HGW17 Pompeii. Herculaneum Gate West Side. Tomb of Numerius Festius Ampliatus?

Tomb of Aulus Umbricius Scaurus son of Aulus? (Eschebach West 17, Kockel Süd 17).

HGW17 Pompeii. May 2006. Looking west towards the front of the tomb.

HGW17 Pompeii, on left. May 2024.

Looking west towards doorway to tomb, with doorway to HGW18, on right. Photo courtesy of Klaus Heese.

HGW17, Pompeii. 8th August 1976. Looking west to front of tomb.

Photo courtesy of Rick Bauer, from Dr George Fay’s slides collection.

HGW17, Pompeii, on left. 8th August 1976. Looking north along west side of Via dei Sepolcri.

Photo courtesy of Rick Bauer, from Dr George Fay’s slides collection.

HGW17 Pompeii. 1964. Looking south-west towards the front of the tomb.  Photo by Stanley A. Jashemski.

Source: The Wilhelmina and Stanley A. Jashemski archive in the University of Maryland Library, Special Collections (See collection page) and made available under the Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial License v.4. See Licence and use details.

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HGW17 Pompeii. Looking west towards the front of the tomb.

Old undated photograph courtesy of the Society of Antiquaries, Fox Collection.

HGW17 Pompeii, in centre. Undated watercolour by Luigi Bazzani of tombs on west side of Via dei Sepolcri.

HGW17 and HG18, Pompeii, on right. 1871. Looking south on Via dei Sepolcri.

Photo by J. H. Parker, © American Academy in Rome. Parker.2160.Italia.

HGW17 Pompeii. May 2006. Marble plaque on the east side.

This was found in pieces in the earth in front of HGW17 and HGW18 on the 15th September 1812.

It was placed on the front of HGW17 on the 23rd January 1813.

According to Kockel, the evaluation of the finding reports and the examination of the different masses have proved that the inscription of Umbricius Scaurus does not belong to HGW17.

See Kockel V., 1983. Die Grabbauten vor dem Herkulaner Tor in Pompeji. Mainz: von Zabern. (p. 83).

According to Kockel the plaque may belong to HGW16.

See Kockel V., 1983. Die Grabbauten vor dem Herkulaner Tor in Pompeji. Mainz: von Zabern. (p. 70-71).

HGW17 Pompeii. May 2006. Plaque with a Latin inscription, on the east side of the tomb.

A. VMBRICIO A. F. MEN.

SCAVRO

II VIR I. D

HVIC DECVRIONES LOCVM MONVM

ET HS MM IN FVNERE ET STATVAM EQVESTR

IN FORO PONENDAM CENSVERVNT

SCAVRVS PATER FILIO.

According to Epigraphik-Datenbank Clauss/Slaby (See www.manfredclauss.de) this reads

A(ulo) Umbricio A(uli) f(ilio) Men(enia)

Scauro

IIvir(o) i(ure) d(icundo)

huic decuriones locum monum(entum)

et HS |(mille)|(mille) in funere et statuam equestr(em)

[in f]oro ponendam censuerunt

Scaurus pater filio      [CIL X 1024]

Mau translated this as

‘To the memory of Aulus Umbricius Scaurus son of Aulus, of the tribe Menenia, duumvir with judiciary authority.

The city council voted the place for a monument to this man and two thousand sesterces toward the cost of the funeral;

They voted also that an equestrian statue in his honour should be set up in the Forum.

Scaurus the father to the memory of his son.'

See Mau, A., 1907, translated by Kelsey F. W. Pompeii: Its Life and Art. New York: Macmillan. (p. 410-11).

HGW17Pompeii. 1964. Marble plaque on east side.  Photo by Stanley A. Jashemski.

Source: The Wilhelmina and Stanley A. Jashemski archive in the University of Maryland Library, Special Collections (See collection page) and made available under the Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial License v.4. See Licence and use details.

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HGW17 Pompeii. Inscription on a fragment of a marble tablet found on 22nd August 1812.

According to PAH, this was a part of a marble tablet and was found in the rubble before the grave.

Now in Naples Archaeological Museum.

The inscription is shown in PAH as

MICI

EST

RNAMENTA

AS  ET  MVNIFICENTIAM  EIVS

O  SECVNDO  PATRI  ET

RI  C  OLIO  HERMAE  HEREDIBVS

ARCIAE  AVGE  ET  RVSTIAE

E  ET  OLIAE  SECVNDAE

M  EX  TESTAMENTO

See Fiorelli G., 1860. Pompeianarum antiquitatum historia, Vol. 1: 1748 - 1818, Naples, 3, 92, 22nd August 1812.

According to Epigraphik-Datenbank Clauss/Slaby (See www.manfredclauss.de) this read

] Mici[3]

q(uod?) est

[3 o]rnamenta [3]

[3]as et munificentiam eius [3]

[3]o Secundo patri et [3]

[3] et C(aio) Olio Hermae heredibus [3]

[3] Marciae Auge et Rustiae [3]

[3]ae et Oliae Secundae [3]

[3] m(eritis?) ex testamento      [CIL X 1025].

See Kockel V., 1983. Die Grabbauten vor dem Herkulaner Tor in Pompeji. Mainz: von Zabern.  (p. 76, Taf. 19a)

HGW17 Pompeii. About 1824. Drawing by Mazois of the tomb, inscription and the gladiator reliefs.

