In the description north is (close to) the true north, so Via Tecta degli Aurighi is assumed to be running from south to north. The "apartment" is made up of rooms 26-33. The graffiti leave little doubt that the rooms have been used as a hotel. The rooms were inspected by Taylor, and by Brenders and Bakker in October 2015.
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| Plan of the Caseggiato degli Aurighi. |
G0251 - SLAVE OF THE GODS
- In room 2, right wall, according to the ICCD, but there are no paintings in rooms 1-5, and there is not much wall surface for them. It could well be that the apartment is meant. Solin also mentions a graffito in room 2 (Solin 2020, nr. 21 = G0854) and says that it is at the same height as Della Corte - Ciprotti nr. 2, which is in room 28 (G0250).
- Della Corte - Ciprotti 1961, 325, nr. 3:
TMARCIVS
INGIINVS
SIIRVS DIIVORVM
OMMO BONVS
Interpretation: Della Corte - Ciprotti: "T. Marcius ingenu(u)s (or Ingenu(u)s), ser(v)us de{v}orum, (h)om{m}o bonus". Instead of leaving out the V in DIIVORVM, we can also leave out an I, and read DIVORVM; "T. Marcius Ingenu(u)s / a free-born man, slave of the gods / deified Emperors, a good man".
G0854 - OBSCENE LANGUAGE
- In room 2, right wall, on the far right, at the same height as graffito no. 2 of Della Corte - Ciprotti (G0250), according to Solin. This would make it room 28, north wall. Cf. G0251.
- Solin 2020, nr. 21:
Quinque irru(matores?)
G0249 - A WORD GAME
- Room 28, north wall, above the panther.
- Calza, Giornale d'Italia, 30 November 1938:
LITTIIRA PRIMA DOLIIT LVBIIT
ALTIIRA TIIRTIA MITTIT QUARTA DOLIIT
FACTI QUINTA HABIIT INVIDIAM
Calza suggests the graffito is about the five vowels as exclamations: A is related to
pain, E to happiness, I to being sent off (ire), O to pain, and U to jealousy
or bearing a grudge. Facti goes with invidiam.
- Della Corte - Ciprotti 1961, 325, nr. 1.
- Lebek 1981(2): Lebek, following Solin, suggests a slightly different reading and interpretation:
Littera prima dolet, iubet
altera, tertia mittit, quarta docet,
facti quinta habet invidiam.
He also suggests that the five letters form a word.
littera prima dolet: A ("Ah!")
iubet altera: S, pronounced as "es" ("Be!"), from esse
tertia mittit: I ("Go!"), from ire
quarta docet: N, pronounced as "en" ("See there!")
facti quinta habet invidiam: E ("Alas!")
The word is the vocative ASINE, i.e. blockhead, Dummkopf.
Interpretation: could it be that this is a Christian graffito? The letters do not describe stupidity. Nor is there a reason for the person who has just solved the riddle to feel stupid. Perhaps we should take them as serious statements, in which case we may remember a graffito from Rome: a drawing of a crucified man with the head of an ass, someone looking at him, and the text "Alexamenos worships his God".
- ICCD E040728
- ICCD E040728 (detail)
- Brenders 2015
G0250 - A WORD GAME
- Room 28, north wall.
- Calza, Giornale d'Italia, 30 November 1938.
PRIMA LITIIRA SIMILIS IIST QVARTII SIMILIS IIT QVINTA
SIICVNDAII TIIRTI [---] CVM SIIXTA NOMINA
NOMINA
QVAIIS TA HOC VIIRSICVLO CITTIIRIIDII
TAN
Interpreted by Calza as: Prima lit(t)era similis est quart(a)e, similis et quinta secundae, terti[a] cum sexta. Nomina quaes[i]ta hoc versiculo ci[to] red[das]. According to Calza this riddle is about the six vowels, a e i o u y.
- Della Corte - Ciprotti 1961, 325-326, nr. 2: there seems to be an S behind RIIDII.
