Marcus Holconius Rufus

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Marcus Holconius Rufus , son of Marcus, was a Roman entrepreneur in Pompeii in the 1st century .

Marcus Holconius Rufus came from a long-established family ( Holconians ), which may have been of Etruscan origin. He made his fortune by running a clay quarry and brickworks and a national wine empire outside Pompeii. He sold his wine to the city of Rome . He invested part of his fortune in Pompeii to support his political ambitions. For example, he financed the renovation of the Great Theater in Pompeii in his and the name of Marcus Holconius Celer , for which he was honored with an honorary seat ( bisellium ) in a prominent place and an honorary statue, erected around 13/14 AD. This was also recorded in the steps with bronze letters. He was also honored with a statue of honor at the city's most important intersection at the Stabian thermal baths. Rufus was depicted here as a military man in armor ( Mars Ultor type ), although he never held a military position. Today only the pedestal is left in Pompeii, the statue is in the Museo Archeologico Nazionale in Naples . A peculiarity of the statue is that the head of the statue was replaced once, and unlike usual, where this was seen as an opportunity to use a new head and honor a new dignitary, here the head of Rufus was replaced by a new head of the Rufus replaces, which speaks for his high reputation long after his death. The presence at this point, on the way from the political center, the forum, to the theater, where one met Rufus again, was chosen very cleverly.

Marcus Holconius Rufus is proven several times in important offices of the city of Pompeii. He is considered the most important personality in Pompeii, who had made the most important magistrate career in the city and was honored with the most honors. Nevertheless, he could not expand his influence beyond the city limits , he could never achieve a desired place in the Roman Senate .

In an inscription naming him as the patron of the renovation of the outer wall of the Temple of Apollo, Rufus is referred to as a three-time duumvir , who has just held this highest municipal office for a fourth time. At the end of his career he seems to have held this position five times, according to the inscription on his statue of honor at the Stabian thermal baths. His fourth term of office is for the time 3/2 BC. To date. He was also the first priest of the new imperial cult ( sacerdos Augusti ), who probably had his seat in the temple of Genius Augusti at the forum between the Macellum and the building of Eumachia . He was also the city censor twice . The high point in Rufus' career was his appointment as an honorary citizen of the city ( patronus coloniae ). Only one of the founders of the Roman colony of Pompeii, Marcus Porcius , was accorded similar veneration even after death.

Marcus Holconius Celer is likely his son, sometimes thought to be Rufus' brother.

literature

personal data
SURNAME Holconius Rufus, Marcus
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Rufus, Marcus Holconius
BRIEF DESCRIPTION ancient Roman entrepreneur, politician and priest
DATE OF BIRTH 1st century BC Chr.
DATE OF DEATH 1st century