VGJ Pompeii. Tombs at Porta Vesuvio. Tomba di Caio Vestorio Prisco.

Tomb of Gaius Vestorius Priscus.

Part 1      Part 2

Vesuvian Gate tombs, Pompeii. December 2019. Looking south-west. Photo courtesy of Giuseppe Ciaramella.

Vesuvian Gate tombs, Pompeii. 1961. Looking west towards all four tombs. 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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VGJ Pompeii. February 2020. East wall (front) of tomb. Photo courtesy of Aude Durand.

VGJ Pompeii. December 2005. East (front) wall of tomb.

VGJ Pompeii. February 2020. Upper east side (front) of tomb. Photo courtesy of Aude Durand.

VGJ Pompeii. December 2019. Upper east side (front) of tomb. Photo courtesy of Giuseppe Ciaramella.

VGJ Pompeii. May 2015. Detail of inscription on east side. Photo courtesy of Buzz Ferebee.

The inscription reads:-

C(aio) VESTORIO PRISCO AEDIL(i)

VIXIT ANNIS XXII

LOCVS SEPVLTVRAE DATVS ET IN

FVNERE SESTERTIUM DUO MILIA

d(ecreto) d(ecurionum)

MULVIA PRISCA MATER P(ecunia) S(ua)

See La Rocca, E, de Vos, M & E, & Coarelli, F. (1981): Guida archeologica di Pompei. Milan: Mondadori (P.280)

According to Virginia L. Campbell, this expands to

C(aio) Vestorio Prisco aedil(i)

Vixit annis XXII

Locus sepulturae datus et in

funere (sestertium) duo milia

D(ecreto) D(ecurionum)

Mulvia Prisca mater p(ecunia) s(ua)

See Campbell V. L., 2014. The tombs of Pompeii: Organisation, Space, and Society. Abingdon UK: Routledge, p. 98.

According to Cooley, this translates as -

To Gaius Vestorius Priscus, Aedile.

He lived 22 years.

His burial place was granted along with 2,000 sesterces for his funeral by decree of the town councillors. 

Mulvia Prisca, his mother, set this up at [her own] expense.

See Cooley, A. and M.G.L., 2004. Pompeii: A Sourcebook. London: Routledge. (F88, p. 128).

VGJ Pompeii. May 2015. Inscribed marble plaque from east side of inner tomb. Photo courtesy of Buzz Ferebee.

VGJ Pompeii. May 2006. East side of inner tomb with inscription to Gaius Vestorius Priscus who only lived to the age of 22 years.

VGJ Pompeii. February 2020. Detail from upper east side of tomb. Photo courtesy of Aude Durand.

VGJ Pompeii. March 2009. East side of inner tomb with inscribed marble plaque, with female figures, and paintings of cupids.

VGJ Pompeii. 1968.

East side of inner tomb with inscribed marble plaque, with female figures, and paintings of cupids. 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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VGJ Pompeii. December 2005. Painting of cupid on east side, south end, of inner tomb.

VGJ Pompeii. December 2005. Painting of cupid on east side, north end, of inner tomb.

VGJ Pompeii. December 2005. North wall. Exterior of tomb next to Schola tomb VG3.

VGJ Pompeii. March 2009. North side of inner tomb with carved marble figure and paintings of cupids.

VGJ Pompeii. Pompeii. October 2001.

Detail from north side of inner tomb with carved marble figure and paintings of cupids. Photo courtesy of Peter Woods.

VGJ Pompeii. February 2020. Exterior west wall with doorway at rear. Photo courtesy of Aude Durand.

VGJ Pompeii. May 2015. Exterior west wall with doorway at rear. Photo courtesy of Buzz Ferebee.

VGJ Pompeii. May 2006. Exterior west wall with doorway at rear. 

VGJ Pompeii. December 2019.

West side of inner tomb with carved marble figure and paintings of cupids. Photo courtesy of Giuseppe Ciaramella.

VGJ Pompeii. May 2015. West side of inner tomb with carved marble figure and paintings of cupids. Photo courtesy of Buzz Ferebee.

VGJ Pompeii. May 2015. Painting of a panther on west side corner pillar of inner tomb. Photo courtesy of Buzz Ferebee.

VGJ Pompeii. May 2015. Relief of a man with a cornucopia on west side centre of inner tomb. Photo courtesy of Buzz Ferebee.

VGJ Pompeii. March 2009. West side of inner tomb with carved marble figure and paintings of cupids.

VGJ Pompeii. 1968. West side of inner tomb with carved marble figure. 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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VGJ Pompeii. February 2020. Looking towards south side, from across top of VGI tomb. Photo courtesy of Aude Durand.

VGJ Pompeii. December 2019.

Looking towards lower west wall with doorway into tomb and lower south wall behind VGI tomb, on right. Photo courtesy of Giuseppe Ciaramella.

VGJ Pompeii. February 2020. Looking towards south side of upper inner tomb, from front of VGI. Photo courtesy of Aude Durand.

VGJ Pompeii. December 2019.

Upper south side of inner tomb with carved marble figure and paintings of cupids. Photo courtesy of Giuseppe Ciaramella

VGJ Pompeii. May 2015.

Upper south side of inner tomb with carved marble figure and paintings of cupids. Photo courtesy of Buzz Ferebee.

VGJ Pompeii. March 2009. South side of inner tomb with carved marble figure and paintings of cupids.

VGJ Pompeii. 1968.

South side of inner tomb with carved marble figure and paintings of cupids. 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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Part 2