- Lebek 1981(1). Lebek has shown that Calza's interpretation is wrong. The riddle is a variation or incorrect version of a known verse: Prima sonat quartae, respondet quinta secundae, tertia cum sexta: nomen habebit avis ("The first sounds like the fourth, the fifth corresponds with the second, the third with the sixth: the bird will have a name"). The solution is turtur, i.e. turtle-dove.
The problem with the interpretation of the Ostian graffito is the plural "nomina". Lebek suggests that perhaps we should be thinking of more than one word: turtur, furfur, murmur, tortor etc., but
he adds that a riddle with many answers is not a good riddle.
Interpretation: possibly this was a well-known riddle. In that case the hint "nomen habebit avis" was superfluous. The plural "nomina" may lead us to another word for dove, namely "columba", the Christian dove (see e.g. Matthew 3,16; baptism of Christ).
- Animation, Eric Taylor (SIMILIS IIT QV)
- Brenders 2015 ( (SIMILIS IIT)
G0805 - GREEK AND LATIN TEXT
- Room 28, north wall. Not understood yet.
Interpretation: surely an experienced eye will be able to make something of this.
- Animation, Eric Taylor
- Brenders 2015
G0253 (AND G0252) - HIC AMOR HABITAT
- Room 28, south wall: HIC AMOR | (H)ABITAT.
- Della Corte - Ciprotti 1961, 326, nr. 5, said to be below nr. 4 (VATIITIIRII) = G0252.
- Solin 1967, Tav. 58c.
Interpretation: "Amor lives here".
- ICCD N005250 (at left end)
- Animation, Eric Taylor
- Brenders 2015
G0258 - THE PRICE OF BREAD (AND WOOD?)
- Room 28, on a round pilaster between the west and north wall. The first two letters of the second line (LI) are not certain.
- Della Corte - Ciprotti 1961, 327, nr. 10: read XVIGNA A V or II in the second line.
- Solin 1967, Tav. 58b: PANIIM A VIII | LIGNA A V.
Interpretation: about the price of bread (and wood?), in a(sses).
- Eric Taylor- Animation Eric Taylor
- ICCD N005248 (right part only)
- Brenders 2015
G0260 - RIGHTEOUS HERMES, BRING PROFIT TO HEKTIKOS!
- Room 28, south wall, left of hunting scene and flower, a little below G0259.
- Della Corte - Ciprotti 1961, 327-328, nr. 12.
- Meiggs 1973, 231 note 3.
- Solin 1972, 194-195 and fig. on p. 194.
- Bakker 1994, 103-104, 225.
Interpretation: a Greek trader wrote: "Righteous Hermes (Mercurius), bring profit to Hektikos!"
- Solin 1972- Animation, Eric Taylor
- Brenders 2015
G0259 - PURCHASE OF THE SLAVE MENAS
- Room 28, south wall, above 260. Perhaps vague traces were seen in 2015.
- Della Corte - Ciprotti 1961, 327, nr. 11: HICEGOMENITAVI, explained as "Hic ego meditavi" (for "meditatus sum"!).
- Solin 1972, 195: HICEGOMENAEMI.
Interpretation: "Here I bought (the slave) Menas".
G0261 - A DEDICATION TO MERCURIUS
- Room 30, north wall, central panel. Only MERCVR, AES and SOLV are certain. The suggested double "solvere" would be curious.
- Della Corte - Ciprotti 1961, 328, nr. 13:
MERCVR VLS P CO
AES SOLVVIMVS
Mercur(io) v(otum) l(ibens) s(olvit) or s(olverunt) ....
- Bakker 1994, 103-104, 225.
- Mols 1999, 349.
Interpretation: the fulfillment of a vow to Mercury; because of "solvere", the deity is more likely than the proper name.
- Eric Taylor
- Animation, Eric Taylor
- ICCD N005249
- ICCD N005253
- Brenders 2015
G0262 - ROMA TIBI
- Room 30, north wall, right part. The right part of the M is also an A, the vertical stroke of the B is also a T.
- Della Corte - Ciprotti 1961, 328, nr. 14: ROMBI.
