Pompeii's Regio V: Vibrant gladiator frescos and proof of October eruption date

This fresco of gladiatorial combat, unearthed in Pompeii in 2019, was found in a basement room of a building that scholars think was a tavern frequented by gladiators in the city.  The tavern was found not far from the gladiators' barracks in Regio V.

The wounded Thraex, bleeding profusely from injuries on his wrist and chest, raises a finger to indicate his submission and request for mercy. The victorious Murmillo, wearing a plumed, wide-brimmed helmet with visor, holds aloft his large rectangular shield in his left hand while gripping his short sword in his right.

For historians, probably the most significant find from Regio V was unearthed in 2018.  Excavators uncovered an inscription proving the city was destroyed after October 17, 79 CE instead of August 24 as previously thought.  The August date had been suspect for some time as a number of the 1,150 victims recovered from the ruins were discovered wearing heavier clothing than the light summer clothes typical of August. Fresh fruit and vegetables in the shops were typical of October – and conversely the summer fruit typical of August was already being sold in dried, or conserved form. Nuts from chestnut trees were found at Oplontis which would not have been mature before mid-September. Wine fermenting jars had been sealed, which would have happened around the end of October. Coins found in the purse of a woman buried in the ash include one with a 15th imperatorial acclamation among the emperor's titles. These coins could not have been minted before the second week of September.

Victorious Murmillo from Gladiator fresco found in Regio V of Pompeii in a tavern near the gladiator barracks

Defeated and badly wounded Thraex from Gladiator fresco found in Regio V of Pompeii in a tavern near the gladiator barracks

Gladiator fresco found in Regio V of Pompeii in a tavern near the gladiator barracks

Images courtesy of @DrJEBall and @pompeii_sites (digitally enhanced)

 

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Insight provided by Roman funerary inscriptions

Roman tombstone (PD)

Roman Funerary inscriptions on tombstones provide invaluable insight into the lives of ordinary Romans. Funerary inscriptions revealed that many women worked. Many of them were doctors. For example:

‘To the departed spirit of Julia Saturnina, 45 years of age, wonderful wife, excellent physician, most blameless woman. Erected by her husband Cassius Philippus out of gratitude. She lies here, and may the earth rest lightly upon her.’

Other professions attested to women’s tombstones included scribe: ‘To Hapate, short-hand writer of Greek. She lived for 25 years. Pittosus erected this monument to his most affectionate wife,’ or merchant: ‘Thymele, Marcella’s dealer in silk’ or actress: ‘Luria Privata, an actress in mime shows, lived 19 years. Bleptus made this monument.’

The epitaphs of men also illustrated a variety of jobs, from humble laborers like ‘Publius Marcius Philodamus, construction worker, freedman of Publius,’ or those with more specialized careers: ‘Here lie the bones of Quintus Tiburtinus Menolavus, freedman of Quintus, who made living slaughtering animals for sacrifices.’

Some men took great pride in their jobs, as in the case of a teacher whose epitaph stated: ‘Having left the famous city of Bithynia Nikaia as a young man, I came to the land of the Italians, and in the sacred city of Rome, I taught mathematics and geometry. This is the monument that I, Basileus, made, having paid for the work by making a living with my mind.’

https://www.thegreatcoursesdaily.com/tombstone-epitaphs-and-the-meaning-of-funerary-inscriptions-in-ancient-rome/

In the free online FutureLearn course, "Hadrian's Wall: Life On The Roman Frontier," I had the opportunity to learn how to decipher some of the abbreviations used on Roman tombstones and dedicated altars.  Such as:

Line 1: D(EO) IN(VICTO) M(ITHRAE) S(ACRUM)
Line 2: AVL(VS) CLVENTIVS
Line 3: HABITVS PRAEF(ECTVS)
Line 4: COH(ORTIS) I
Line 5: BATAVORVUM
Line 6: DOMV VLTI
Line 7: NA COLON(IA)
Line 8: SEPT(IMIA) AVR(ELIA) L(ARINO)
Line 9: V(OTUM) S(OLVIT) L(IBENS) M(ERITO)

Which is transliterated as:

Line 1: SACRED TO THE INVINCIBLE GOD MITHRAS
Line 2: AULUS CLUENTIUS
Line 3: HABITUS, PREFECT
Line 4: OF THE 1ST COHORT
Line 5: OF BATAVIANS,
Line 6: OF THE ULTINIAN VOTING TRIBE
Line 7: FROM COLONIA
Line 8: SEPTIMIA AURELIA LARINUM
Line 9: WILLINGLY AND DESERVEDLY FULFILLED HIS VOW

Professor Ian Haynes points out that often in Roman dedicatory inscriptions more information is given about the dedicant, who is showing the community that he has honored his vow, than about the deity. In this case the text focuses on Aulus Cluentius Habitus, his command and place of origin.  We were given access to a database of Roman funerary inscriptions and provided with the opportunity to translate some sample inscriptions.

https://www.futurelearn.com/courses/hadrians-wall

The six week course is in progress right now and students can join at any time.   One of FutureLearn's most popular courses, it is also offered multiple times during the year.  The course is free but I paid the extra $69 fee so I could have access to the course materials as long as they remain on FutureLearn's website.  I also received a digital certificate for completion that can be used as evidence for continuing education credits.

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