IX.7.22 Pompeii. Caupona of Tertius.

Linked to IX.7.21. Excavated 1880.

IX.7.22 Pompeii. December 2018.

Looking south to entrance doorway, on corner with Vicolo di Tesmo, on right. Photo courtesy of Aude Durand.

IX.7.22 Pompeii. May 2005. Looking south to entrance, from crossroads with Vicolo di Tesmo.

According to Della Corte, the name of the host could be established from the recommendation written to the right of the entrance:

Tertius rogat    [CIL IV 3831]

See Della Corte, M., 1965. Case ed Abitanti di Pompei. Napoli: Fausto Fiorentino. (p.197)

According to Epigraphik-Datenbank Clauss/Slaby (See www.manfredclauss.de), this read as –

Vibium  Severum

IIvir(um)  i(ure)  d(icundo)  o(ro)  v(os)  f(aciatis)  Tertius  rogat    [CIL IV 3831]

IX.7.22 Pompeii. c.1900-1930. Wall on corner of roadway with Vicolo di Tesmo, on right.

Photo by Esther Boise Van Deman (c) American Academy in Rome. VD_Archive_Ph_228.

IX.7.22 Pompeii. April 2019. Looking south-east across remains of counter. Photo courtesy of Rick Bauer.

IX.7.22 Pompeii. July 2010. Looking south-east across remains of counter. Photo courtesy of Michael Binns.

According to Mau, the podium was covered in stucco, red at the front, and rough and reddish at the rear.

The top had been covered with slabs of marble, which were missing.

On the 30th October 1880, six amphorae with inscriptions were found here.

Also found was a broken amphora containing some lentils.

On the 4th February 1881, in the presence of Granduca Nichola di Russia, were found:

The base of an amphora with unidentifiable burnt material.

A terracotta lamp

3 glass bottles and fragments of a fourth

Part of the bronze fittings of a chest

An iron hoe, 11 iron keys and small iron anvil

2 bone dies (for game of dice)

A glass-paste amulet representing a small herm.

See Notizie degli Scavi di Antichità, 1880, p.400, 1881, p. 61-2.

See Mau in Bullettino dell’Instituto di Corrispondenza Archeologica (DAIR), 1882, p. 193.

IX.7.22 Pompeii. May 2005. Entrance doorway, looking south across caupona into atrium of IX.7.21.

IX.7.22 Pompeii. May 2003. Entrance doorway, looking south-west across counter. Photo courtesy of Nicolas Monteix.

IX.7.22 Pompeii. May 2003.

Looking north-west across counter from north-west side of atrium of IX.7.21. Photo courtesy of Nicolas Monteix.

IX.7.22/21 Pompeii. December 2018. West wall of atrium. Photo courtesy of Aude Durand.

IX.7.21/22 Pompeii. May 2003. Hearth in north-west corner of atrium of IX.7.21.

Above the hearth in the west wall is a panel of white stucco. In the panel is a square niche.

Photo courtesy of Nicolas Monteix.

IX.7.21/22 Pompeii. 1937. Lararium in north-west corner of atrium of IX.7.21.

According to Boyce, in the north-west corner of the atrium was the hearth.

Above the hearth in the west wall was a panel of white stucco. In the panel was a square niche.

Its edges were outlined in red against the white background and below it was a cornice.

On the reddish coloured back wall of the niche was painted a white object, which Mau was unable to identify.

He did state that it was not a phallus.

Below the niche was a painted garland of red and green leaves and below it a burning altar with a pine-cone.

On either side of the altar was a yellow serpent.

The serpent on the left had a red crest and beard, the head of the other was damaged.

See Boyce G. K., 1937. Corpus of the Lararia of Pompeii. Rome: MAAR 14.  (p.88, no.441, and Pl.4, 4)

According to Giacobello, the painting is no longer conserved.

See Giacobello, F., 2008. Larari Pompeiani: Iconografia e culto dei Lari in ambito domestico. Milano: LED Edizioni. (p.250)

See Mau in Bullettino dell’Instituto di Corrispondenza Archeologica (DAIR), 1882, (p.195).

