VIII.1.1 Pompeii. Basilica.

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Mau gives a description of the Basilica and reconstruction drawings.

See Mau, A., 1907, translated by Kelsey F. W. Pompeii: Its Life and Art. New York: Macmillan. (p. 70-9).

VIII.1.1 Pompeii. July 2021. Looking west along north corridor.

Foto Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.

VIII.1.1 Pompeii. September 2018. Looking west from north corridor.

Foto Anne Kleineberg, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.

VIII.1.1 Pompeii. December 2005. Looking west along north corridor.

VIII.1.1 Pompeii. 1945. Looking west along north corridor. Photo courtesy of Rick Bauer.

VIII.1.1 Pompeii. 1932. Looking west along north corridor.

Photo taken during a shore-visit from the ship Resolute’s world cruise in 1932. Photo courtesy of Rick Bauer.

VIII.1.1 Pompeii. December 2005. Basilica, column bases. Looking west.

VIII.1.1 Pompeii. May 2010. West end. Photo courtesy of Rick Bauer.

VIII.1.1 Pompeii. September 2018. Looking towards west end.

Foto Anne Kleineberg, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.

VIII.1.1 Pompeii. July 2012. Looking towards west end.

Photo courtesy of John Vanko. His father took the identical photo in February 1952, see below.

VIII.1.1 Pompeii. February 1952. Looking west. Photo courtesy of John Vanko.

His father took this photo in 1952, identical to the one above.

VIII.1.1 Pompeii. 4th April 1980, pre-earthquake. West end of Basilica. Photo courtesy of Tina Gilbert.

VIII.1.1 Pompeii. June 1962. West end of Basilica. Photo courtesy of Rick Bauer.

VIII.1.1 Pompeii. 1953 photo of west end. Photo courtesy of Rick Bauer.

VIII.1.1 Pompeii. 1944.

Looking towards Tribunal at west end of Basilica, from north corridor. Photo courtesy of Rick Bauer.

VIII.1.1 Pompeii. Basilica. March 1939 during a stop on a world cruise on SS Carinthia. Looking west. Photo courtesy of Rick Bauer.

VIII.1.1 Pompeii. 1934. West end of Basilica. Photo courtesy of Rick Bauer.

VIII.1.1 Pompeii. 1933. Looking towards west end and north-west corner. Photo courtesy of Rick Bauer.

VIII.1.1 Pompeii. December 2005. Basilica, west side with statue base in main central room.

VIII.1.1 Pompeii. October 2020. Looking west along north wall of Basilica. Photo courtesy of Klaus Heese.

VIII.1.1 Pompeii. September 2018. Looking towards north-west corner of Basilica.

Foto Anne Kleineberg, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.

VIII.1.1 Pompeii. December 2005. Basilica, west side, with room at north end of Tribunal.

VIII.1.1 Pompeii. September 2018. Looking along north wall in north-west corner.

Foto Anne Kleineberg, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.

VIII.1.1 Pompeii. May 1934. From an album of the Nierhoff family vacation.

Looking towards north-west corner. Photo courtesy of Rick Bauer.

VIII.1.1 Pompeii. December 2005. Basilica, north-west corner, remains of half round columns and stucco plaster.

VIII.1.1 Pompeii. July 1826. Watercolour by P.A. Poirot, of coloured stucco in Basilica

See Poirot, P. A., 1826. Carnets de dessins de Pierre-Achille Poirot. Tome 2 : Pompeia, pl. 48.

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VIII.1.1 Pompeii. Coloured wall stucco by Mazois, described as –

“The compartments lightly indicated in relief, were painted in different coloured marbles, mainly of yellow, green and red marbles. The foundations of the walls were black and red.”

See Mazois, F., 1829. Les Ruines de Pompei : Troisième Partie. Paris : Didot Frères, pl. XXI and p.41.

VIII.1.1 Pompeii, May 2018.

Basilica, remains of half-round columns and stucco plaster on north wall in north-west corner. Photo courtesy of Buzz Ferebee.

VIII.1.1 Pompeii, September 2018. Looking towards north wall, on east side of doorway at VIII.1.2.

Foto Anne Kleineberg, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.

VIII.1.1 Pompeii, September 2018. Detail of stucco decoration and flooring on second panel from east side of doorway at VIII.1.2.

Foto Anne Kleineberg, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.

VIII.1.1 Pompeii. October 2001. Looking towards north wall of Basilica. Photo courtesy of Peter Woods.

