Tomb of Eurysaces

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Tomb of Eurysace at the Porta Maggiore
Location in ancient Rome
Tomb of Eurysace in 2004

The imposing tomb of Eurysaces is located directly behind the Porta Maggiore in Rome . It probably dates from the year 30 BC. The major baker Eurysaces had it built for himself and his wife. The strange round holes in his grave are supposed to symbolize bread dough kneading troughs.

Presumably there was originally a pyramidal tip on the monument. Just like Cestius , who had a pyramid built as a tomb, Eurysaces was probably addicted to "Egyptomania", which was widespread in Rome at the time.

architecture

The tomb has a trapezoidal plan. It consists of a podium, an upper floor and a small crowning pyramid, which no longer exists today. The upper floor can be divided into four zones:

  • The first zone shows vertically arranged cylindrical motifs that are located between decorative strips.
  • The second zone is divided by a smooth horizontal strip with an inscription. The inscription reads " est hoc monimentum Marcei Vergilei Eurysacis pistoris redemptoris: apparet ". That means: "This is the monument of the baker Marcus Vergilius Eurysaces, he is an entrepreneur and sub-civil servant ."
  • A smooth field framed by pilasters with three rows of cylindrical motifs, which, like those in the first zone, are hollow and open to the outside, forms the third zone. These cylindrical openings could be interpreted as bread dough kneading troughs.
  • The frieze represents the fourth zone and shows the steps involved in making bread.

Both the content of the inscription and the frieze indicate the profession of Eurysaces.

Since he did not have Roman citizenship as a freedman , he was able to work as a baker. However, it was possible to get full citizenship if you worked for the state. In the service of the state there were certain obligations: bakers had to deliver the bread to the Annona at cheap prices, their members had to be entered in the official lists, work personally and had to bake 100 bushels a day. For this they enjoyed privileges, and if a freedman did this for over 3 years, he could receive full citizenship. If you consider the costs for the property, the architect and the craftsmen for building the grave, he must have come a long way in his profession.

The shape of the urn in the form of a bread basket, in which the ashes of Eurysace and his wife are supposed to be, is a further reference to the baker's wish to present himself as a baker even after his death. Today it can be viewed in the thermal baths museums in Rome.

The main side of the tomb faces east. On this side there was probably also the portrait relief of the baker couple, which was removed together with the pyramid in the course of the construction work on the Aurelian city wall in the 5th century AD. The portrait relief is now in the Capitoline Museums in Rome.

History of the tomb

When the Aurelian Wall was built in 271 AD, the tomb was in front of the city of Rome. However, when Emperor Honorius had the Aurelian Wall reinforced in the 5th century AD, the tomb of Eurysaces was integrated into the fortifications. It was walled into one of the towers, the top and the portrait relief used as a quarry and built into the building. When this porch of the Porta Maggiore was demolished in 1838, the tomb of Eurysaces reappeared. The remains of the portraits could be recovered, at that time no one thought of the presence of a tip of the tomb and accordingly did not examine the stones too carefully. Only later archaeological investigations on the tomb gave rise to the assumption that a small pyramid formed the roof of the tomb.

Ogulnius funerary inscription

Grave inscription of the baker Ogulnius

In the immediate vicinity of the tomb of Eurysaces there was another, more modest baker's grave from the 1st century BC. BC, to which a fragmentary stele belonged. According to the inscription, the baker with the name Ogulnius specialized in the production of bread from the finest flour. It is believed by modern research to be possible that he was a colleague and friend of Eurysace during his lifetime.

Web links

Coordinates: 41 ° 53 '29.16 "  N , 12 ° 30' 55.08"  O

literature

Filippo Coarelli : Rome and Environs. An Archaeological Guide . University of California, Berkeley / Los Angeles / London 2007, ISBN 978-0-520-07960-1 , The Area around Porta Maggiore , p. 202 ff.

Remarks

  1. ↑ RE XX 2, 1821ff. "Pistor"
  2. ↑ CIL 6, 09812
  3. ^ Filippo Coarelli : Rome and Environs. An Archaeological Guide . University of California, Berkeley / Los Angeles / London 2007, ISBN 978-0-520-07960-1 , p. 205.