III.7.1 Pompeii. House of Popidius Metellicus.

Insula excavated 1756 (then re-interred), and 1933-36.

III.7.1 Pompeii, approximately in the centre, on right hand side. August 2021.

Looking west along newly constructed wall along III.7 on north side of Via dell’Abbondanza. II.4.7 is on the left. Photo courtesy of Robert Hanson.

III.7.1-6 Pompeii. Plan as shown in CTP III.

See Van der Poel, H. B., 1986. Corpus Topographicum Pompeianum, Part IIIA. Austin: University of Texas, p.64, and plan on p. 65.

III.6 Pompeii, on left. September 2005.      Looking north into unexcavated roadway.                                III.7.1, on right.

III.7.1, on right, Pompeii. October 2022.

Entrance doorway on north side of Via dell’Abbondanza, with unexcavated roadway between insula III.6 and 7 with grey gabions, on left.

Photo courtesy of Klaus Heese

As the entrance doorway of III.7.1, the House of Popidius Metellicus, is shown on maps as being further to the east of the remaining stone wall (on the extreme right of this photo), we have decided to include both these entrances as III.7.1.

According to CTP,

“In September 1943, at least three bombs fell near the south-west corner of the insula.

Today, perhaps as a result of the bombing, there is a large opening at this corner which apparently did not exist previously.

Or, possibly, prior to the bombing, there was an o.m.a.b.a. (a door walled up in antiquity), of which there is not an iota of evidence, since the official reports on the insula are yet to be published.”

See Van der Poel, H. B., 1986. Corpus Topographicum Pompeianum, Part IIIA. Austin: University of Texas. (p.64).

III.7.1, on left, Pompeii. October 2022. Continuation from photo above – the entrance doorway with threshold, on left.

The large square blocks, presumably from the ruined wall on the east side of the doorway or the seat/bench outside, have now been re-laid.

Photo courtesy of Klaus Heese

According to CTP –

“Conspicuously evident together with the low masonry seat, is the window to the east of the entrance in Della Corte’s photograph (NSA 1936, p.333, fig.10).

The photograph clearly reveals the doorway at No.1. The wall to the east of the entrance has now collapsed.”

See Van der Poel, H. B., 1986. Corpus Topographicum Pompeianum, Part IIIA. Austin: University of Texas. (p.64).

III.7.1, Pompeii. December 2018.

On the immediate left is the unexcavated roadway with the doorways of III.7.1 in the centre and centre right. Looking east along insula.

Photo courtesy of Aude Durand.

III.7.1 Pompeii. December 2005. South-west corner of insula, and east side of III.7.1.

According to CTP, on 19th September 1943, at least three bombs fell near the south-west corner of the insula.

Perhaps as a result of the bombing, there is now a large opening on this corner. Apparently, this did not exist previously.

See Van der Poel, H. B., 1986. Corpus Topographicum Pompeianum, Part IIIA. Austin: University of Texas. (p.64).

III.7.1 Pompeii. According to this photo, the large opening in the south-west corner of the insula (III.7) did exist prior to the bombing.

The House of Popidius Metellicus is shown as III.7.1 and III.7.2 in our photos. III.7.1 may have been a shop with a large opening.

According to PPM, the photo was taken across the atrium (II.4.3) of the Praedia of Giulia Felice, taken from the south-east during the work of reconstruction of the façade (of II.4.3) which had been completely destroyed.

On the other side of the Via dell’Abbondanza, the façade of a dwelling in Reg. III.7 can be seen, which has not been excavated. This would be III.7.1.

See Carratelli, G. P., 1990-2003. Pompei: Pitture e Mosaici: Vol. III. Roma: Istituto della enciclopedia italiana, p.246, no.104.

III.7.1 Pompeii. September 2005. South-west corner of insula and looking north into III.7.1.

III.7.1 Pompeii. April 2019.

Front façade wall on west side of entrance doorway to House of Popidius Metellicus, on right. Photo courtesy of Rick Bauer.

III.7.1 Pompeii. October 2017. Looking towards wall on west side of entrance doorway, on right.

Foto Taylor Lauritsen, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.

III.7.1 Pompeii. October 2017. Detail of remaining wall on west side of entrance doorway, on right.

Foto Taylor Lauritsen, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.

III.7.1 Pompeii. October 2017. Looking east along front façade towards entrance doorway, on right.

Foto Taylor Lauritsen, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.

III.7.1 Pompeii. December 2005. Wall on west side of entrance doorway, the east side of the doorway no longer exists.

On both sides of the entrance doorway would have been stone benches.

According to CTP, the wall to the east of the entrance has now collapsed.

See Van der Poel, H. B., 1986. Corpus Topographicum Pompeianum, Part IIIA. Austin: University of Texas. (p.64)

According to Garcia y Garcia, the aerial bombardment led to the partial destruction of the southern perimeter wall, as well as the painted III style prothyron, and the part on the right (east) of the entrance doorway.

