS

IVCVNDVS

 

L(ucius) Gavius

Iucundus

 

Burial of a freeborn person.

See Notizie degli Scavi di Antichità, 1893, p. 334 no. 9

 

FS93-10. Large marble columella of Felicio.

With a circular hole towards the base, found in the area between wall and tomb, 0.74m high, 0.36m wide.

 

FELICIO

 

Felicio

 

Burial of a slave.

See Notizie degli Scavi di Antichità, 1893, p. 334 no. 10

 

FS93-11. Marble columella of Felicula.

With a circular hole towards the base, found in the area between wall and tomb, 0,63m high, 0.23m wide.

 

FELICVLA

VIX • ANN • VIII

 

Felicula

vix(it) ann(is) VIII

 

Burial of a slave.

See Notizie degli Scavi di Antichità, 1893, p. 334 no. 11

 

FS93-12. Marble columella of Lucius Spurius Pilargyrus.

With a circular hole towards the base, found in the area between wall and tomb, 0.55m high, 0.19m wide, with red letters.

 

L • SPVRIVS

PILARGYRVS

 

L(ucius) Spurius

Pilargyrus

 

Burial of a freeborn person.

See Notizie degli Scavi di Antichità, 1893, p. 334 no. 12

 

FS93-13. Marble columella of Claudiae Laudicae Augusti libertae.

 

Pompei, Tombe presso la Strada Regia, Fondo Santilli. Found in 1883 or a little earlier.

Marble columella of Claudiae Laudicae.

Now in Naples Archaeological Museum. Inventory number 123256.

It was 1m high and 0.26m wide, broken at the top and with a circular hole towards the base.

According to Mau, it was found in the Fondo Santilli, around 1883 or a little earlier, more towards the city, immediately south of the road, at the meeting point of the old and the new road.  It may have been from a monument on the opposite side of the ancient road, facing the tomb now discovered.

See Mittheilungen des Kaiserlich Deutschen Archaeologischen Instituts, Roemische Abtheilung, 1894, p. 65.

It bore an inscription already published by Novi and reproduced in Ephemeris Epigraphica. Sogliano published it again and confirmed its authenticity and noted that the manuscript copy of Novi was not exact in the distribution of the lines.

See Ephemeris Epigraphica, Vol. VIII, 1899, p. 87, no. 319.

 

CLAVDIAE

LAVDICAE

AVG • LIB

VIXIT • ANN • LV •

 

Claudiae

Laudicae

Aug(usti) lib(ertae)

vixit ann(is) LV

 

Burial of a freedwoman.

See Notizie degli Scavi di Antichità, 1893, p. 334 no. 13.

 

Cooley translates this as

 

To Claudia Laudica, freedwoman of Augustus. Lived 55 years.       [EE VIII no. 319]

 

See Cooley, A. and M.G.L., 2004. Pompeii: A Sourcebook. London: Routledge, G35, p. 148.

 

See also Tutiae Gaiae libertae Licentiae found in the same location in 1894.

 

New inscriptions found at the Fondo of Sig. Eduardo Santilli in 1894.

See Notizie degli Scavi di Antichità, 1894 p. 14-16.

Recently found at the Fondo Santilli were another seven marble cippi in the form of a herm with the following inscriptions:

 

FS94-1. Marble columella of Delliae Quinti libertae chiae.

With circular hole near the base, found in the area between wall and tomb, 0.95m high, 0.24m wide:

 

DELLIAE Q L

CHIAE

 

Delliae Q(uinti) l(ibertae)

chiae

 

Burial of a freedwoman.

See Notizie degli Scavi di Antichità, 1894, p. 15 no. 1

 

Mau records this as

DELLIAE Q L

CHIA F

See Mau in Bullettino dell’Instituto di Corrispondenza Archeologica (DAIR), 1895, p.157 no 4.

 

FS94-2. Marble columella of Fortunata.

With circular hole near the base, found in the area between wall and tomb, 0.54m high, 0.26m wide:

 

FORTVNATA V AN L

 

Fortunata v(ixit) an(nis) L

 

Burial of a slave.

See Notizie degli Scavi di Antichità, 1894, p. 15 no. 2

 

FS94-3. Marble columella of Ianuarius.

