I.2.21 Pompeii. Thermopolium. Excavated 1869.

Linked to I.2.20.

I.2.21 Pompeii. September 2010. Looking west towards entrance doorway across vicolo. Photo courtesy of Drew Baker.

According to Warscher, quoting Fiorelli, she described –

“Il thermopolium no.21 aveva una sola taberna, col banco rivestito di marmi, ed un separato focolare, a destra della porta”.

(translation: “The thermopolium no.21, had only one room, with bench faced with marble, and a separate hearth, to the right of the door”.)

See Fiorelli, Descrizione, p.45/46.

See Pappalardo, U., 2001. La Descrizione di Pompei per Giuseppe Fiorelli (1875). Napoli: Massa Editore, (p.36).

See Warscher T., 1935. Codex Topographicus Pompeianus: Regio I.2. Rome: DAIR, whose copyright it remains.

I.2.21 Pompeii. September 2010. Looking south along Vicolo del Citarista.

The entrance doorway is on the right (west) of the photo. Photo courtesy of Drew Baker.

I.2.21 Pompeii. March 2009. Entrances to two entrances of linked I.2.21 and I.2.20.

According to Fiorelli, there were painted graffiti on the pilaster that divided the two entrances of I.2.21 and I.2.20.

This would have been the remains of the pilaster in the centre of the picture. It read -

CEIVM  II . VIR . OVF

POLLIVS CLIENS ROG            (CIL IV 3366 with Note 3 on p.273).

And nearer to I.2.21 was another acclamation in favour of the same Lucio Ceio Secondo:

L . C . S .  BENE . MER

II . VIR . OVF . HINNVLVS

CVM . PAPILIONE . ROG          (CIL IV 3367)

See Pappalardo, U., 2001. La Descrizione di Pompei per Giuseppe Fiorelli (1875). Napoli: Massa Editore. (p.36)

According to Della Corte, in front of the entrance of I.2.21 were three characteristic brick benches, and another one in the vestibule of I.2.20.

These were for the comfort of the clients of Innulus, who along with his assistant Papilione, seemed to provide food and girls here.

Innulus was a client of the candidate L. Ceius Secundus as deduced by the two electoral recommendations, written to the left of I.2.21 -

(H)innulus cum Papilione rog.  (CIL IV 3367)

Inn(ulus) cliens rog.                     (CIL IV 3366 with Note 3 on p.273).

On the external walls of these two establishments were many graffiti recalling the names of the girls that lived and worked here, and their frequenters (CIL IV 3910-3943).

Some are repeated, three women are recorded, the third of which was mentioned three times - Primigenia, Mandata, Serena.

Of the men, the first named man was mentioned four times, the second three times, and the third once.

It was written that they cheerfully passed their time here, and were - Iarinus, Ampliatus Afer, Festus

See Della Corte, M., 1965. Case ed Abitanti di Pompei. Napoli: Fausto Fiorentino. (p.273-4)

Franklin thought that Della Corte had erred on these identifications.

See Franklin, James L, Jr: Notes on Pompeian Prosopography: Programmatum scriptores (pp.62-3)

– In Cronache Pompeiane, IV-1978, pages 54-74.

For details of CIL IV 3910-3943, courtesy of Epigraphik-Datenbank Clauss/Slaby, see below, after the last photo.

I.2.21 Pompeii.  March 2009. Looking north-west through entrance into thermopolium, with I.2.20 at the rear.

I.2.21 on the left, and I.2.20 on the right, Pompeii. September 2018. Entrances, looking west. Photo courtesy of Aude Durand.

I.2.21 on the left, and I.2.20 on the right, Pompeii. December 2006. Entrances, looking west.

I.2.21 Pompeii. December 2006. Entrance, to one roomed caupona.

I.2.21 Pompeii. June 2006. Looking across bar towards south wall. Photo courtesy of Nicolas Monteix.

I.2.21 Pompeii. June 2006. Looking across bar towards west wall. Photo courtesy of Nicolas Monteix.

I.2.21 Pompeii. September 2010. South wall of bar. Photo courtesy of Drew Baker.

I.2.21 Pompeii. September 2010. Looking north from bar, across entrance corridor of I.2.20 to small room on north side.

Photo courtesy of Drew Baker.

I.2.21 Pompeii. September 2005. Entrance, with counter on the left, and remains of hearth, on the right.

I.2.21 Pompeii. September 2010. Looking east across bar-counter towards Vicolo del Citarista.

Photo courtesy of Drew Baker.

I.2.21 Pompeii. September 2005. Remains of the counter originally faced with marble.

