Pompeii. Porta di Nola or Porta Nolana or Nola Gate. Excavated 1813.

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According to Van der Graaff -

“……. After this episode, the sources fall silent, but excavations seem to continue under General Championnet during the short-lived Parthenopean Republic of 1799. For reasons that remains unclear, the general was particularly interested in finding the gates of the city. By the end of the year, excavators had found the top of the Porta Nola and had identified the remains of the Porta Sarno and Nocera (Note 32).

On October 5, 1812, groups of soldiers started uncovering the walls on the east side of the city in three unspecified locations (Note 39).

The PAH mentions the discovery of the Porta Nola as a new gate on May 8, 1813, despite the earlier identification of the gate under General Championnet

(Note 40). Work progressed rapidly. June 5 marks the recovery of the inscription and keystone of the arch (Note 41).

By September 9, 1813, with much of the gate uncovered, the digging changed focus to follow the Via di Nola into the city (Note 42).

See Van der Graaff, I. (2018). The Fortifications of Pompeii and Ancient Italy.  Routledge, (p14-15).

According to Eschebach, this gate may also have been known as Porta Campana, and Porta Dianensis?

See Eschebach, L., 1993. Gebäudeverzeichnis und Stadtplan der antiken Stadt Pompeji. Köln: Böhlau. (p.11)

Pompeii Porta Nola. May 2015. Looking east out from city. Photo courtesy of Buzz Ferebee.

Nola Gate, Pompeii. May 2010. Looking east from Via di Nola. Photo courtesy of Ivo van der Graaff.

Nola Gate, Pompeii. May 2010. Looking east out from city. Photo courtesy of Ivo van der Graaff.

Pompeii Porta Nola. May 2005. Looking east out from city.

Pompeii Porta Nola. 1956. Looking east out from Via di Nola. Photo courtesy of Rick Bauer.

Pompeii Porta Nola. Pre-1824 painting by Jakob Wilhelm Huber “Porta di Nola”.

The painting shows the Oscan inscription, recording Vibius Popidius overseeing the building, still in situ to the left of the head of Minerva.

Pompeii Porta Nola. Oscan inscription found on the inner (city) side of the arch of the Nola Gate, near the head of Minerva, readable from right to left.

Now in the British Museum. Inventory number 1867,0508.76.

According to Cooley, this translated as –

Vibius Popidius, son of Vibius, chief magistrate (meddix tuticus) saw to this being built and officially approved it.

See Cooley, A. and M.G.L., 2004. Pompeii: A Sourcebook. London: Routledge. (p.16, A24).

Pompeii Porta Nola. 1836 drawing of inscription.

According to De Jorio, this Oscan inscription was discovered in May 1812, near to the head thought, at that time, to be of the goddess Isis.

See De Jorio, A., 1836. Guida di Pompei. Napoli: Fibrena, p. 114 and Tav. IV. no. 3.

Pompeii Porta Nola. Oscan inscription found on the inner (city) side of the arch.

v pupidiis v

med tuv

aamanaffed

isidu

pruphatted

According to Van der Graaff –

“An inscription at the Porta Nola implies that some sort of individual euergetism went into the construction of the vaults.

Here the patron prominently associated himself with its reconstruction by means of a text written in Oscan to address the local audience.

See Van der Graaff, I. (2018). The Fortifications of Pompeii and Ancient Italy. Routledge, (p.98-99, Note 88.)

Pompeii Porta Nola. Oscan inscription found on the inner (city) side of the arch.

According to Van der Graaff, aggressively translated into English, it reads:

Vibius Popidius (the son of ) Vibius

meddix tuticus (magistrate)

commissioned

and

dedicated (the gate).

Vibius was a rich wine trader belonging to the powerful Popidii clan. He actively built public structures around the city.

A stray inscription indicates that he financed the tuff colonnade on the south side of the Forum (Note 90). ………………………….

The Porta Nola, the best surviving example of the type, highlights how the juxtaposition of travertine bastions, tuff corridor, and a plastered vault accentuated the progression through the agger.