With circular hole near the base, found in the area between wall and tomb, 0.45m high, 0.20m wide, elegantly written:

 

lANVARlVS

VIX-ANN

XXV

 

Ianuarius

vix(it) ann(is)

XXV

 

Burial of a slave

See Notizie degli Scavi di Antichità, 1894, p. 15 no. 3

 

FS94-4. Marble columella of Lucio Laturnio Grato.

 

Fondo Santilli. Marble columella of Lucio Laturnio Grato.

Found in the area between wall and tomb, 0,97m high, 0.32m wide. Elongated letters, written carelessly:

 

L LATVRNIO GRATO

PAGANO

ET MINISTRO

 

L(ucio) Laturnio Grato

pagano

et ministro

 

Burial of a freeborn person.

See Notizie degli Scavi di Antichità, 1894, p. 15: no. 4

 

A well-preserved glass urn, with lid, which was joined high up to a lead pipe, was buried in front of this cippus.

See Notizie degli Scavi di Antichità, 1892, p. 252, 1 and p. 253, 3.

 

FS94-5. Marble columella of Laturnia Ianuaria Calcaria.

 

Fondo Santilli. Marble columella of Laturnia Ianuaria Calcaria'

Now in Naples Archaeological Museum. Inventory number 123261.

With circular hole near the base, found in the area between wall and tomb, 0.88m high, 0.31m wide, with red letters, written carelessly:

 

LATVRNIA

lANVARIA CALCARIA

VIX ANN XXXXV

 

Laturnia

Ianuaria Calcaria

vix(it) ann(is) XXXXV

 

Burial of a freeborn person.

See Notizie degli Scavi di Antichità, 1894, p. 15 no. 5

 

FS94-6. Large marble columella of Marco Petacio Marci filio.

In the form of a herm, 1.10m high, 0.50m wide. In the lower half it was rough, and that was where the epigraph appeared.

 

M- PETACIO M- F

MEN

 

M(arco) Petacio M(arci) filio

Men(enia tribu)

 

Burial of a freeborn person.

See Notizie degli Scavi di Antichità, 1894, p. 15 no.6

See Notizie degli Scavi di Antichità, 1893, p. 333-34.

 

FS94-7. Marble columella of Pruni.

 

With circular hole near the base, found in the area between wall and tomb, 0.60m high, 0.21m wide:

 

PRVNI

C F VIXIT

AN XVI

 

FS94-8. Also found in the excavations.

Also found [in the excavations] were a few bronze coins, including a Republican ass, a dupondius of Claudius and coins of the lower Empire, several clay pipes and some in lead, already connected to terracotta cinerary urns, in one of which was found a small alabaster amphora.

 

Further new inscriptions found at the Fondo of Sig. Eduardo Santilli in 1894.

See Notizie degli Scavi di Antichità, 1894, p. 382-385.

At Fondo Santilli, in 1894, another 15 cippi in the form of a herm, with the following inscriptions, were found:

 

FS94-9. Marble columella of Amandus.

With top broken, 1.03m high, 0.33m wide, in good letters:

 

AMANDVS·

VIX· AN. XX·

 

Amandus

vix(it) an(nis) XX

 

Burial of a slave.

See Notizie degli Scavi di Antichità, 1894, p. 382, no. 1

 

FS94-10. Marble columella of Ampliatus.

Very corroded, 0.58m high, 0.10m wide:

 

AMPLIATVS

aNNICVLI

ET·MENS·III

 

Ampliat

anniculi

et mens(es) III

 

Mau records this as

AMPLIATVS

ANNIS VII

ET MENS Il

 

Burial of a slave (of one year or seven years of age?).

See Notizie degli Scavi di Antichità, 1894, p. 383, no.2.

See Mittheilungen des Kaiserlich Deutschen Archaeologischen Instituts, Roemische Abtheilung, 1895, p. 157.

 

FS94-11. Marble columella of Echi or Celi.

Another equally corroded, 0.40m high, 0.15m wide:

 

?

ECHI////

ANN ·X ////

 

Echi[…]

ann(is) X[…]

 

Burial of a slave.

See Notizie degli Scavi di Antichità, 1894, p. 383, no. 3.

 

Mau does not record this but records a marble herm cippus of Celi?

