I.7.7 Pompeii. Casa del Sacerdos Amandus or House of the Priest Amandus

or Casa dell’affresco di Spartaco.

Excavated 1912 and 1924.

Part 1      Part 2      Part 3

I.7.7 Pompeii, in centre. December 2018. Looking south towards entrance doorway. Photo courtesy of Aude Durand.

I.7.7 Pompeii. December 2007. Entrance doorway.

I.7.7 Pompeii. December 2007. Graffiti on east side of entrance.

According to Varone and Stefani, found on the east side of the entrance doorway, were CIL IV 7233 and 7234.

See Varone, A. and Stefani, G., 2009. Titulorum Pictorum Pompeianorum, Rome: L’erma di Bretschneider, (p.80-81)

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

Secundum aed(ilem)

[3] rog(at)       [CIL IV 7233]

C(aium) Lollium

[                        [CIL IV 7234]

I.7.7 Pompeii. December 2006. Entrance doorway.

I.7.7 Pompeii. October 2019. Looking south to atrium from vestibule/entrance corridor.

Foto Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.

Relazione di Maiuri 1927

L ’ingresso della casa è costituito dal vestibolo al termine del quale una rientranza di muro indica la presenza di un battente ligneo della porta fra il vestibolo e le fauces. Il pavimento è in semplice battuto, rintonaco delle pareti risulta in gran parte grezzo ad eccezione di un’alta zoccolatura ad intonaco liscio gialletto che ricopre il muro destro delle fauces. Dopo la porta del vestibolo si osserva in alto sul muro di diritta una traccia di muro sporgente in cui è da riconoscere il muro di sostegno del ballatoio che dava accesso al balcone esterno sulla facciata. Nello scavo delle fauces si rinvennero, alquanto al di sopra del piano antico di calpestio (da m. 0.10 a m. 0.60) ben nove scheletri di fuggiaschi tutti forse i componenti della famiglia di questa piccola abitazione, i quali dopo aver cercato assieme un rifugio nella stessa casa, insieme decisero l’estrema via di scampo nella disperata fuga ed insieme tragicamente morirono prima di poter varcare il limitare della casa.

Dalla porta procedendo verso l’interno gli scheletri delle vittime della catastrofe si presentarono in questo ordine:

Primo all’ingresso delle fauces ed a m. 0.40 dal pavimento antico, scheletro di bambina con ai lati del teschio un paio di orecchini in oro a semplice filo sottilissimo circolare annodati all estremità (n. 3448):

Secondo a 3 m. dalle fauces ed a cm. 50 dal pavimento scheletro di adulto, resupino, con le braccia distese:

Terzo accanto al precedente, altro scheletro, in posizione di rattrappimento:

Quarto a m. 4.50 dall’ingresso a cm. 60 dal piano di calpestio, scheletro coricato di fianco, appartenente a persona adulta probabilmente maschile; in un dito della mano d. era infilato un anello in bronzo con il castone sormontato da una piccola chiave e nel castone una corniola con la figurazione rozzamente incisa della Fortuna con cornucopia e palma:

Quinto, a m. 5.50 dall’ingresso e cm. 40 di altezza: scheletro poco ben conservato con le gambe ripiegate su se stesse : Sesto - a m. 6 e quasi poggiato sul pavimento antico, schiacciato e deformato dal cumulo delle macerie riversate in quel punto: Settimo - a m. 7 circa dalle fauces e sul suolo antico, scheletro di donna, caduta resupina. Alle braccia portava infilate due armille circolari in lamina d’oro battuta a sezione semicircolare vuota ed a forma decrescente, con una sfaccettatura elittica eseguita nel punto più largo del cerchio: alle dita della mano sin. due anelli d’oro a forma piena con semplice castone sfaccettato:

Ottavo di questo scheletro, rinvenuto più addentro, poté eseguirsi il calco della testa e delle spalle. È una espressiva figura di adulto dall’alta fronte, dal naso prominente con il volto non deformato dall’agonia, le spalle ancora ravvolte nella stoffa del vestito che indossava al momento della catastrofe: [Vedere la nostra pagina Calchi per Calco E.]

