Eumachia
Eumachia was a Roman entrepreneur and priestess in Pompeii during the early Roman Empire.
Eumachia was the daughter of Lucius Eumachius , a rich, Campanian entrepreneur who made his living mainly from viticulture and a brick factory . A branch of the family came to Pompeii probably around the time of Augustus. Here Eumachia married a man from the influential and wealthy Numistrian family. Both had a son, Marcus Numistrius Fronto.
After the death of her husband, Eumachia inherited his wool trading company. This made her one of the most influential figures in Pompeii, which deserves a mention above all because she was a woman and women were rarely granted such a rise. She made it up to the patroness of the cloth merchants' guild, one of the most important colleges in the city. In this capacity she had the Eumachia building named after her built in her and her son's name at the Forum Pompeii, which possibly became the college building of the cloth merchants' guild.
Eumachia was also the priestess of Venus and thus held another prominent office. An honorary statue donated by the cloth merchants' guild shows her dressed as a priestess.
On the grave road in front of the Noceraner gate, Eumachia had a representative grave built for herself and her household.
literature
- Kurt Wallat: The east side of the forum of Pompeii . Frankfurt am Main 1987.
Web links
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Eumachia |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | ancient Roman businesswoman and priestess |
| DATE OF BIRTH | 1st century BC BC or 1st century |
| DATE OF DEATH | 1st century |