See Van der Graaff, I. (2018). The Fortifications of Pompeii and Ancient Italy. Routledge, (p.98-99, Notes 89 and 90.)

Nola Gate, Pompeii. June 2012.

Head of Minerva above arched vault on inner (city) side of Nola Gate. The Oscan inscription was located to the left of the head.

Photo courtesy of Ivo van der Graaff.

Nola Gate, Pompeii. May 2011.

Head of Minerva above arched vault on inner (city) side of Nola Gate. Photo courtesy of Ivo van der Graaff.

Pompeii Porta Nola. May 2006.

Head of Minerva above arch on inner side of Nola Gate. The Oscan inscription was located to the left of the head.

Pompeii Porta Nola. May 2015. Head of Minerva above arch on inside of Nola Gate. Photo courtesy of Buzz Ferebee.

Nola Gate, Pompeii. May 2011. Head of Minerva on city side (west side) of Nola Gate. Photo courtesy of Ivo van der Graaff.

According to Van der Graaff –

“Perhaps the most recognized religious symbol on the Pompeian fortifications is the keystone on the city side of the Porta Nola (see Fig. 8.1).

………………………. Although weathering has damaged the bust almost beyond recognition, a few identifiable locks of curled hair and the base of a helmet on the neck identify her as Minerva. Presumably, such busts decorated more than just one of the gates at Pompeii, but no others were found in situ.”

See Van der Graaff, I. (2018). The Fortifications of Pompeii and Ancient Italy. Routledge, (p.206-207).

Pompeii Porta Nola. May 2006. Head of Minerva above arch on inside of Nola Gate.

Nola Gate, Pompeii. May 2010. Looking south-east towards west end of Nola Gate. Photo courtesy of Ivo van der Graaff.

Nola Gate, Pompeii. May 2010. Looking south towards west end of gate. Photo courtesy of Ivo van der Graaff.

Nola Gate, Pompeii. May 2011. Looking south across upper west side of gate. Photo courtesy of Ivo van der Graaff.

Nola Gate, Pompeii. May 2010.

Looking south towards upper west side of gate, with head of Minerva. Photo courtesy of Ivo van der Graaff.

Nola Gate, Pompeii. May 2011. Detail of north side of Minerva on west side of gate. Photo courtesy of Ivo van der Graaff.

Nola Gate, Pompeii. May 2011. Looking towards Minerva at west end of gate, from below. Photo courtesy of Ivo van der Graaff.

Nola Gate, Pompeii. May 2010. Looking north-east towards west end of gate. Photo courtesy of Ivo van der Graaff.

Pompeii Porta Nola. May 2010. South side of gate, looking east from city side.

Pompeii Porta Nola. May 2006. On the city south side of the Nola Gate near III.12.

Nola Gate, Pompeii. May 2010. Looking north towards head of Minerva on west side of gate. Photo courtesy of Ivo van der Graaff.

Porta Nola, Pompeii. June 2012. Looking east towards north side of gate at west end. Photo courtesy of Ivo van der Graaff.

Nola Gate, Pompeii. May 2011. Looking east towards north side of gate, with entry to drain and steps. Photo courtesy of Ivo van der Graaff.

Nola Gate, Pompeii. May 2010.

Entry to drain at east end of Via di Nola, and steps on north side of Nola Gate. Photo courtesy of Ivo van der Graaff.

Nola Gate, Pompeii. May 2010. Looking towards steps on north side of gate. Photo courtesy of Ivo van der Graaff.

Nola Gate, Pompeii. May 2010. Steps against north exterior wall at west end of gate. Photo courtesy of Ivo van der Graaff.

Pompeii Porta Nola. May 2010. Steps on north side of gate.

Nola Gate, Pompeii. May 2010. Steps against north exterior wall of west end of gate. Photo courtesy of Ivo van der Graaff.

Nola Gate, Pompeii. May 2010. Detail of north exterior wall of gate at west end. Photo courtesy of Ivo van der Graaff.

Nola Gate, Pompeii. May 2010. Looking west along north exterior wall of gate. Photo courtesy of Ivo van der Graaff.