Il 9 ed ultimo scheletro si rinvenne a m. 9.50 dall’ingresso, resupino anch’ esso, con le braccia e le gambe distese.

Un anellino a lamina d’oro, vuota, con inserita nel castone una pasta vitrea lenticolare con incerta figurazione incisa, rinvenuto nelle stesse fauces a m. 3 poteva anche esso appartenere allo scheletro giovanile n. 3.

Il piano delle fauces è sensibilmente inclinato verso l’atriolo della casa anziché ascendere verso di esso come più generalmente avviene.

Vedi Notizie degli Scavi di Antichità, 1927 pp. 19-20.

Report of Maiuri 1927

The entrance to the house consists of the vestibule at the end of which a recess in the wall indicates the presence of a wooden door leaf between the vestibule and the fauces. The floor is simply beaten, the plaster of the walls is largely rough with the exception of a high plinth in smooth yellow plaster which covers the right wall of the fauces. After the door of the vestibule, a trace of a protruding wall can be seen high up on the right wall, in which the supporting wall of the gallery which gave access to the external balcony on the facade can be recognised. During the excavation of the fauces, well above the ancient walking surface (from 0.10 m to 0.60 m), as many as nine skeletons of fugitives were found, all perhaps members of the family of this small house, who after having searched together for a refuge in the same

house, together they decided on the last escape route in their desperate escape and together they tragically died before they could cross the edge of the house.

From the door, proceeding inwards, the skeletons of the victims of the catastrophe appeared in this order:

First: at the entrance to the fauces and at m. 0.40 from the ancient floor, skeleton of a little girl with a pair of gold earrings with a simple, very thin circular wire knotted at the end on either side of the skull (n. 3448):

Second: at 3 m. from the fauces and to cm. 50 from the floor adult skeleton, resupinus, with arms outstretched:

Third: next to the previous one, another skeleton, in a shrunken position:

Fourth: at m. 4.50 from the entrance to cm. 60 from the floor, skeleton lying on its side, belonging to an adult, probably male; in a finger of the hand d. a bronze ring was inserted with the bezel surmounted by a small key and in the bezel a carnelian with the crudely engraved representation of Fortuna with cornucopia and palm:

Fifth: on m. 5.50 from the entrance and cm. 40 in height: poorly preserved skeleton with legs folded on themselves:

Sixth: at m. 6 and almost resting on the ancient floor, crushed and deformed by the pile of rubble poured into that point:

Seventh: at m. 7 approximately from the jaws and on the ancient ground, a woman's skeleton, fallen resupine. On her arms she wore two circular armlets in beaten gold foil with an empty semicircular section and a decreasing shape, with an elliptical facet made in the widest point of the circle: on the fingers of the left hand. two full-shaped gold rings with simple faceted bezel:

Eighth: Of this skeleton, found further inside, the cast of the head and shoulders could be made. It is an expressive adult figure with a high forehead, a prominent nose and a face not deformed by agony, his shoulders still wrapped in the fabric of the dress he was wearing at the time of the catastrophe: [See our Casts page for Calco E.]

The 9th and last skeleton was found 9.50 metres from the entrance, also lying with its arms and legs outstretched.

A gold leaf ring, empty, with a lenticular glass paste inserted into the bezel with an uncertain engraved figure, found in the same fauces at m. 3 could also have belonged to juvenile skeleton no. 3.

The plane of the fauces is significantly inclined towards the atrium of the house rather than ascending towards it as more generally happens.

See Notizie degli Scavi di Antichità, 1927 pp. 19-20.

I.7.7 Pompeii. December 2006. Vestibule, looking south to atrium.

I.7.7 Pompeii. September 2004. Looking south along west wall of vestibule/entrance corridor.