 

See Mau in Bullettino dell’Instituto di Corrispondenza Archeologica (DAIR), 1895, p. 159, no. 25.

 

FS94-12. Marble columella of Faventinus.

0.58m high, 0.18m wide.

 

FAVENTINVS

 

Faventinus

 

Burial of a slave.

The surname Faventinus occurs in wall inscriptions.

See Notizie degli Scavi di Antichità, 1894, p. 383, no. 4.

 

FS94-13. Marble columella of Lascivos.

0.50m high, 0.16 wide: written carelessly

 

LASCIVOS       (sic)

IN TRIMATV

 

Lascivo s(uo)

Intrimatu

 

Burial of a slave [aged 3?].

See Notizie degli Scavi di Antichità, 1894, p. 383, no. 5.

 

Sogliano suggests In the first line is perhaps to be read: Lascico s(uo). 

For the phrase in trimatu see. C.I. L. VI, 24167: Grut., 1148, 13, 10: Phosphorus obiit in trimatu. [the age of three].

 

FS94-14. Marble columella of Orles or Ories.

Broken at the bottom, 0.34m high, 0.14m wide, letters marked with red and bad:

 

ORLES·VIX

ANN  V

 

Orles vix(it)

annis) V

 

Mau records it as

ORIES·VIX

ANN  V

 

Ories vix(it)

annis) V

 

Burial of a slave.

See Notizie degli Scavi di Antichità, 1894, p. 383, no. 6.

 

FS94-15. Marble columella of Topyrus Plocami.

Carved on a piece of marble cornice, with usual hole towards the base, 0.62m high, 0.22m wide:

 

TOPYRVS

PLOCAMI

 

Topyrus

Plocami

 

Burial of a freeborn person.

See Notizie degli Scavi di Antichità, 1894, p. 383, no. 7.

 

In a Pompeian Epigraph [CIL X 827] is listed Lucius Melissaeus Plocamus as a “minister Fortunae Augustae”.

 

FS94-16. Small marble columella of Venustus.

Broken in two, 0.54m high, 0.13m wide, in untidy letters:

 

VENVSTVS

VIXIT AN XIII

MENS llll

 

Venustus

vixit an(nis) XIII

mens(ibus) IIII

 

Burial of a slave.

See Notizie degli Scavi di Antichità, 1894, p. 383, no. 8.

See Mau in Bullettino dell’Instituto di Corrispondenza Archeologica (DAIR), 1895, p. 159, no. 23.

 

FS94-17. Marble columella of Helice.

0.80m high, 0.19m wide:

 

HELICF

 

Helice

 

See Notizie degli Scavi di Antichità, 1894, p. 384, no. 9.

Mau says it was written carelessly and “The last sign had to be E, but it is written F”.

See Mau in Bullettino dell’Instituto di Corrispondenza Archeologica (DAIR), 1895, p. 158, no. 9.

 

FS94-18. Marble columella of Lucius Melissaeus Castor - Augustalis.

 

With the usual hole in the bottom, 0.69m high, 0.21m wide:

 

L MELISSAEVS

CASTOR AVGVST

 

L(ucius) Melissaeus

Castor august(alis)

 

Burial of a freeborn person.

See Notizie degli Scavi di Antichità, 1894, p. 384, no. 10.

 

FS94-19. Marble columella of L L AT L R S.

Another with the usual hole in the bottom, 0.48m high, 0.20m wide.

Written carelessly, on the head of the herm: 

 

L L AT

 

And lower down:

 

L·R·S

 

L L AT

L R S

 

See Notizie degli Scavi di Antichità, 1894, p. 384, no. 11.

 

FS94-20. Marble columella of Neliae Cornelia Primigeniae.

Another with the usual hole in the bottom, 0.69m high, 0.35m wide, fragmented in the sides and lower down:

 

Pompeii Tombs at Fondo Santilli. Inscription as shown in NdS 1894, p. 384.

According to Sogliano, the letters NELIAE of the first line and the OR within the initial C of the second were additions.

They seemed more like graffiti than engraved.

 

NELIAE                                     \

Cor PRIMIGENIAE

VIX ANNIS XXXXV

 

Neliae

Cor(nelia) Primigeniae

vix(it) annis XXXXV

 

Burial of a freeborn person.

See Notizie degli Scavi di Antichità, 1894, p. 384, no. 12.

