VII.8 Pompeii. Forum West Side. Foro Civile, Lato Ovest. Westseite des Forums.

Excavated 1813.

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VII.8 Pompeii Forum. March 2019.

Looking west to pedestal base for M. Lucretio Decidian Rufo set up by M. Pilonius Rufus in north-west corner.

Foto Anne Kleineberg, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.

VII.8 Pompeii Forum. May 2010. Pedestal base for M. Lucretio Decidian Rufo set up by M. Pilonius Rufus in north-west corner.

VII.8 Pompeii Forum. Pedestal base for statue in north-west corner.

Photographed 1970-79 by Günther Einhorn, picture courtesy of his son Ralf Einhorn.

VII.8 Pompeii Forum. March 2019.

Looking north to pedestal base for M. Lucretio Decidian Rufo set up by M. Pilonius Rufus in north-west corner.

Foto Anne Kleineberg, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.

VII.8 Pompeii Forum. 1968.

Looking north to south side of upper decoration on pedestal base for statue. 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.

J68f0995

VII.8 Pompeii Forum. March 2019. Looking west to details on pedestal base.

Foto Anne Kleineberg, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.

VII.8 Pompeii Forum. May 2010. Pedestal base for statue, decorated with bull's heads and flower motifs. This has the Latin inscription –

M .  LVCRETIO . DECIDIAN

RVFO . D . V. III . QVINQ

PONTIF . TRIB . MILITVM

A POPVLO . PRAEF . FABR

M . PILONIVS . RVFVS

See Pappalardo, U., 2001. La Descrizione di Pompei per Giuseppe Fiorelli (1875). Napoli: Massa Editore. (p. 101)

According to Pagano and Prisciandaro, this was found in June 1816, it read –

M(arco) Lucretio Decidian(o)

Rufo d(uum)v(iro) III quinq(uennali)

pontif(ici) trib(uno) militum

a populo praef(ecto) fabr(um)

M(arcus) Pilonius Rufus     [CIL X 788]

See Pagano, M. and Prisciandaro, R., 2006. Studio sulle provenienze degli oggetti rinvenuti negli scavi borbonici del regno di Napoli. Naples: Nicola Longobardi.  (p.114)  

PAH III, 7.

According to Cooley, this translates as

To Marcus Lucretius Decidianus Rufus, duumvir three times, quinquennial, priest, military tribune by popular demand, staff officer. Marcus Pilonius Rufus set this up.

See Cooley, A. and M.G.L., 2004. Pompeii: A Sourcebook. London: Routledge. F92, 0. 130.

VII.8 Pompeii Forum. 1968. Looking west to pedestal base for statue. 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.

J68f0994

VII.8 Pompeii Forum. June 2019. Pedestal base for statue. Photo courtesy of Buzz Ferebee.

This has the Latin inscription –

M . LVCRETIO . DECIDIAN

RVFO . II . VIR . III . QVINQ

PONTIF . TRIB . MIL .  A POPVLO

PRAEF . FABR . EX . D . D

POST . MORTEM

See Pappalardo, U., 2001. La Descrizione di Pompei per Giuseppe Fiorelli (1875). Napoli: Massa Editore. (p. 101)

According to Pagano and Prisciandaro, this was found in June 1816, it read –

M(arco) Lucretio Decidian(o)

Rufo IIvir(o) III quinq(uennali)

pontif(ici) trib(uno) militum a populo

praef(ecto) fabr(um) ex d(ecreto) d(ecurionum)

post mortem       [CIL X 789]

See Pagano, M. and Prisciandaro, R., 2006. Studio sulle provenienze degli oggetti rinvenuti negli scavi borbonici del regno di Napoli. Naples: Nicola Longobardi, (p.114)  

PAH III, 7.

According to Berry, Marcus Lucretius Decidianus Rufus had a particularly distinguished career. The inscription on his statue reads –

To Marcus Lucretius Decidianus Rufus, three times duumvir, (once as) quinquennial duumvir, priest, military tribune by popular decree, military aide-de-camp, in accordance with a decree of the decuriones after his death (CIL X 789).

See Berry, J., 2007. The Complete Pompeii. London: Thames & Hudson. (p.133)

VII.8 Pompeii Forum. Pedestal base for statue in north-west corner. 

Photographed 1970-79 by Günther Einhorn, picture courtesy of his son Ralf Einhorn.

VII.8 Pompeii Forum. 1968. Pedestal base for statue in north-west corner. 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.

J68f0993

VII.8 Pompeii Forum. Pre-1937-39. Pedestal base for statue in north-west corner.

Photo courtesy of American Academy in Rome, Photographic Archive. Warsher collection no. 126.

VII.8 Pompeii Forum. September 2018. Looking south-west towards pedestal base.

