by Mary Beard
Pompeii is a wonderful place to visit and study. My own work there has been helped at every stage by the staff of the Soprintendenza Archeologica di Pompei (under Pietro Giovanni Guzzo), who go out of their way to assist visiting scholars; and, in particular, I have learnt a great deal about Pompeii, both ancient and modern, from Mattia Buondonno. Maria Pia Malvezzi and Andrew Wallace-Hadrill of the British School at Rome have also done an enormous amount to make possible the research that lies behind this book. Visits to Pompeii were made more enjoyable by Zoe and Raphael Cormack – and, of course, by Robin Cormack, whose eagle-eyes and Pompeian expertise helped me to see even more on the site than I ever expected. Some of the sharpest observations in the book I owe to him.
Many friends at home and abroad have helped my work in all kinds of ways. I am especially grateful to Rebecca Benefiel, John Clarke, Louise Guron, Edith Hall, Henry Hurst (and the students of his Pompeii class in 2008), Bradley Letwin, Michael Larvey, Roger Ling, Martin Millett, Clare Pettitt, Mark Robinson and Nicholas Wood (for his marvellous reconstructions of the House of the Tragic Poet). Discussions with Andrew Wallace-Hadrill have provided some of the most memorable, funny, and instructive moments in getting to know Pompeii.
Part of the book was written while I was Visiting Scholar at the Getty Villa in Los Angeles, where I was able to draw on the expertise of Ken Lapatin and Claire Lyons, and the able assistance of Kristina Meinking. As always the staff and colleagues in the Faculty of Classics and the Classical Faculty Library (under Lyn Bailey) have helped in more ways than they know; so too has the team at Profile Books – Claire Beaumont, Peter Carson, Penny Daniel, Andrew Franklin, Kate Griffin, Ruth Killick.
Chapter 9 would have much less to say if it were not for the conversations about Roman religion (and much else) that I have enjoyed with Simon Price over the last thirty years, since we first met in Cambridge in 1978. This book is for Simon.
LIST OF FIGURES
1. Pompeii town
2. The House of the Faun
3. The development of the city plan
4. Map of area surrounding Pompeii
5. The road system in the north-west of Pompeii: the conjectural lay-out of one-way streets
6. The House of the Tragic Poet
7. The House of the Vettii
8. Insula Arriana Polliana
9. The House of Octavius Quartio
10. The House of the Painters at Work
11. Four styles of wall decoration (after M. Beard and J. Henderson, Classical Art: from Greece to Rome (OUP, 2001), p. 39
12. The House of Julius Polybius
13. Plan of an excavated vineyard
14. Plan of the Forum
15. The Bakery of the Chaste Lovers
16. Plan of the large theatre
17. The brothel
18. The Stabian baths
19. The Suburban baths
20. The Pompeian Amphitheatre
21. The Temple of Isis
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
Abbreviations:
MANN – National Archaeological Museum, Naples
SAP – Soprintendenza Archeologica di Pompei
Colour plates
1 Mosaic of musicians, from the Villa of Cicero (MANN 9985). Photo courtesy of Corbis.
2 Orpheus from the House of Orpheus, V. Loria in F. and F. Niccolini, Le Case ed I Monumenti di Pompei (Naples, 1854-96).
3 Painting of Nero (?) as Apollo from Moregine. Photo courtesy of Foglia Fotografica.
4 Reconstruction of street frontage on the Via dell’Abbondanza, V. Spinazzola, Pompei alla luce degli scavi nuovi di Via dell’Abbondanza (Rome, 1953), Tavole III.
5 Carpenters’ procession, MANN 8991. Photo, M. Larvey.
6 Gambling scene from the Bar on the Via di Mercurio. Photo, R. Cormack.
7 Forum scene from Praedia of Julia Felix, MANN 9068. Photo courtesy of Corbis.
8 Model of the House of the Tragic Poet, N. Wood.
9 Detail of model of the House of the Tragic Poet, N. Wood.
10 Painting from west wall of the triclinium in the Bakery of the House of the Chaste Lovers. Photo, M. Larvey.
11 ‘Tightrope walkers’ from the bar on the Via di Mercurio, Colonel Famin, Musée royal de Naples, peintures, bronzes et statues érotiques du cabinet secret (Paris, 1857), Plate XXXV.