Nola Gate, Pompeii. May 2010. Looking west towards area of steps and drain on north side of gate. Photo courtesy of Ivo van der Graaff.

Pompeii Porta Nola. May 2006. Drain at the east end of the Via Nola, and steps on the north side of the Nola Gate.

Pompeii Porta Nola. May 2010. Drain on north side of gate.

Pompeii Porta Nola. May 2006. Detail of drain on the north side of the Nola Gate.

Pompeii Porta Nola. May 2006. The north side of the Nola Gate at the west end.

Nola Gate, Pompeii. June 2012. Looking east through gate. Photo courtesy of Ivo van der Graaff.

According to Van der Graaff –

“In its current layout, the gate includes outer travertine bastions, a tuff gate court, and a vault built in opus incertum.

Maiuri proposed that the tuff blocks embedded in the opus incertum masonry, along with the protome of Minerva that acts as a keystone of the arch, are the relics of the earlier vault. The protome in particular is a would-be example of re-use for purposes of cult continuity or nostalgia (Note 62).

When it comes to the vault, much of this theory is highly debatable: any evidence for the substitution of a previous vault is completely lacking (Note 63).”

See Van der Graaff, I. (2018). The Fortifications of Pompeii and Ancient Italy. Routledge, (p.58).

Pompeii Porta Nola. May 2006. Looking out of the city eastwards.

Nola Gate, Pompeii. May 2010. Looking east from gate. Photo courtesy of Ivo van der Graaff.

Pompeii Porta Nola. May 2006. Looking east out from gate towards Exedra Tomb NG1.

Nola Gate, Pompeii. May 2010. Looking east out towards Exedra Tomb NG1. Photo courtesy of Ivo van der Graaff.

Nola Gate, Pompeii. May 2010. Looking east from east end of Nola Gate. Photo courtesy of Ivo van der Graaff.

Nola Gate, Pompeii. May 2010. Looking east from upper south side of gate. Photo courtesy of Ivo van der Graaff.

Nola Gate, Pompeii. May 2010. Looking west towards gate. Photo courtesy of Ivo van der Graaff.

Pompeii Porta Nola. C.1819 sketch by W. Gell. Looking west from outside city along Via di Nola towards gate.

See Gell W & Gandy, J.P: Pompeii published 1819 [Dessins publiés dans l'ouvrage de Sir William Gell et John P. Gandy, Pompeiana: the topography, edifices and ornaments of Pompei, 1817-1819], p. 31/158.

See book in Bibliothèque de l'Institut National d'Histoire de l'Art [France], collections Jacques Doucet Gell Dessins 1817-1819

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Pompeii Porta Nola. c.1819 sketch by W. Gell, showing inscriptions found in the vicinity of the Porta Nola.

See Gell W & Gandy, J.P: Pompeii published 1819 [Dessins publiés dans l'ouvrage de Sir William Gell et John P. Gandy, Pompeiana: the topography, edifices and ornaments of Pompei, 1817-1819], p. 31/158.

See book in Bibliothèque de l'Institut National d'Histoire de l'Art [France], collections Jacques Doucet Gell Dessins 1817-1819

Use Etalab Open Licence ou Etalab Licence Ouverte

Pompeii Porta Nola. May 2006. Looking west towards Gate from outside city.

Nola Gate, Pompeii. May 2010. Looking west towards gate, from east end. Photo courtesy of Ivo van der Graaff.

Pompeii Porta Nola. May 2006. Looking west from outside city towards gate.

Near Nola Gate, Pompeii. May 2010. East entrance to Nola Gate, through city walls. Photo courtesy of Ivo van der Graaff.

Nola Gate, Pompeii. May 2010. Looking west from east end of gate, and city walls. Photo courtesy of Ivo van der Graaff.

Near Nola Gate, Pompeii. May 2010. City walls on south side of gate, at east end. Photo courtesy of Ivo van der Graaff.

Nola Gate, Pompeii. May 2010.

Looking north-west across area of gate, from east end of upper south wall. Photo courtesy of Ivo van der Graaff.

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