VII.8 Pompeii Forum. September 2018. Looking north-west towards pedestal base.

VII.8 Pompeii Forum. Marble plaque with inscription.

Now in Naples Archaeological Museum. Inventory number 3855 (CIL X, 947).

According to the museum this reads -

M(arco) Holcon[io M(arci)
f(ilio)] Rufo, IIvir(o) (duoviro) [i(ure)
d(icundo)],
quinq(uennali), tr(ibunus) mil(itum)
[a pop(ulo)], flamini
Caesa[ris Aug(usti)],

Quintio l[ibertus?].

According to the information card in Naples Archaeological Museum –

Marble dedication to Marcus Holconius Rufus, from the Augustan age, found in the Forum in 1861, reused to face a base.

“To Marcus Holconius Rufus, son of Marcus, duovir with jurisdictional powers, twice quinquennial, military tribune nominated by the people, flamen of Caesar Augustus, to Quintius (son) of Lucius.......”

The inscription is dedicated to Marcus Holconius Rufus, belonging to one of the most prominent and active families in the city.

Responsible for the restoration of the theatre in the Augustan age, the Holconii were given a series of honours by their fellow citizens of which numerous inscriptions remain. Marcus Holconius Rufus twice held the office of duovir juridical also as a five-year duovir, or the magistrate in charge of the census which was carried out every five years. He also received the title of military tribune by popular appointment and was among the first to assume the role of flamine of Caesar Augustus, that is, priest deputy to the cult of Augustus.

VII.8 Pompeii Forum. April 1938.

Looking south-west along the west side. Photo courtesy of Rick Bauer.

VII.8 Pompeii Forum. c.1909. Looking south-west along the west side. Photo courtesy of Rick Bauer.

VII.8 Pompeii Forum. June 2019. Looking south-east along the west side. Photo courtesy of Buzz Ferebee.

VII.8 Pompeii Forum. September 2018. Looking south-east from the west side.

Foto Anne Kleineberg, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.

VII.8 Pompeii, March 2019. Looking north-east from the west side.

Foto Anne Kleineberg, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.

VII.8 Pompeii, March 2019. Looking north-east across the Forum, from the west side.

Foto Anne Kleineberg, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.

VII.8 Pompeii Forum. 1999. Looking south along the west side. Photo courtesy of Rick Bauer.

VII.8 Pompeii Forum. June 2019. Looking south-east along the west side. Photo courtesy of Buzz Ferebee.

VII.8 Pompeii Forum. Postcard by R. Renza dated July 1956.

Looking south-east across the west side of the Forum, with the Temple of Apollo, on the right. Photo courtesy of Rick Bauer.

VII.8 Pompeii Forum. 1867 – 1874 stereo view of west side, looking south. Photo courtesy of Rick Bauer.

VII.8 Pompeii Forum. 1999. Looking north-east along the west side. Photo courtesy of Rick Bauer.

VII.8 Pompeii Forum. West side, looking north-east.

Photographed 1970-79 by Günther Einhorn, picture courtesy of his son Ralf Einhorn.

VII.8 Pompeii Forum. September 2005. West side, statue bases and north-west corner arch.

VII.8 Pompeii Forum. March 2009. West side with four pedestal bases for statues of distinguished citizens.

VII.8 Pompeii Forum. January 1977. Looking north along statue bases on west side. Photo courtesy of David Hingston.

VII.8 Pompeii Forum. 1905.

Looking north-east along west side with pedestal bases for statues of distinguished citizens. Photo courtesy of Rick Bauer.

VII.8 Pompeii Forum.

19th century photo numbered 5311 by G Sommer of west side with pedestal bases for statues of distinguished citizens. Photo courtesy of Rick Bauer.

VII.8 Pompeii Forum. March 2009. Equestrian statue base in front of colonnade on west side.

Part of the “Forum Frieze” found in the atrium of II.4.3.

Forum scene of people reading a banner across the front of the equestrian statues.

Now in Naples Archaeological Museum. Inventory number 9068.

VII.8 Pompeii Forum. September 2005. Looking towards the west side.

VII.8 Pompeii Forum. September 1944. Looking west across forum. Photo courtesy of Rick Bauer.

In the centre rear of the photo there appears to be a pile of rubble, presumably debris from the 1943 bombing.

According to Garcia y Garcia, in this area, which had been reconstructed by Mauri, all the antiquities from pre-Samnite Pompeii were kept.

This area was completely destroyed by bombing in 1943 together with the rooms on its south side, part of the Temple of Apollo, known as “la sagrestia”.

However, the major loss was the destruction of the collection from the archaic period.

The area has now been restored and altered with modern modifications, and once again used as a store for archaeological materials.

See Garcia y Garcia, L., 2006. Danni di guerra a Pompei. Rome: L’Erma di Bretschneider, (p.117).

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