In a room below a staircase (subscalare in Italian), numbered 17, a surprisingly large number of graffiti has been preserved. A function as latrine is to be expected, but of that there is not a single trace. The neighbouring understairs 16, where quite some plaster has been preserved as well, shows a few traces of graffiti at most. The graffiti have clearly deteriorated since the excavation in the late 1930's. A lot of plaster seems to have disappeared since the 1950's.
Many graffiti are mentioned by Della Corte and Ciprotti, but without mentioning the precise location, so that it becomes quite a puzzle to figure out what they saw in this room, and what elsewhere. Fortunately Solin remarks that their numbers 20-29 and 34-61 are from this room (Solin 1972, 195 note 2). The readings of Della Corte and Ciprotti are not to be trusted, but it must be said that sometimes the graffiti are simply very difficult to read.
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| Plan of the Caseggiato degli Aurighi. |
Click to enlarge. General view of the short west wall (photo: Harp 2015).
Click to enlarge. Upper right part of the short west wall (photo: Harp 2015).
Click to enlarge. Upper central part of the short west wall (photo: Harp 2015).
Click to enlarge. Upper central part of the short west wall, detail (photo: Harp 2015).
Click to enlarge. Upper left part of the short west wall (photo: Harp 2015).
Click to enlarge. Central part of the short west wall (photo: Harp 2015).
Click to enlarge. Lower right part of the short west wall (photo: Harp 2015).
South-east part of the room (photo: Okuyama et al. 2018, fig. 13).
South part of the room (photo: Okuyama et al. 2018, fig. 13).
G0268 - A COMPLAINT ABOUT GRAFFITI WRITERS
West wall, upper part, left side.
Della Corte - Ciprotti 1961, 329, nr. 20.
Solin 1972, 196.
PANTEC PANTA
EΠEΓPAΨAN
AIΓΩ MΩNΩC OY
ΔEN AIΓPAΨA
Rea 1979 (translation).
Interpretation: a Greek hexameter, "Every comer scrawls the walls with his graffiti, the only one who's written none is me."
- Solin
- Eric Taylor
- Harp 2015
G0269 - GREEK TEXT
West wall, central part.
Della Corte - Ciprotti 1961, 329, nr. 21:
TOCAΠOΛPOK
TOΔKATY AOΛC
NIKATE
Interpretation: Greek text.
ICCD N005407 (top)
Della Corte - Ciprotti
Animation, Eric Taylor
G0270 - A BEAUTIFUL GIRL AND THE CIRCUS
- West wall, central part.
- Della Corte - Ciprotti 1961, 329, nr. 22:
QV SECVNDA FORMOSA
BINII QUII BINTVA
FACIIS AGITANTI PRASINI
CRISPI
Interpretation: about a beautiful girl, Secunda, and the circus. For line 3 cf. Suetonius, Nero 22: prasinum agitatorem, a Green charioteer in the games at the circus. The factio prasina was the party of charioteers who dressed in green. The graffito brings to mind the paintings of charioteers in the building.
- ICCD N005407 (centre: G0270; bottom: G0271)
- Animation, Eric Taylor
- Harp 2015
- Harp 2015
G0271 - GREEK TEXT
- West wall, central part.
- Della Corte - Ciprotti 1961, 329, nr. 22:
ΛIΦIKANABΩ
III
OYNLOΛΔPΓ
ΦCVNI
Interpretation: the Greek text is in a tabula ansata, which gives it a "formal" character. "Kanabos" is a wooden framework round which artists moulded wax or clay.
- ICCD N005407 (centre: G0270; bottom: G0271)
- Della Corte - Ciprotti
- Animation, Eric Taylor
- Harp 2015 (upper part)
- Harp 2015 (upper part)
G0272 - LATIN TEXT
- West wall, below and to the left of G0271.
- Della Corte - Ciprotti 1961, 330, nr. 24: A MARIT.
Interpretation: apparently not the name of the month.
G0275 - A LONG TEXT
- West wall.
- Della Corte - Ciprotti 1961, 330, nr. 27:
[---] CISTI. IIXXI
[---] LAVIAM
[---] A VCIMI CACIIS
DIO [---] SCIRE
ESSEQV ADVTE
Interpretation: a long text.
- Animation, Eric Taylor
- Harp 2015
G0276 - PART OF THE GREEK ALPHABET
- West wall.
- Della Corte - Ciprotti 1961, 331, nr. 28: : ABΓHZP.
Interpretation: part of the Greek alphabet.
- Della Corte - Ciprotti
- Animation, Eric Taylor
- Harp 2015
G0277 - PART OF THE GREEK ALPHABET
- West wall.
- Della Corte - Ciprotti 1961, 331, nr. 29:
ABΓΔEZHIΘIK
IIIXΩ TΦ
KΛ
Interpretation: part of the Greek alphabet.
- Della Corte - Ciprotti
- Animation, Eric Taylor
- Harp 2015
G0278 - DATE
- West wall.
Della Corte - Ciprotti 1961, 331, nr. 34: III K.
Interpretation: III K(alendas).
- Animation, Eric Taylor
- Harp 2015
G0280 - A FRIVOLOUS GIRL AND A LOVER
- West wall, upper right part, to the right of G0289.
- Della Corte - Ciprotti 1961, 332, nr. 36 (lines 2, 4 and 5 written in the right half of the graffito):
[---]IANVARIA NUGAS ES
VIDVS SCRIPSIT
[---]IMISS[---]VIISTI NII IIOVS
C R O VIIST
AMATOR
[---]AII NIIVA[---]IIS
[--]AC
[---]N
Interpretation: about a frivolous girl, Ianuaria, and a lover. Written "ante diem V IDVS". The name Ianuaria is also read in G0298.
