T1 Pompeii. Tower I. Tower south of the Triangular Forum.

Towers plan

According to Van der Graaff –

“Today, the twelve towers built into the Pompeian circuit are in ruins, their tall structures toppled during the earthquake of the 60s CE and the eruption of Vesuvius…………………..

Each tower consisted of three floors supported by barrel vaults and interconnected by means of rear internal stairways. A door in the back provided access to the city side, and one on either flank opened on the wall-walk. A small postern in the ground floor usually opened onto the exterior side of the defences.”

See Van der Graaff, I. (2018). The Fortifications of Pompeii and Ancient Italy. Routledge, (p.71/2). (See p.71-81 – The Towers).

“An unresolved question concerns the placement of Tower I.

With the current number of unearthed Towers at eleven and the counterclockwise count, Tower I should be located somewhere between Tower II and the Porta Marina. A common consensus places it at the tip of the Triangular Forum, where it must have created a stunning visual relationship with the Doric Temple nearby.”

See Van der Graaff, I. (2018). The Fortifications of Pompeii and Ancient Italy. Routledge, (p.72).

Stairway from Triangular Forum, near Tower I. May 2011. Looking south. Photo courtesy of Ivo van der Graaff.

Stairway from Triangular Forum, near Tower I, Gladiators Barracks and Triangular Forum. May 2011.

Looking south. Photo courtesy of Ivo van der Graaff.

Possible site of part of Tower I, near Triangular Forum. May 2011. Photo courtesy of Ivo van der Graaff.

Looking north towards Triangular Forum and site of Pompeii Tower I. May 2011. Photo courtesy of Ivo van der Graaff.

Looking north towards Triangular Forum and site of Pompeii Tower I. May 2006.

Looking north towards Triangular Forum and site of Pompeii Tower I. May 2006.

Looking north towards Triangular Forum and site of Pompeii Tower I. May 2006.

Possible site of Pompeii Tower I. May 2006. Looking north.

Possible site of Pompeii Tower I, south of Triangular Forum, near volcanic ledge. May 2011.

Looking north-east. Photo courtesy of Ivo van der Graaff.

Possible site of Pompeii Tower I, south of Triangular Forum, near volcanic ledge. May 2011.

Looking north-east. Photo courtesy of Ivo van der Graaff.

Possible site of Pompeii Tower I, south of Triangular Forum, near volcanic ledge. May 2011.

Looking south-west. Photo courtesy of Ivo van der Graaff.

Corner of Gladiators Barracks and possible site of Pompeii Tower I. May 2006.

Ancient road near Pompeii Tower I. May 2006.

Possible site of Pompeii Tower I from VIII.7.30 Triangular Forum. December 2005. Looking south.

Possible site of Pompeii Tower I from VIII.7.30 Triangular Forum. May 2006. Looking east.

Pompeii Tower I (*see note below).

Marble sepulchral tablet found during the removal of the eruptive material in the chamber (June 4, 1952).

This records the names of Publius Tintirius, his daughter Tintiriae Festae, and his wife Pontiae Hedymaeleni.

Now in PAP deposit, inventory number 17130.

According to the Epigraphic Database Roma this reads

P(ublius) Tintirius P(ubli) l(ibertus) Ad`i´utor et
Tintiriae Festae,
filiae suae - v(i)`x´(it) an(nis) VII -,
et sibi et Pontiae He=
dymaeleni, uxso=
ri suae, et suis.   [EDR171965]

According to Van der Graaff, an “aggressive” translation may read as follows  –

Publius Tintirius Audiutor, son of Publius [made this]

for his daughter Tintiria…….esta [beginning of name apparently lost] (she lived

  7 years)

and for himself

and Pontia Hedyma, his gentle wife

and their [family?]

(* NOTE: Excavation notebooks report the discovery of an epitaph in the main chamber of the tower in the 1950’s. …….

The notebook tells us its dimensions, 42 x 28 x 4.5 centimetres.)

Van der Graaff’s note no.54 reads –

“Excavation diary entry June 4, 1952. The excavation reports are vague, describing the recovery of the epitaph in what the excavators designate Tower I. Assuming continuity in excavation nomenclature, this associates the report with Tower II since Maiuri later describes the tower as I: see Maiuri 1959, 82-83.”)

(Note 55: “With thanks to Professor A. Riggsby for his invaluable translation of the text”.)

See Van der Graaff, I. (2018). The Fortifications of Pompeii and Ancient Italy. Routledge, (p.154) & Notes 54 and 55 on p.171.

Possible site of Pompeii Tower I from VIII.7.30 Triangular Forum. May 2006. Looking south-east.

Possible site of Pompeii Tower I. May 2011. Looking north with Gladiators Barracks, on right. Photo courtesy of Ivo van der Graaff.

Possible site of Pompeii Tower I. May 2011. Looking north. Photo courtesy of Ivo van der Graaff.

Possible site of Pompeii Tower I from VIII.7.30 Triangular Forum. May 2006. Looking south.

Possible site of Pompeii Tower I from VIII.7.30 Triangular Forum. May 2006. Looking south.

Possible site of Pompeii Tower I from VIII.7.30 Triangular Forum. May 2006. Looking south.

Near possible site of Pompeii Tower I, looking from VIII.7.30 Triangular Forum. May 2006.

Towers plan