12 Table server, MANN 143760. Photo courtesy of Superstock.
13 Wall paintings from the Inn of Salvius (MANN 111482). Photo, M. Larvey.
14 Detail of the Villa of Mysteries frieze. Photo courtesy of Corbis.
15 Detail of the Alexander Mosaic (MANN 10020). Photo, R. Cormack.
16 Reconstruction of painting from the Stabian Baths, G. Abbate, in Niccolini, Case e Monumenti.
17 Mosaic, with actors preparing, from the House of the Tragic Poet, G. Mosaic, with actors preparing, from the House Abbate, in Niccolini, Case e Monumenti.
18 Painting of the arrival of Isis in Egypt, from the Temple of Isis, D. Raoul-Rochette, Choix de Peintures de Pompéi (Paris, 1848–56), Plate XVII.
19 Painting of hunt, from the House of the Ancient Hunt, Raoul-Rochette, Choix de peintures, Plate XVI.
20 Cupids as metal-workers, from the House of the Vetti, V. Loria, in Nuovi scavi di Pompei: Casa dei Vettii (Naples, 1887).
21 Cupids in chariots, from the House of the Vettii. Photo courtesy of Lattanzi.
22 Painting of Nile scene with pygmies, from the House of the Doctor, MANN 113195.
23 Paintings from the atrium of the House of the Tragic Poet, F. Morelli, Soprintendenza archeologica di Napoli, ADS 263.
Illustrations
1 Bronze lamp, MANN 133320
2 Crouching plaster cast. Photo, R. Cormack
3 Amber figurine, MANN 25813
4 Engraving of discovery in the House of Emperor Joseph II, F. Mazois, Les ruines de Pompéi, Paris, 1824–38, Vol. 2, Plate XXXIV
5 Engraving of sculpted panel from the House of Caecilius Jucundus, A. Mau, Pompeji in Leben und Kunst (Leipzig, 1900), Fig. 21
6 The Temple of Isis, Mazois, Les ruines, Vol. 4, Plate VIII
7 Gynaecological instrument, MANN 78030
8 Mooring rings at Pompeii. Photo, B. Letwin
9 Damage following Allied bombing campaigns in 1943, V. Spinazzola, Pompei alla luce degli scavi nuovi di Via dell’Abbondanza (Rome, 1953), Vol. 1, Fig. 12
10 Condition of a Pompeian house as excavated, Spinazzola, Pompei, Vol. 1, Fig. 17
11 Ivory statuette of Lakshmi, MANN 149425
12 View into the House of the Faun. Photo B. Letwin
13 The Alexander mosaic, Mazois, Les ruines, Vol. 4, Plate XLVII
14 Terracotta sculpture, possibly from the Temple of Apollo, SAP 40633. Photo courtesy of Foglia Fotografica
15 The House of Fabius Rufus, from the west. Photo, A. Wallace-Hadrill
16 Painting of the riot in the Amphitheatre, 59 CE, MANN 112222. Photo, M. Larvey
17 Table support from the House of Casca Longus (I. 6. 11)
18 Romulus carrying a trophy of victory, Spinazzola, Pompei, Vol. 1, Fig. 184
19 Pompeian street. Photo, R. Cormack
20 Phallus carved onto street-paving. Photo, R. Cormack
21 Painting showing woolworkers, from workshop façade, Spinazzola, Pompei, Tavole, XI B
22 Water tower and fountain. Photo, B. Letwin
23 Via dell’Abbondanza: ancient and modern methods of traffic control. Photo, R. Cormack
24 Forum scene from the Praedia of Julia Felix, Le Antichità di Ercolano Esposte (Naples, 1755–92) Vol. 3, Plate 42
