Venus as an authority figure in Pompeii

 by Mary Harrsch © 2024

While searching through images of Pompeii frescos with Bacchus, I stumbled across this fresco from an exterior wall between the Casa di M. Terrentius Eudoxus (VI 13,6) and a workshop at VI 13,7. It is described as a fresco of Bacchus-Liber Pater with Venus Pompeiana-Libera instead of his consort Ariadne.

Original fresco of Bacchus and Ariadne from the Casa di M Terentius Eudoxus VI.13,
between entrances 6 and 7, Pompeii. 

Casa di M Terentius Eudoxus VI.13, between entrances 6 and 7, Pompeii. Anonymous drawing of the above painting MN 9282, which might be attributed to Nicolas La Volpe 

I was curious why the excavators arrived at this identification so I asked ChatGPT:

"In this fresco from the workshop at VI, 13, 6-7 in Pompeii, the female figure is identified as Venus Pompeiana-Libera rather than Bacchus’s consort Ariadne due to several iconographic and contextual cues...the staff held by the female figure in the fresco from the Casa di M. Terentius Eudoxus can indeed serve as an identifying attribute, helping distinguish her as Venus rather than Ariadne. In Roman art, Venus is sometimes depicted with a scepter or staff, emphasizing her status as a powerful and sovereign deity associated with authority over love, beauty, and fertility. This attribute reinforces her role as a figure of civic and protective power, especially in Pompeii where Venus was venerated in her localized form as Venus Pompeiana.

"Ariadne, on the other hand, is typically portrayed with different attributes in her mythological depictions, such as wreaths or garlands (symbolizing her eventual union with Bacchus), and she is often shown in scenes of abandonment or discovery, rather than as a figure of authority. Therefore, the staff held by the female figure is more consistent with Venus's iconography, marking her divine sovereignty and protective influence. In Pompeii, this choice of iconography would align with the residents' reverence for Venus Pompeiana as a protector of the city and its people, further differentiating her from mythological figures like Ariadne who lack this civic dimension...Pompeians regarded her [the goddess] as a local version of Venus that combined traditional Venusian qualities with some freedom-oriented attributes of Libera, aligning her with the ideas of personal and social liberation, fertility, and civic prosperity.

"The presence of Bacchus (or Liber Pater, the Roman equivalent) in this fresco also plays a significant role. Bacchus was not only a god of wine and revelry but also associated with liberation and rebirth, concepts that resonated deeply in the social and religious fabric of Pompeii. In this context, Bacchus and Venus Pompeiana-Libera appear as complementary deities, embodying themes of fertility, abundance, and liberation rather than focusing on the myth of Ariadne's romantic union with Bacchus. This pairing reflects a local cultic adaptation, where the divine figures were portrayed with attributes that reinforced Pompeii's values and prosperity.

"Additionally, Bacchus and Venus together may symbolize civic values and protection, with Venus Pompeiana as a divine guardian over the city's social life and economic fortune. Ariadne, while central in myth as Bacchus’s wife, does not carry the same civic and protective attributes that Venus Pompeiana-Libera does within Pompeii. Therefore, the fresco’s setting in a public-facing workshop further reinforces the interpretation of this pairing as a symbolic and protective partnership rather than a mythological romance scene, emphasizing community-oriented rather than personal or mythical themes."​

Some years ago, when I was translating Volume 1 of Hauser in Pompeij: Casa del Principe di Napoli, I had encountered this pairing in the triclinium. There, however, Venus is portrayed in the more familiar pose of wringing sea water from her hair, rather than in the more authoritarian example of the workshop. ChatGPT told me the pairing was still probably selected for its protective message.

"By placing them together in a triclinium—a dining area used for social and sometimes ceremonial gatherings—the homeowners may have intended to invoke these deities’ protective and liberating qualities over their household and guests. The presence of these figures in such spaces would remind diners of the prosperity, protection, and harmony Venus and Bacchus offered, fitting well with the atmosphere of hospitality and celebration.

"This pairing likely resonated with the broader Roman ideals of concordia (harmony) and abundantia (abundance), which were desirable qualities in both the household and the community. Thus, the fresco reflects not only personal devotion but also broader societal values, portraying Bacchus and Venus as guardians of both personal joy and collective prosperity​."