VIII.3.1 Pompeii. Comitium o Sala delle Elezioni, o Scuola di Verna.

Comitium or Hall of the Elections, or School of Verna.

Linked to VIII.3.32 and VIII.3.33. Excavated 1814. (Strada del Abbondanza 1).

VIII.3.1 Pompeii. December 2006. Entrance doorway on Via dell’Abbondanza.

VIII.3.1 Pompeii. May 2005. Entrance doorway on Via dell’Abbondanza.

According to Della Corte, found on the east (left) of the entrance doorway was a recommendation –

Verna cum discent(ibus) rog(at)    [CIL IV 694]

See Della Corte, M., 1965. Case ed Abitanti di Pompei. Napoli: Fausto Fiorentino. (p.224)

According to Fiorelli, there were numerous electoral programmes written on the walls here, the one –

Capellam D V I D O V F

Verna cum discent rog,

was the one that originally attributed the name of Scuola di Verna to this place. (School of Verna)

VIII.3.1 Pompeii. c.1900. Drawing by Pierre Gusman of Capellam inscription.

According to Gusman, “one inscription on the school of Verna informs us that the establishment was under the patronage of Capella, whose promotion to the office of duumvir was much to be desired.”

See Gusman P., 1900. Pompeii: The City, Its Life & Art. London: Heinemann, p. 194.

According to Pagano and Prisciandaro, reported on 6th October 1814 was the finding of a recommendation for the election of the duumvir C. Cecilio Capella near the north door. It read –

Capellam d(uumvirum) i(ure) d(icundo) o(ro) v(os) f(aciatis)

Verna cum

discent(ibus) rog(at)      [CIL IV 694]

See Pagano, M. and Prisciandaro, R., 2006. Studio sulle provenienze degli oggetti rinvenuti negli scavi borbonici del regno di Napoli. Naples: Nicola Longobardi, p.111.

VIII.3.1 Pompeii. May 2005. Entrance doorway, looking south-east from Via dell’Abbondanza.

VIII.3.1 Pompeii. October 2017. Looking south from entrance doorway.

Foto Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.

VIII.3.1 Pompeii. 1961. Looking south-west from entrance doorway. 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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VIII.3.1 Pompeii. October 2023.

Looking east along north wall towards entrance doorway, from west side at VIII.3.32. Photo courtesy of Klaus Heese.

VIII.3.1 Pompeii. October 2023. Looking towards north side. Photo courtesy of Klaus Heese.

VIII.3.1 Pompeii. March 2014. Looking towards north-east corner on east side of entrance doorway.

Foto Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.

VIII.3.1 Pompeii. March 2014. North wall in north-east corner.

Foto Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.

VIII.3.1 Pompeii. October 2023. Looking towards east wall, from VIII.3.33/32. Photo courtesy of Klaus Heese.

VIII.3.1 Pompeii. October 2022. Niche in east wall at north end. Photo courtesy of Klaus Heese.

VIII.3.1 Comitium. Sala delle Elezioni. Niche in east wall at north end.

VIII.3.1 Pompeii. October 2017. Looking towards south-east corner, from entrance doorway.

Foto Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.

Originally the east wall would have had four recesses or niches for statues, according to Eschebach.

The south wall would have had three.

See Eschebach, L., 1993. Gebäudeverzeichnis und Stadtplan der antiken Stadt Pompeji. Köln: Böhlau. (p.362).

VIII.3.1 Pompeii. May 2005. Looking towards south-east corner, from entrance.

VIII.3.1 Pompeii. October 2023. Looking towards south-east corner, with three niches/recesses. Photo courtesy of Klaus Heese.

VIII.3.1 Comitium. Sala delle Elezioni. Niche from east wall in south-east corner.

VIII.3.1 Pompeii. October 2022.

Detail of niche from east wall in south-east corner. Photo courtesy of Klaus Heese.

VIII.3.1 Pompeii. October 2023.

Detail of niche from east wall in south-east corner. Photo courtesy of Klaus Heese.

VIII.3.1 Pompeii. December 2006. South-east corner and south wall with two recesses or niches.

VIII.3.1 Pompeii. December 2006. Recess or niche on south wall in south-east corner.

VIII.3.1 Pompeii. October 2023.

Detail of niche/recess on south wall in south-east corner. Photo courtesy of Klaus Heese.

VIII.3.1 Pompeii. October 2023. Detail of niche/recess on south wall. Photo courtesy of Klaus Heese.

VIII.3.1 Pompeii. December 2006. Recess or niche on south wall.

VIII.3.1 Pompeii. October 2022. Looking west along podium on south side. Photo courtesy of Klaus Heese.

VIII.3.1 Pompeii. October 2023. Looking west along podium towards south side of Forum. Photo courtesy of Klaus Heese.

VIII.3.1 Pompeii. March 2014. Looking towards south wall.

Foto Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.

VIII.3.1 Pompeii. December 2006. Podium or platform with large niche on south wall.

VIII.3.1 Pompeii. October 2023. Looking towards east wall of podium or platform. Photo courtesy of Klaus Heese.

VIII.3.1 Pompeii. December 2006. Large niche on south wall.

VIII.3.1 Pompeii. December 2006. South wall.

VIII.3.1 Pompeii. October 2022. Remains of steps to podium. Photo courtesy of Klaus Heese.

VIII.3.1 Pompeii. December 2006. Remains of steps.

VIII.3.1 Pompeii. December 2006. South wall in south-west corner there appears to be another niche behind the “hut”.

VIII.3.1 Pompeii. October 2023. Detail from podium/platform on south side. Photo courtesy of Klaus Heese.

VIII.3.1 Pompeii. October 2023. Looking west at south end. Photo courtesy of Klaus Heese.

VIII.3.1 Pompeii. December 2006. Podium behind south wall.

VIII.3.1 Pompeii. December 2006. Podium behind south wall.

VIII.3.1 Pompeii. March 2014. Looking towards south-west corner and entrance VIII.3.32 from the Forum.

Foto Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.

VIII.3.1 Pompeii. December 2006. Looking towards south-west corner, from entrance.

VIII.3.1 Pompeii. 2015/2016.

Looking west towards entrances at VIII.3.32, centre left, and VIII.3.33, in centre, on east side of the Forum. Photo courtesy of Giuseppe Ciaramella.

VIII.3.1 Pompeii. March 2014. Looking west towards entrances at VIII.3.32, on left, and VIII.3.33 on east side of the Forum.

Foto Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.

VIII.3.1 Pompeii. 1961.

Looking west towards entrances at VIII.3.32, on left, and VIII.3.33 on east side of the Forum. 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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VIII.3.1 Pompeii. October 2022.

Looking north-east towards entrance at VIII.3.1 on Via dell’Abbondanza, from south-west corner at VIII.3.32. Photo courtesy of Klaus Heese.