25 Forum scene from the Praedia of Julia Felix, Antichità di Ercolano Vol. 3, Plate 42
26 Forum scene from the Praedia of Julia Felix, Antichità di Ercolano Vol. 3, Plate 43
27 Forum scene from the Praedia of Julia Felix, Antichitàdi Ercolano Vol. 3, Plate 43
28 Forum scene from the Praedia of Julia Felix, Antichità di Ercolano Vol. 3, Plate 41
29 Forum scene from the Praedia of
Julia Felix, Antichità di Ercolano Vol. 3, Plate 41
30 Shop doors on the Via dell’Abbondanza. Photo B. Letwin
31 Scale model of the House of the Tragic Poet, N. Wood
32 Entrance hall mosaic, the House of the Tragic Poet. Drawing, N. Wood
33 A child’s wooden cradle from Herculaneum, SAP 78444
34 Kitchen in the House of the Vettii
35 Water triclinium, the House of the Golden Bracelet. Photo, A. Wallace-Hadrill
36 Priapus at the entrance to the House of the Vettii. Photo, M. Larvey
37 Prostitute’s room (cella meretricia). Photo courtesy of Foglia Fotografica
38 Sarno baths. Photo, R. Cormack
39 Ornamental water channel, House of Octavius Quartio
40 House of Fabius Rufus, axionometric reconstruction. After V. Kockel
41 Caricature of ‘Rufus’, CIL IV, 9226
42 ‘Hello Amarantus, hello’, graffito from Bar of Amarantus, CIL IV, 10008
43 Half-finished painting, from the House of the Painters at Work. Photo, R. Cormack
44 Painting of Menander in the House of the Menander
45 Two wall painting designs. Left, from the Villa of Diomedes, A. Carli, in F. and F. Niccolini, Le Case ed I Monumenti di Pompei (Naples, 1854–96). Right, from the House of Marcus Lucretius (IX. 3. 5), G. Abbate, in Niccolini, Case e Monumenti
46 So called portrait of Sappho. MANN 9084. Photo, R. Cormack
47 Geometric design of wall-painting, from the House of the Gilded Cupids (VI. 16. 7). Photo, courtesy of Lattanzi
48 Hunting scene from the House of the Ceii. Photo, courtesy of Lattanzi
49 The ‘Judgement of Solomon’, from the House of the Doctor, MANN 113197
50 Frieze from the Villa of Mysteries. Photo, courtesy of Whitestar publishers
51 Parodies of the gods from the baths of the House of the Menander. After A. Maiuri, La Casa del Menandro (Rome, 1933)
52 Mosaic from the entrance to the hot room of the baths of the House of the Menander. Photo, M. Larvey
53 Painting of Achilles on the island of Skyros, W. Gell, Pompeiana (London, 1838), Vol 2, Plate LXIX
54 Terracotta figurine of Micon and Pero (MANN 124846), drawing, H. von Rohden, Die Terrakotten von Pompeji (Stuttgart, 1880), Plate 47
55 Painting of the sacrifice of Iphigeneia, Gell, Pompeiana, Vol. 2, Plate XLVI
56 Helen entertains Paris, the House of Jason, MANN 114320
57 Fish sauce jar, in mosaic from the House of Umbricius Scaurus, SAP 15188
58 Reconstruction of Villa Regina. Drawing S. de Caro (La villa rustica in Località Villa Regina di Boscoreale (Rome, 1994), Fig. 24, and courtesy of Giorgio Bretschneider