See Garcia y Garcia, L., 2006. Danni di guerra a Pompei. Rome: L’Erma di Bretschneider. (p.60).

III.7.1 Pompeii. Undated photo of entrance doorway, on north side of Via dell’Abbondanza.

Foto Taylor Lauritsen, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.

According to Della Corte many graffiti were found both to the left and right of the entrance doorway.

Found on the front wall were –

L.  Popidium  Secundum

aed(ilem)  Propin(qui)  facientes  rogant        [CIL IV 7787]

According to Epigraphik-Datenbank Clauss/Slaby (See www.manfredclauss.de) [CIL IV 7787 reads as -

L(ucium)  Popidium

Secundum  aed(ilem)  propin(qui)  facientes

rogant       [CIL IV 7787]

(Popidius)  Metellicus  cupit      [CIL IV 7795]

According to Epigraphik-Datenbank Clauss/Slaby (See www.manfredclauss.de) [CIL IV 7795] reads as -

[3]ium

IIvir(um)  i(ure)  d(icundo)  Metallicus  cupit       [CIL IV 7795]

At least three other electoral programmes were found for L. Popidius Secundus, on this same façade

Popidium a(e)d(ilem)     [CIL IV 7788]

To the right of the doorway on the zoccolo

L(ucium)  P(opidium)  S(ecundum)  a(edilem)  o(ro)  v(os)  f(aciatis)       [CIL IV 7796]

Sec]undum

[3] so[dales(?)       [CIL IV 7799]

And another from one of his servants, written on the lower part of the wall -

Secundi Popidi Sosigenes    [CIL IV 8943]

According to Epigraphik-Datenbank Clauss/Slaby (See www.manfredclauss.de) [CIL IV 8943] reads as -

Sosigene(s) Popi[di] Secundi      [CIL IV 8943]

Found to the left of the entrance doorway was another recommendation from Suedius Clemens supporting M. Epidio Sabino, as candidate for a duumvirship –

[M(arcum)  Epidium  Sabinum]

IIvir(um)  [d(ignum)]  r(ei)  p(ublicae)  o(ro)  v(os)  f(aciatis)  S[uedio ]

Clementi

[fe]liciter       [CIL IV 7780]

See Della Corte, M., 1965. Case ed Abitanti di Pompei. Napoli: Fausto Fiorentino. (p.388-9)

Left of the doorway low down to the left was

Ceium Secundum I̅I̅v(irum) i(ure) d(icundo)
Veneriosi rog(ant) iuvenem      [CIL IV, 7791]

West of the entrance, on the right -

L(ucium) Ovidium Veientonem
aed(ilem) [---] o(ro) v(os) f(aciatis)      [CIL IV, 7783]

West of the entrance, on the right

L(ucium) Ceium Secundum
I̅I̅v(irum) i(ure) d(icundo) o(ro) f(aciatis)      [CIL IV, 7782]

West of the entrance, lower right

L(ucium) Ceium Secundum I̅I̅vir(um)      [CIL IV, 7792]

[C]aprasium
[---] innocente[m]      [CIL IV, 7793]

West of the entrance, on the left

L(ucium) P(opidium) A(mpliatum) a(edilem)      [CIL IV, 7781]

East of the entrance

Suettium Verụ[m]
d(ignum) r(ei) p(ublicae) o(ro) v(os) f(aciatis)      [CIL IV, 7789]

To the right of the doorway

L(ucium) Albucium aed(ilem)      [CIL IV, 7785]

To the east of the entrance, low to the right

Cn(aeum) Helvium Sabinum aed(ilem) ô(ro) v̂(os) f(aciatis). Astyle, dormis      [CIL IV, 7794]

To the right of the entrance to III.7.1, on the base plaster, below more recent plaster layer were these inscriptions: -

Tegula, cûmular(e),
opercula, colliquia
ven(alia).
Convenito indide(m).       [CIL IV, 7124]

L(ucium) Maevi(um) II(virum) v(irum) b(onum)      [CIL IV, 7125]

III.7.1 Pompeii. September 2005. Front west wall with remains of entrance doorway, site of doorway, and collapsed east front wall.

III.7.1 Pompeii. December 2005. Wall on west side of entrance doorway and entrance doorway. 

III.7.1 Pompeii. December 2005. Site of entrance doorway and collapsed and removed east front wall.

III.7.1, centre left, and III.7.2, on right. December 2005. Front of insula III.7 on Via dell’Abbondanza, looking west

III.7.2 Pompeii. December 2005. Remains of site of front wall between III.7.1 and III.7.2.

III.7.2 Pompeii. December 2005. Remains of site of front wall between III.7.1 and III.7.2.

III.7.2 Pompeii. December 2005. Remains of site of front wall between III.7.1 and III.7.2.

III.7.2 Pompeii. December 2005. Remains of site of front wall between III.7.1 and III.7.2.