- Guarducci 1965, 254 ff., fig. 5, Tav. 82, 1.
Interpretation: the beginning of a "versus recurrens" (palindrome) mentioned by Sidonius Apollinaris (c. 430 - after 489 AD) as an ancient verse: "Roma tibi subito motibus ibit amor" ("Rome, your love, will suddenly collapse in disturbances").
G0263 - ROMA
- Room 30, north wall, a little above G0262. Not seen in 2015.
- Della Corte - Ciprotti 1961, 328, nr. 15.
Interpretation: presumably also related to the palindrome mentioned with G0262.
G0265 - DATE AND ARRIVAL
- Room 30, south wall.
- Della Corte - Ciprotti 1961, 328, nr. 17: V K(al) OCT VIINIT.
Interpretation: about the (presumably expected) arrival of someone ("venit") on September 27.
- Eric Taylor
- Animation, Eric Taylor
- Brenders 2015
G0266 - DATE
- Room 30, south wall. IDVS could not be read in 2015, there seems to be an E.
- Della Corte - Ciprotti 1961, 329, nr. 18: V IDVS MARTIAS.
Interpretation: V idus Martias, March 11.
- Eric Taylor
- Animation, Eric Taylor
- Animation, Eric Taylor
- Brenders 2015
G0267 - AN ARRIVAL?
- Room 30, south wall. In 2015 we read H BINV in line 2. There seems to be a drawing on top of the text, of a triangular structure with a "chimney" on top.
- Della Corte - Ciprotti 1961, 329, nr. 19: LCFHIC | H BIN, the H of line 2 uncertain.
Interpretation: perhaps about the arrival of someone here ("hic") whose initials (LCF) were written down. For line 2 "h(ic) vinu(m)"?
- Animation, Eric Taylor
- Brenders 2015
G0321 - A SHIP?
- Room 32, north wall, below G0267.
Interpretation: perhaps part of a ship, but it is curved in the wrong way.
- Animation, Eric Taylor
- Brenders 2015
G0806 - XXII
- Room 30, south wall.
Interpretation: XXII, the number 22.
G0315 - A TOWER WITH A FLAG IN TOP?
- Room 30, north wall.
Interpretation: similar flags can be seen on the top of ship's masts, but this is a different structure.
- Eric Taylor
- Animation, Eric Taylor
- Brenders 2015
G0312 - A SHIP WITH THE HEAD OF A DEITY ON THE BOW
- Room 32, north wall. At 1.25 from floor, h.0.30, w. 0.36. The outline was drawn first, with thin lines. Below the ship is the number XIII.
- Mols 1999, 352.
- Langner 2001, nr. 2223.
Interpretation: a cargo ship protected by an unnamed deity.
- Eric Taylor
- Animation, Eric Taylor
- Eric Taylor
- Animation, Eric Taylor
- Eric Taylor
- Animation, Eric Taylor
- Brenders 2015
- Brenders 2015 (detail)
- Brenders 2015 (detail)
- Brenders 2015 (detail)
G0324 - A VANDALISED GRAFFITO
- Room 32, north wall. The upper part of the facade of a shrine or temple. It was vandalised meticulously. The Italian word CASINO can be read on the architrave below the tympanum, and below the architrave FIC (perhaps not yet present when Eric Taylor took his photo). There are more letters to the right and below to the left (VII). The shape and colour of the letters of CASINO and FIC differ from the rest. The rest may well be ancient. The lines are very similar to those of the ship with the head on the bow further to the left (G0312).
Interpretation: a shrine or temple.
- Animation, Eric Taylor
- Brenders 2015
- Brenders 2015
G0308 - THE HOST LICINIUS WAS DOING WELL
- Room 32, south wall. Very small, cursive writing.
- Della Corte - Ciprotti 1961, 338, nr. 71:
VIII IDVS SIIPTIIMBRIIS
LICINIVS HOSPIIS VIGVIT
Interpretation: "On September 6 the host Licinius was doing well". Why precisely he was doing well is not clear. Lewis and Short translate "vigeo" as "to be lively or vigorous; to thrive, flourish, bloom; to be in honor, esteem, repute, etc.".