VIII.1.1 Pompeii, May 2018. Basilica, detail from north wall. Photo courtesy of Buzz Ferebee.

VIII.1.1 Pompeii, Basilica. September 2018. Looking towards north wall.

Foto Anne Kleineberg, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.

VIII.1.1 Pompeii. July 2021. Looking west along north wall.

Foto Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.

VIII.1.1 Pompeii, May 2018. Basilica, detail from north wall. Photo courtesy of Buzz Ferebee.

VIII.1.1 Pompeii. Between 1819 and 1832, drawing by W. Gell, on the left, described as –

“16 inscriptions on the north wall of the Basilica under the portico, many of them scarcely visible, 1818.”

On the right, “Near the Little Theatre, Pompeii”.

See Gell, W. Pompeii unpublished [Dessins de l'édition de 1832 donnant le résultat des fouilles post 1819 (?)] vol II, pl. 99.

Bibliothèque de l'Institut National d'Histoire de l'Art, collections Jacques Doucet, Identifiant numérique Num MS180 (2).

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VIII.1.1 Pompeii. Between 1819 and 1832, drawing by W. Gell showing scratched inscriptions in the Basilica.

See Gell, W. Pompeii unpublished [Dessins de l'édition de 1832 donnant le résultat des fouilles post 1819 (?)] vol II, pl. 98.

Bibliothèque de l'Institut National d'Histoire de l'Art, collections Jacques Doucet, Identifiant numérique Num MS180 (2).

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VIII.1.1 Pompeii. Scratched graffiti from Basilica.

Photo courtesy of Giuseppe Ciaramella, June 2017.

Now in Naples Archaeological Museum, inventory number 4706.

VIII.1.1 Pompeii. Drawing of scratched graffiti from Basilica.

LITTERA THEORIANIS SEMPER DICTVRA SALVTEM-

NOMINE NVNC DEXTRI TEMPVS IN OMNE MANET      [CIL IV 1891]

See Corpus Inscriptionum Latinarum Vol. IV, 1871. Berlin: Reimer, p. 121, Tav. XXV no 6.

Now in Naples Archaeological Museum, part of inventory number 4706.

VIII.1.1 Pompeii. Drawing of scratched graffiti CIL IV 1904 from Basilica.

Admiror o pariens te non cecidisse ruinis qui tot
scriptorum taedia sustineas       [CIL IV 1904].

According to B. K. Harvey this translates as: O walls, you have held up so much tedious graffiti that I am amazed that you have not already collapsed in ruin.

This seems to be a version of the inscription found in other places in Pompeii:

The same couplet is found in the Large Theatre [CIL IV 2461] and the Amphitheatre [CIL IV 2487].

See Corpus Inscriptionum Latinarum Vol. IV, 1871. Berlin: Reimer, p. 122, Tav. XI no. 10.

Now in Naples Archaeological Museum, part of inventory number 4706.

VIII.1.1 Pompeii. Scratched graffiti [CIL IV 1837] from Basilica. Photo courtesy of Giuseppe Ciaramella, June 2017.

Now in Naples Archaeological Museum, part of inventory number 4700.

See Corpus Inscriptionum Latinarum Vol. IV, 1871. Berlin: Reimer, p. 117, Tav. XXIV no. 1.

VIII.1.1 Pompeii. Drawing of scratched graffiti CIL IV 1837 from Basilica.

Si potes et non vis cur gaudia

differs spemque foves et

cras usque redire iubes [er]

go coge mori quem

sine te vivere cogis(!)

munus erit certe non

cruciasse boni quod spes

eripuit spes certe redd[i]t amanti

According to B. K. Harvey this translates as

If you are able, but not willing, why do you put off our joy and kindle hope and tell me always to come back tomorrow. So, force me to die since you force me to live without you. Your gift will be to stop torturing me. Certainly, hope returns to the lover what it has once snatched away.

Written later:

qui hoc leget nuncquam posteac quam p()

ale(u)d legat nunquam sit salvos

qui supra scripsit

vere dicis

Hedysto

F(e)licit(e)r      [CIL IV 1837]

And below:

Invit[3]

invitus [re]g(ina?) (t)uo [de lit]ore(?) me[3] Optatus seu

verum equites cupio [3]mus uni[

[CIL IV 1837a]

See Corpus Inscriptionum Latinarum Vol. IV, 1871. Berlin: Reimer, p. 117, Tav. XXIV no.1.

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