59 Wine delivery, from the Bar on the Via di Mercurio, Gell Pompeiana, Vol. 2, Plate LXXXI (border modern)
60 Standard weights and measures, Mazois, Les ruines, Vol. 3, Plate XL
61 Painting from the macellum, G. Weidenmüller, in Niccolini, Case e Monumenti
62 Marble relief showing metalworkers at work, MANN 6575
63 Bread oven from the Bakery of the Chaste Lovers. Photo courtesy of Lattanzi.
64 Bread stall, V.Loria, in Niccolini, Case e Monumenti
65 A flour mill, A Mau, Pompeii its life and art (New York, 1899), Fig 210
66 A horse skeleton, from the Bakery of the Chaste Lovers. Photo, R. Cormack
67 A record tablet from the collection of Caecilius Jucundus, reconstruction, Mau, Pompeii, Fig 262
68 Bust of Caecilius Jucundus, MANN 110663. Photo, R. Cormack
69 The Covered Theatre in action, G. Cel, in Niccolini, Case e Monumenti
70 The Basilica in the Forum, reconstruction sketch. Mau, Pompeii, Fig. 26
71 Statue of Marcus Holconius Rufus, MANN 6233
72 Tomb of Caius Calventius Quietus, Mazois, Les ruines, Vol. 1, Plate XXIV
73 The building of Eumachia, a nineteenth-century model, MANN
74 Statue of Eumachia, MANN 6232
75 Dormouse jar, SAP 10744
76 Painting from the House of the Triclinium, F. and F. Niccolini, in Niccolini, Case e Monumenti
77 Silver cup from Boscoreale, Louvre Bj, 1923
78 Cooking utensils, Mau, Pompeii, Fig. 196
79 Phallic bronze lamp, SAP 1098
80 Painting from the Bar on the Via di Mercurio, Gell Pompeiana, Vol 2, Plate LXXX
81 Phallus bird, Colonel Famin, Musée royal de Naples, peintures, bronzes et statues érotiques du cabinet secret (Paris, 1857), Plate XXVI
82 Erotic wall-painting from the brothel
83 Reconstruction of the Stabian baths, from F. Yegül Baths and Bathing in Classical Antiquity (Cambridge, MA, 1992), after Eschebach
84 Bronze brazier from the Forum baths, G. Abbate, Niccolini, Case e Monumenti
85 The Stabian baths men’s changing room, J. Overbeck, Pompeji (Leipzig, 1875), opp. p. 201
86 Erotic scenes from the changing room of the Suburban Baths. Photo, R. Cormack
87 Large Theatre. Photo courtesy of Corbis
88 Bronze portrait of Caius Norbanus Sorex. Photo courtesy of DAIR, D-DAI-ROM 1989.1216
89 Wall painting showing the theatre, M. Bieber, The History of the Greek and Roman Theater (Princeton, NJ, 1961), Fig. 776
90 The arena of the Amphitheatre. Photo courtesy of Corbis
91 The start of a gladiator bout, from the arena wall, Mazois, Les ruines, Vol. 4, Plate XLVII
92 Advertisement for gladiatorial games, CIL IV, 3884
93 Sculpture showing the stages of a gladiatorial show, MANN 6704
94 Palaestra adjacent to the Large Theatre, used for housing gladiators. Photo courtesy of Corbis
95 Gladiator’s helmet, MANN 8674
96 Pompeian graffiti showing gladiators, from Tomb 14 EN, from cemetery at Nuceria Gate
97 The goddess Venus, from the House of Marine Venus, Famin, Cabinet Secret, Plate XXXIV
98 Bronze figurines of dancing Lares MANN
99 Marble head of Jupiter, from the Temple of Jupiter, Juno and Minerva, MANN 6266
100 Reconstruction of the Temple of Jupiter, Juno and Minerva, Mazois, Les ruines, Vol. 3, Plate XXXII
101 Temple of Minerva and Hercules, Mau, Pompeii, opp. p. 128
102 Temple of Jupiter Meilichios, Mazois, Les ruines, Vol. 4, Plate IV bis.
103 Temple of Fortuna Augusta, Gell, Pompeiana, Vol. 1, Plate XXI
104 Temple of Jupiter, Juno and Minerva. Photo, R. Cormack
105 Statue of Aesculapius/Jupiter, MANN 22574
106 Sacrificial scene, from an altar in the Forum, Mazois, Les ruines, Vol. 4, Plate XV
107 Lararium from the House of Vettii. Photo courtesy of Lattanzi
108 Painting of worship at a lararium, House of Sutoria Primigenia (I. 13. 2). Photo, M. Larvey
109 Bronze hand of Sabazius. Photo courtesy of Whitestar publishers
110 Temple of Isis. Photo courtesy of Sites and Photos
111 Statue of Isis, from the Temple of Isis, K. Grob, in Niccolini, Case e Monumenti
112 Tombs leading up to the Herculaneum Gate, Mazois, Les ruines, Vol 1, Plate II
113 Tomb of Vesonius Phileros. Photo courtesy of DAIR, D-DAI-ROM 1958.1937
In addition to the credits noted above, the following illustrations are reproduced with the authorisation of the Italian Ministero per I Beni e le Attività Culturali:
Soprintendenza Archeologica di Pompei: Colour plates 6, 10. Illustrations 2, 8, 12, 15, 17, 19, 20, 30, 33, 35, 36, 38, 43, 52, 57, 66, 75, 79, 86, 104, 108. Museo Archeologico Nazionale di Napoli: Colour plates 5, 12, 13, 15, 22. Illustrations 1, 3, 7, 11, 16, 46, 49, 56, 62, 68, 71, 73, 74, 93, 95, 98, 99, 105. Soprintendenza Archeologica di Napoli: Colour plate 23.
While every effort has been made to contact copyright-holders of illustrations, the author and publishers would be grateful for information about any illustrations where they have been unable to trace them, and would be glad to make amendments in further editions.
Mary Beard, Pompeii