IX.7.22/21 Pompeii. December 2018. Detail of lararium niche in west wall of atrium. Photo courtesy of Aude Durand.

IX.7.22 Pompeii. May 2005. Looking north-east from atrium of IX.7.21.

Doorway on left to caupona at IX.7.22, and doorway, on right, to its interconnected room.

According to Mau, the doorway on the left had a threshold of lava.

The doorway on the right was missing its threshold, so it seemed the threshold had been made of wood.

See Mau in Bullettino dell’Instituto di Corrispondenza Archeologica (DAIR), 1882, (p.194)

IX.7.22 Pompeii. May 2005. Remains of painted plaster in north-east corner of the room on east side of caupona.

According to Mau, this room was the only one that had well conserved plaster.

It was painted simply and clumsily in the last IV style, and on a yellow background.

In the middle of each of the divisions on the walls, there were similar square paintings representing a bird pecking at fruit, on a yellow background.

See Mau in Bullettino dell’Instituto di Corrispondenza Archeologica (DAIR), 1882, (p.194)

According to PPP, the north wall had a red lower area.

The east wall had the lower portion of the walls painted red, in the middle area were narrow red central divisions with yellow panels, the upper area was painted red.

The south wall had the lower portion painted red, the middle section painted yellow with panels.

See Bragantini, de Vos, Badoni, 1986. Pitture e Pavimenti di Pompei, Parte 3. Rome: ICCD. (p.507)

IX.7.22 Pompeii. May 2005. Remains of painted plaster in the room on east side of caupona.

IX.7.22 Pompeii. May 2003.  Remains of painted plaster in the room on east side of caupona.

Photo courtesy of Nicolas Monteix.

Lararium wall painting of Isis Fortuna found in corridor leading to latrine of IX.7.21/2. 

Now in Naples Archaeological Museum. Inventory number: 112285.

According to Boyce, to the left of Fortuna is a nude man, squatting in a position appropriate to the wording painted above his head -

CACATOR

CAVE MALV

According to Epigraphik-Datenbank Clauss/Slaby (See www.manfredclauss.de) this reads as

Cacator

cave malu(m)      [CIL IV 3832].

A serpent rises on each side of him, as if he is replacing the usual altar with offerings.

Below the painting a terracotta monopodium stood against the wall, perhaps serving as an altar.

See Boyce G. K., 1937. Corpus of the Lararia of Pompeii. Rome: MAAR 14. (p.88, no.442 and Pl. 26, 2)

See Fröhlich, T., 1991. Lararien und Fassadenbilder in den Vesuvstädten. Mainz: von Zabern. (L106, Picture 10, 1)

According to Hobson, a painting from a latrine shows the goddess Fortuna next to a man between 2 snakes, apparently advising the person entering the toilet to beware of the danger of the pollution of defecation: Cacator cave malu(m).

See Hobson, B., 2009. Latrinae et foricae: Toilets in the Roman World. London; Duckworth. (p.111)

Cacator Cave Malu(m) inscription found on lararium wall painting of Isis Fortuna found in IX.7.21/22. 

Now in Naples Archaeological Museum. Inventory number 112285

According to Giacobello, the house communicated with the workshop, across the atrium.

In the corridor that led to the latrine, was found the fresco figuring Fortuna, a male figure and serpents, with the inscription Cacator cave malu(m).

See Giacobello, F., 2008. Larari Pompeiani: Iconografia e culto dei Lari in ambito domestico. Milano: LED Edizioni. (p.250)             

IX.6 Pompeii. December 2007.        Unnamed vicolo leading to unexcavated area, looking east.               IX.7.22, on right.

IX.6 Pompeii. May 2005.                 Unnamed vicolo leading to unexcavated area, looking east.                   IX.7.22 on right.

IX.6 Pompeii, on left.                                        Unnamed vicolo looking east.                                          IX.7.22, on right.