 

FS94-21. Travertine columella of Poppaea Corinna.

0.65m high, 0.81m wide, damaged at lower left, good letters:

 

POPPAEA · CORINN

 

Poppaea Corinn(a)

 

Burial of a freeborn person.

See Notizie degli Scavi di Antichità, 1894, p. 384, no. 13.

 

FS94-22. Marble columella of Tutiae Gaiae libertae Licentiae.

 

Pompei, Tombe presso la Strada Regia, Fondo Santilli. 1894. Marble columella of Tutiae Licentiae.

Now in Naples Archaeological Museum. Inventory number 123257.

Found in the same location as the columella of Claudiae Laudicae.

See Mittheilungen des Kaiserlich Deutschen Archaeologischen Instituts, Roemische Abtheilung, 1894, p. 65, no. 14.

See Ephemeris Epigraphica, Vol. VIII, 1899, no. 331.

 

In the form of a herm, 0.74m high, 0.20m wide:

 

TVTIAE  Ɔ  L·

LICENTIAE

 

Tutiae G(aiae) l(ibertae)

Licentiae

 

Burial of a freedwoman

See Notizie degli Scavi di Antichità, 1894, p. 384, no. 14.

 

According to the Epigraphic Database Roma this reads

 

Tutiae ((mulieris)) l(ibertae)
Licentiae.

 

FS94-23. Marble columella of Ursilla.

Another with the usual hole in the bottom, 0.87m high, 0.20m wide:

 

FS94-23. Marble columella of Ursilla.

Columella with inscription

 

VRSILLA

VIX AN XXV

 

Ursilla

vix(it) an(nis) XXV

 

Burial of a slave.

See Notizie degli Scavi di Antichità, 1894, p. 384, no. 15.

Photo © Umberto Soldovieri.

 

FS94-24. Marble fragments with inscriptions Hegia, Quinta, Pro… Expec…

Also recovered were three small marble fragments:

 

a)  Fragment         

HEGIA…    

 

Hegia […]

 

Mau describes this as a fragment of a marble tablet.

See Mau in Bullettino dell’Instituto di Corrispondenza Archeologica (DAIR), 1895, p. 158, no. 8.

 

b)  Broken into two pieces.

 

QVINTA                

VIX·ANN I

ET MEN

 

Quinta

vix(it) ann(is) I[…]

 

c) Fragment

 

PRO

EXSPEC

V·A

 

pro[…]

expec[…]

Vixit Annis […]

 

Single burial.

See Notizie degli Scavi di Antichità, 1894, p. 385, no. 16.

Mau describes this as a fragment of a marble tablet.

See Mau in Bullettino dell’Instituto di Corrispondenza Archeologica (DAIR), 1895, p. 159, no. 18.

 

 

FS95-25 small memorial of cipolin marble, very corroded: Beatus?

 

According to Mau the second line may be Beatus.

See Mau in Bullettino dell’Instituto di Corrispondenza Archeologica (DAIR), 1895, p. 159, no. 24.

It does not appear to be recorded by Sogliano.

 

 

FS95-26 Marble cippus herm of C Geminius C F Vol Gemellus.

Mau records an inscription, written carelessly:

 

C · GEMINIVS

C · F · VOL · GEMELLVS

V · A· XXXIX·

 

C(aius) Geminius C(ai) F(ilius) Vol(tinia) Gemellus v(ixit) a(nnis) XXXIX -

 

Freeborn, male, 39 years old.

 

See Mau in Bullettino dell’Instituto di Corrispondenza Archeologica (DAIR), 1895, p. 158, no. 7.

Sogliano does not record this in NdS.

Our thanks to Marie-José van Meerendonk for pointing us to this.

 

FS95-26 Marble cippus herm of Caius Geminius Cai Filius Voltinia Gemellus.

This herm shows XXXXIX (49 years) rather than the XXXIX recorded by Mau.

Now in Naples Archaeological Museum. Inventory number s. n.

 

Coins

Sogliano comments at the end of his report that among the few coins collected the most frequently found were those of Nero.

 

New inscriptions found in Fondo Santilli in 1897.

In the area where the sepulchral inscriptions already published were recently discovered, another seven marble columellae with epigraphs were found:

See Notizie degli Scavi di Antichità, 1897, p.275-6.