See Mazois, F., 1824. Les Ruines de Pompei: Premiere Partie. Paris: Didot Frères, (p. 47-8, T: XXX).

HGW17 Pompeii. About 1824. Drawing by Mazois of the inscription and scenes of combat with wild beasts.

Note they are not in the same sequence when compared to the drawing above.

The first relief represents a man naked and unarmed between a lion and a panther. 

In the second a wild boar is rushing at a man who appears to be preparing for a spring to escape from the animal. A wolf runs at full speed and a stag with a rope tied to his horns has been pulled down by two wolves or dogs.

According to Mazois the third relief is the training of a bestiarius who has a spear in each hand with his left leg is protected by greaves. He is attacking a panther, whose movements are hampered by a rope fastened to a bull. Another man with a spear seems to be urging on the bull.

The fourth relief is a man with a sword in one hand and a veil in the other, similar to a modern day matador.

See Smith, W., 1875. A Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities. London: John Murray. (1186-8).

See Mazois, F., 1824. Les Ruines de Pompei: Premiere Partie. Paris: Didot Frères. (p. 47-8, T: XXXI).

HGW17 Pompeii. About 1824. Drawing by Mazois of the Gladiator reliefs.

A painted inscription along the top of one of the scenes: MVNERE ……….. TI AMPLIATI DIE SVMMO: indicates that the gladiatorial show thus commemorated was given by Numerius Festius Ampliatus. [CIL IV 1182]

Beside each gladiator was painted his name, school, and number of previous combats, as in a programme; and letters were added to give the result of this fight.

In the first group, the first pair of gladiators on the left hand represents an equestrian combat. Both wear helmets with visors, which cover the whole face, and are armed with spears and round bucklers.

In the second pair the gladiator on the left has been wounded; he has let fall his shield and is imploring the mercy of the people by raising his hand toward them. His antagonist stands behind him waiting the signal of the people. The one on the left appears to be a mirmillo, and the one on the right, with an oblong shield (scutum), a Samnite.

The third pair consists of a Thracian and a mirmillo, the latter of whom is defeated.

The fourth group consists of four figures; two are secutores and two retiarii. The secutor on his knee appears to have been defeated by the retiarius behind him, but as the fuscina is not adapted for producing certain death, the other secutor is called upon to do it. The retiarius in the distance is probably destined to fight in his turn with the surviving secutor.

The fifth pair are a mirmillo and a Samnite; the latter is defeated.

In the second group two combats are represented. In the first a Samnite has been conquered by a mirmillo; the former is holding up his hand to the people to implore mercy, while the latter apparently wishes to become his enemy's executioner before receiving the signal from the people; but the lanista holds him back. In the other combat a mirmillo is mortally wounded by a Samnite.

See Smith, W., 1875. A Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities. London: John Murray. (p. 574-7).

See Mazois, F., 1824. Les Ruines de Pompei: Premiere Partie. Paris: Didot Frères. (p. 47-8, T: XXXII).

According to Epigraphik-Datenbank Clauss/Slaby (See www.manfredclauss.de) all these inscriptions are:

Munere [N(umeri) Fes]ti Ampliati die summo

Bebryx Iul(ianus) |(pugnarum) XV v(icit)

Nobilior Iul(ianus) |(pugnarum) XIV

[3] Iul(ianus) |(pugnarum) XVI

[3 pugnarum X]IV m(issus) e(st)

[3] Iul(ianus) |(pugnarum) XXX v(icit)

[3]sus Iul(ianus) |(pugnarum) XV m(issus) o(biit)

Hippolytus I[ul(ianus?)] |(pugnarum) V v(icit)

Ce[l]atus Iul(ianus) |(pugnarum) VI

Nedymus Iul(ianus) |(pugnarum) V [3]

[3]p[3] Iul(ianus) |(pugnrum) XV m(issus

[3] Iul(ianus) |(pugnarum) IV [                                               [CIL IV 1182]

According to Kockel, Numerius Festius Ampliatus may not have been simply the organiser of the games but this was actually his grave.

See Kockel V., 1983. Die Grabbauten vor dem Herkulaner Tor in Pompeji. Mainz: von Zabern. (p. 83).

HGW17 Pompeii. 1819 drawing by W. B. Cooke (from Mazois) of Bas Reliefs on the front of the tomb representing the combats of the gladiators.

See Cooke, Cockburn and Donaldson, 1827. Pompeii Illustrated: Vol. II. London: Cooke, pl. 64.

HGW17 Pompeii. May 2006. Looking west in tomb enclosure.

HGW17 Pompeii. May 2010. Rear of tomb enclosure, looking east.

HGW17 Pompeii. May 2010. North and west side of tomb.

HGW17 Pompeii. About 1824. Cross section drawing by Mazois.

See Mazois, F., 1824. Les Ruines de Pompei: Premiere Partie. Paris: Didot Frères, (p. 47-8, T: XXX).

HGW17 Pompeii. May 2006. Niches in interior of tomb.

HGW17 Pompeii. May 2006. Interior of tomb.

HGW16 and HGW17 (on right) Pompeii. 1940. Looking south across front of tombs on Via dei Sepolcri.

Photo courtesy of Rick Bauer.