- Eric Taylor
- Animation, Eric Taylor
- Brenders 2015
G0309 - REGISTRATION OF PAYMENT
- Room 32, south wall, below 308, above and to the right of G0325. In 2015 we read:
PRIMODIII
*VII
AIISV
SI[IC]VNDO
*VII
I\TIIRTIO
*X
[---]VARIAS
XVI
A few more characters in the upper right part.
- Della Corte - Ciprotti 1961, 339, nr. 72:
PRIMODIII
* VII
SECVNDO NISV
* VII
IN TIIRTIO
* X
Interpretation: registration of payment on the first, second and third day: 7 denarii and 5 asses, 7 denarii, 10 denarii (AES V = 5 asses; because of the A, IIS V = 5 sestertii does not work; one might think the A is the lower part of an X with the V above, but it is not, in spite of the crack in the plaster). Then the last part of a date and the number 16, see G0325.
- Animation, Eric Taylor
- Brenders 2015
G0325 - A DATE
- Room 32, south wall, below and to the left of G0309.
[---]VARIAS
XVI
Interpretation: most likely the month January or February, although a name cannot be excluded.
- Animation, Eric Taylor
- Brenders 2015
G0314 (= G0469) - THE BOW OF A SHIP
- Room 32, south wall, to the right and below G0325. On the deck the letters COR. Langner sees a head on the bow, not confirmed.
- Langner 2001, nr. 2222: "in einer Höhe von 1,50 m, h. 12".
Interpretation: ship experts might be tempted to read the beginning of the name of a type of cargo ship, the "corbita".
- Animation, Eric Taylor
- Langner
- Brenders 2015 (top missing)
- Brenders 2015 (top only, in the lower right corner)
- ICCD N005254
G0326 - A DATE
- Room 32, south wall, below and to the left of G0314: V IDVS[---].
Interpretation: a date.
- Animation, Eric Taylor
- Brenders 2015
G0310 - A DATE
- Room 32, south wall, below G0311.
- Della Corte - Ciprotti 1961, 339, nr. 73: IV IDVS.
Interpretation: IV idus, a date; apparently the month was obvious.
- Animation, Eric Taylor
- Brenders 2015
G0311 - A LARGE AMOUNT OF MONEY
- Room 32, south wall, to the right of G0309. In 2015 we read:
LOCINA
* CCCCC
XXV
* X * XXXX
Interpretation: 500 denarii = 20 aurei. The first line has not yet been explained. LOC for "loca" or a form of "locare"?
- Eric Taylor
- Animation, Eric Taylor
- Brenders 2015
G0807 - SC
- Room 32, south wall.
Interpretation: the letters SC. The S looks modern.
CETERA
- G0327. Room 27, north wall: Animation, Eric Taylor.
- G0254. Room 28, north wall: Della Corte - Ciprotti 1961, 326, nr. 6: VITIASVA. Eric Taylor; Animation, Eric Taylor. Not confirmed.
- G0317. Room 28, north wall: Animation, Eric Taylor. Not confirmed.
- G0808. Room 28, north wall: Brenders 2015.
- G0809. Room 28, south wall: Brenders 2015.
- G0323. Room 30, north wall: Animation, Eric Taylor. Not confirmed.
- G0316. Room 30, west wall: Eric Taylor; Animation, Eric Taylor. Not confirmed.
- G0322. Room 30, west wall: Animation, Eric Taylor.
- G0318. Room 30, south wall: Brenders 2015. Below G0266: Animation, Eric Taylor.
- G0319. Room 30, south wall: Brenders 2015. Continuation of (to the right of) G0318: Animation, Eric Taylor.
- G0320. Room 30, south wall, to the right of G0319: Animation, Eric Taylor.
- G0810. Room 32, north wall: Brenders 2015.
- G0811. Room 32, north wall: Brenders 2015.
- G0328. Unknown: Animation, Eric Taylor.