 

FS97-1. Marble columella of Caius Caecilius Secundus, praetorian.

In the form of a herm, 0.65m high, 0.16m wide, with a  circular hole in the lower part. The letters were painted black.

 

C· CAELIVS · SECVNDVS

MILES CHORT   VIlI

VIX ANN XXVIII MIL ANN XlIII

 

C(aius) Caecilius Secundus

miles chort VIII

vix(it) ann(is) XXVIII mil(itavit) ann(is) XIIII

 

Burial of a freeborn person.

See Notizie degli Scavi di Antichità, 1897, p. 275, no. 1

 

Cooley translates this as

 

Gaius Caelius Secundus, soldier of the 8th cohort. Lived for 28 years, served for 14.

 

See Cooley, A. and M.G.L., 2004. Pompeii: A Sourcebook. London: Routledge. G69, p. 156.

 

The praetorian guard was the emperor’s personal bodyguard.

The names of various praetorians from different cohorts appear in graffiti at Pompeii, which suggests that praetorians were present in the town on a number of different occasions.

In addition, one of the wax tablets of Caecilius Iucundus documents a transaction with a member of the guard stationed at Nuceria.

Four (probably) of the guard were buried together in a line just outside the Nolan Gate, possibly on public land.

This may have been an honour reserved for those who died in public service.

Their monuments were stone markers with rounded tops, a type of funerary monument similar to ones found elsewhere in Italy, but they are the only ones of their type so far discovered at Pompeii.

Perhaps the physical form of their monuments was intended to distinguish these burials at a glance as being those of outsiders.

By contrast, this burial of a praetorian from Pompeii [Gaius Caelius Secundus] was marked by a herm, the funerary monument typical of the region.

It was also located away from the other praetorians, [at Fondo Santilli] outside the Stabian Gate.

See Cooley, A. and M.G.L., 2004. Pompeii: A Sourcebook. London: Routledge. G69, H59, H79, p. 156.

 

FS97-2. Marble columella of Curia Atalante.

1.05m high, 0.24m wide:

 

CVRVIA · ATALANTE

VIXIT ·AN· XXVIII

 

Curia Atalante

vixit an(nis) XXVIII

 

Burial of a freeborn person.

See Notizie degli Scavi di Antichità, 1897, p. 275, no. 2.

 

FS97-3. Marble columella of Lasaea Venusta.

0.61m high, 0.18m wide, the lower part of an irregular shape.

 

LASAEA

VENVSTA

 

Lasaea

Venusta

 

Burial of a freeborn person.

See Notizie degli Scavi di Antichità, 1897, p. 275, no. 3.

 

FS97-4. Fragmented marble columella of Caio Quintio Restituto.

0.30m max high, 0.18m wide.

 

C·QVINTIO

RESTITVTO

 

C(aio) Quintio

Restituto

 

Burial of a freeborn person.

See Notizie degli Scavi di Antichità, 1897, p. 275, no. 4.

 

FS97-5. Marble columella of Annalis Lassae.

0.72m high, 0.24m wide, with the usual round hole in the lower part:

 

ANNALIS

LASSAE

VIX·AN·XXI

 

Annalis

Lassae

vix(it) an(nis) XXI

 

Burial of a freeborn person.

See Notizie degli Scavi di Antichità, 1897, p. 275, no. 5

 

FS97-6. Marble columella of Fortunatus.

0.50m high, 0.14m wide, with the usual round hole in the lower part:

 

FS97-6. Marble columella of Fortunatus.

Inscription reads

 

FORTVNATVs

VIX   •   AN    •   XVII

 

Fortunatus

vix(it) an(nis) XVII

 

Burial of a slave.

See Notizie degli Scavi di Antichità, 1897, p. 276, no. 6.

Photo © Umberto Soldovieri.

 

FS97-7. Marble columella of Fortunatus Pisulliae Verna.

0.44m high, 0.18m wide and with red letters:

 

FORTVNATVS

PISVLLIAE  · VERN  ·

VIX •  ANN ·IIII

 

Fortunatus

Pisulliae Vern(a)

vix(it) ann(is) IIII

 

Burial of a slave.

See Notizie degli Scavi di Antichità, 1897, p. 276, no. 7