I.7.7 Pompeii. December 2006.

West wall of vestibule with remains of ancient combat wall painting with Oscan inscriptions.

This came to light when a good part of the wall plaster fell, revealing beneath it, the ancient painting of figures with traces of inscriptions.

Above a figure fleeing on horseback to the right, was written in Oscan – “SPARTAKS”.

Badly mutilated but above the figure of the horseman chasing him, was written “PHELI…..ANS”.

See Notizie degli Scavi di Antichità, 1927, 21, Abb 5.

Jacobelli described it as being 2.06 m long and 0.45m high.

On the far right a figure with the head of an animal is playing a long trumpet.

Two fighters on horseback, armed with round shields. One pursues the other and wounds him with a long lance.

Above the attacker is an Oscan inscription Phili[….] ans, interpreted as Phili[ks pumpaii]ans . Above the wounded horseman is the name Spartaks.

On the left is a duel between two dismounted gladiators (possibly Samnites) armed with swords and rectangular shields.

There are undecipherable Oscan inscriptions above their heads.

At the left end is a structure which may possibly be an altar.

One theory is that it showed the death of Spartacus following a wound on the thigh as described in ancient sources.

A second theory is that it predates the revolt of Spartacus and shows a gladiatorial spectacle with a gladiator called Spartacus which was a common name amongst Thracians.

See Jacobelli, L., 2003. Gladiators at Pompeii. Roma: L’Erma di Bretschneider. (p.75, fig 62)

I.7.7 Pompeii. Remains of wall painting showing ancient battle.

I.7.7 Pompeii. Detail from ancient combat wall painting.

At the left end is a structure which may possibly be an altar.

Duel between two dismounted gladiators (possibly Samnites) armed with swords and rectangular shields.

There are undecipherable Oscan inscriptions above their heads.

I.7.7 Pompeii. December 2018. Detail from left end of ancient combat wall painting. Photo courtesy of Aude Durand.

I.7.7 Pompeii. December 2018. Detail from left and right end of ancient combat wall painting. Photo courtesy of Aude Durand.

I.7.7 Pompeii. Detail from ancient combat wall painting.

Two fighters on horseback, armed with round shields. One pursues the other and wounds him with a long lance.

On the far right a figure with the head of an animal is playing a long trumpet.

I.7.7 Pompeii. October 2019. Detail of horses, in centre and right, from ancient combat wall painting.

Foto Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.

I.7.7 Pompeii. December 2018. Detail of horses, in centre right, of ancient combat wall painting. Photo courtesy of Aude Durand.

I.7.7 Pompeii. 2015/2016. Detail of horses, in centre right, of ancient combat wall painting. Photo courtesy of Giuseppe Ciaramella.

I.7.7 Pompeii. 2015/2016. Detail of Oscan inscriptions. Photo courtesy of Giuseppe Ciaramella.

I.7.7 Pompeii. December 2006. West wall of vestibule.

I.7.7 Pompeii. October 2019. Looking south from entrance corridor towards impluvium in atrium.

Foto Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.

I.7.7 Pompeii. December 2006. Impluvium.

I.7.7 Pompeii. December 2006. Doorway to room on east of entrance.

I.7.7 Pompeii. July 2007.

Looking east towards latrine in small room on east side of entrance. Photo courtesy of Barry Hobson.

I.7.7 Pompeii. December 2006. Cubiculum or bedroom to east of entrance.

I.7.7 Pompeii. December 2006. Doorway to bedroom on east side and ala with mosaic threshold.

I.7.7 Pompeii. December 2006. Eastern ala with mosaic threshold, looking east.

I.7.7 Pompeii. October 2019. Detail of doorway threshold from east ala.

Foto Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.

I.7.7 Pompeii. October 2019. East wall of ala, with remaining detail of painted decoration.

Foto Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.

I.7.7 Pompeii. December 2006. East wall of ala.

Part 2      Part 3