According to Epigraphik-Datenbank Clauss/Slaby (See www.manfredclauss.de), the graffiti found on the walls, read as –

] Ceium IIvir(um) o(ro) v(os) f(aciatis)

[3]ini v[3] cliens rog(at)      [CIL IV 3366]

L(ucium) C(eium) S(ecundum) bene mer(enti)

IIvir(um) o(ro) v(os) f(aciatis) Hinnulus

cum Papilione rog(at)        [CIL IV 3367]

Successus      [CIL IV 3910]

Onesimus       [CIL IV 3911]

Onesiphorus  [CIL IV 3912]

Aeneadu III     [CIL IV 3913]

XXXXX IIII / XXA / XIVI     [CIL IV 3914]

IIIIIIIIIIIIXXXXXXXXX         [CIL IV 3915]

Primi<g=C>enia

Successus      [CIL IV 3916]

Nauplius          [CIL IV 3917]

Cla()                 [CIL IV 3918]

Proculus

fui                       [CIL IV 3919]

CABCR              [CIL IV 3920 = CIL IV 5452]

Cipius p<u=I>er hic          [CIL IV 3921]

Mandata tua    [CIL IV 3922]

] menses         [CIL IV 3923]

Sena                [CIL IV 3924]

Saturnine

Cunnum linge

re noll               [CIL IV 3925]

Diadumus hic et ubique         [CIL IV 3926]

Abas                 [CIL IV 3927]

Serenae sodales sal(utem)    [CIL IV 3928]

Serenae

sodales

sal(utem)          [CIL IV 3929]

Serenae

sal(utem)          [CIL IV 3930]

C(aium) V V

Sev()                 [CIL IV 3931]

 
] dolete puellae

p(a)edi[cat 3] cunne superbe va(le)

Ampliatus toties

[3] scribet toties venit

hoc quoque futu{tu}i futui

car<d=B>ine negate[3] locoru(m) car

hic

recareas meo [3]

ara                      [CIL IV 3932]

Iarinus               [CIL IV 3933]

Iarinus cum Atheto hic       [CIL IV 3934]

Festus hic futuit com(!) sodalibus     [CIL IV 3935]

Ampliatus          [CIL IV 3936]

]s cum Hierone       [CIL IV 3937]

Iarinus hic cum

Atheto

futuit                  [CIL IV 3938]

Iarinus               [CIL IV 3939]

Ampliate Afer

ubique               [CIL IV 3940]

Ampliatus cum

suis sodalibus hic     [CIL IV 3941]

Ampliatus Afer hic

futuit cum suis

sodalibus          [CIL IV 3942]

Montanus cum

Ceriale fratre     [CIL IV 3943]

In Codex Topographicus Pompeianus: Regio I.2, (the copy at DAIR), Warscher included Viola’s description of the insula, from

Gli scavi di Pompei dal 1873 al 1878, p.10 (Pompei e la regione sotterrata dal Vesuvio nell’anno 1879, Seconda parte).

This is included at the end in all parts of I.2 on the website.

“Nel dicembre del 1873 incomminciò lo scavo di questa isola – quale dovette essere abitata da moltissime persone. Infatti non si vede grande lusso di abitazioni, nè grandi locali, ove i ricchi pompeiani passavano la vita nell’ozio e nel piacere; si può invece osservare grand’economia di spazio, case piccole miste a botteghe e ad officine, onde non è difficile argomentare che quivi abitarono persone del ceto medio, le quali benchè agiate non godevano certamente della più splendide posizione.

E’ questa un’isola dove avennero frequentissime trasformazioni, per cui riesce difficillissimo intravvedere qual’era la sua forma primiera; non mancano però degli avanzi di costruzioni primitive, insieme ad altri di epoca posteriore, come si osserva in molti luoghi di Pompei.

La sua area è di mq.2948, ed è limitata da occidente dal cardo, a settentrione dalla via secunda, ad oriente dal vico parallelo al cardo e a mezzogiorno dalla via tertia che la separa dalle isole 1 e 5; il margine che la fiancheggia da tre lati escluso l’orientale e sulla via tertia di fronte al vano No.28 si vede un piccolo ponte, formato da massi posti a contrasto, il quale serve per unire i due margine (vedi la fotografia no.42c)”.

(Note: this photo can also be seen at I.5.1, I.2.28 and in the “streets” section under Vicolo del Conciapelle). 

See Warscher T., 1935. Codex Topographicus Pompeianus: Regio I.2. Rome: DAIR.

(Translation: "In December of 1873 the excavation of this insula began – which would have been inhabited by many people. In fact you don't see great luxury homes, nor large rooms, where rich Pompeian passed life in idleness and pleasure; if you instead look at the great economy of space, small homes and shops mixed with workshops, it's not difficult to argue that here lived people in the middle class, which however well-to-do they certainly did not enjoy the most splendid position.

This was an insula, where there were frequent transformations, for which it is difficult to glimpse what was the original form; it does not lack however, the remains of primitive constructions, alongside others of a later date, as can be seen in many places in Pompeii.

Its area was 2948 sq. m., and was bounded on the west by the “cardo”, on the north by via secunda, and east by a parallel vicolo to the “cardo” and in the south by the via tertia, that separated it from Insula’s 1 and 5:  the border that flanked it by three sides excluding the east and on via tertia opposite No. 28, you will see a small bridge, formed by a boulder placed to serve to unite the two edges, (see photo No. 42 c)."