- ICCD N005409
- ICCD N005409 (detail)
- Eric Taylor
- Animation, Eric Taylor
- Harp 2015
G0282 - PERSECUTION
- West wall.
- Della Corte - Ciprotti 1961, 332, n. 38: EX PERSECVNDE DOMINII SALVTIS EME.
- Okuyama et al. 2018, note 19.
Interpretation: "Lord, give safety from the persecutor", or "Give safety from the persecution of the master / mistress" (Okuyama)?
G0289 - A LONG TEXT
- West wall.
- Della Corte - Ciprotti 1961, 333-334, nr. 45:
IONICVS
NCIO .... C ...
... MAMIAN ...
... IIOMNE ...
IIAOAMINVANDV
APIOMVILOVTTO ...
AIPAVACSAIII ...
..... EICAIPI ...
...... NV .. OI ...
ΠAΓ
Interpretation: a long text.
- Della Corte - Ciprotti
- Animation, Eric Taylor
- Harp 2015
G0297 + G0388 - REMEMBERING A BELOVED ONE, AND THE WRITER
- North wall.
- Della Corte - Ciprotti 1961, 335 n. 53.
- Solin 1972, p. 196-197: MNHCΘH O ΦIΛ(os) | MNHCΘH O ΓPA(ψασ)
Interpretation: "May the beloved be remembered, may the writer be remembered".
- Eric Taylor
- Solin
- Harp 2015
G0305 - A COMPLAINT ABOUT GRAFFITI WRITERS
North wall, above right door frame.
Della Corte - Ciprotti 1961, 336-337, nr. 61.
Solin 1972, 195-196.
Rea 1979 (translation):
ΠANTEC ΔIA
ΓPAΦOYCI EΓΩ MO
NOS OYΔEN EΓPAΨA
ΠYΓIΖΩ ΠANTAC TOYC
EΠITOIXOΓPAΦOYC
Interpretation: "Every comer scrawls the walls with his graffiti. The only one who's written none is me. Bugger all these scrawlers! My entreaty is to call them epitoechographs [writers on the wall] like me."
- Rea
- Animation, Eric Taylor
- Harp 2015
G0812 - TALLY MARKS
- North wall: IIIII.
Interpretation: tally marks.
G0813 - LATIN TEXT
- North wall, above the entrance: KAR ... . Is there a similar text above the entrance to room 16?
- Harp 2015.G0298 = G0461 - A POPULAR GIRL
- South wall, west part, at the bottom, left of a small niche in the corner.
- Della Corte - Ciprotti 1961, 335, nr. 54: IANVARIA FVIT | IANVARIAS.
Interpretation: presumably a name, not the month. The name is also read in G0280.
- ICCD N005405
- Animation, Eric Taylor
- Harp 2015
G0814 - A NAME
- Ceiling, above the entrance: VALERIANVS.
Interpretation: a name. The Emperor (253-260 AD)?
- Harp 2015.
G0273 - GREEK TEXT
- Della Corte - Ciprotti 1961, 330, nr. 25:
COTAY .... VIS
TAYTCNIIVΓOIΓΩ
Interpretation: Greek text.
G0274 - ABOUT WRITING
- Della Corte - Ciprotti 1961, 330, nr. 26: HOC QUI SCRIP[---] | [---] N [---] GIT INFRA.
Interpretation: "He who wrote this ... below".
G0279 - A MEDICINE
- Della Corte - Ciprotti 1961, 332, nr. 35: MIIDICAMI[---] | LINGAE BVBI[---] | BVS.
Interpretation: about medicine and the plant lingua bubula (ox-tongue). Cato, De Re Rustica 40: "cover the whole with ox-tongue, so that if it rains the water will not soak into the bark". See also Pliny the Elder, Natural History, book XVII, chapter 24. It has been used in history to induce courage, joy, merriment, exhilaration, and making "the mind glad". It was also ground up into a poultice, and used to treat bruises and abrasions.
G0281 - LATIN TEXT
- Della Corte - Ciprotti 1961, 332, nr. 37 (line 2 written in the right half of the graffito): FVGII ORODIIRASIO DII SIICVS ICMI | MII | DVTI [---] CISIS MLE.
G0283 - LATIN TEXT
- Della Corte - Ciprotti 1961, 332, nr. 39: BVBINNI
G0284 - A BEAUTIFUL GIRL
- Della Corte - Ciprotti 1961, 333, nr. 40: LVCILA FORMOSA | TIBI IIS NITA | NIS SIS AMA.
Interpretation: about Lucila, a beautiful girl.
G0285 - LATIN TEXT
- Della Corte - Ciprotti 1961, 333, nr. 41: NIHILI PHPHOR.
- Eric Taylor
- Animation, Eric Taylor
G0286 - A BEAUTIFUL BOY
- Della Corte - Ciprotti 1961, 333, nr. 42 (line 2 written in the right half of the graffito): MAMIVS SALIVS | FORMOSVS.
Interpretation: about a beautiful boy, Mamius Salvius.
G0287 - GREETINGS
- Della Corte - Ciprotti 1961, 333, nr. 43: OBIILLIA SVO | ... OLATIO VA(le).
Interpretation: "Obellia to her ..., greetings". "Solatio" in line 2?
G0288 - NAMES
- Della Corte - Ciprotti 1961, 333, nr. 44: SIICVNDE | PALICAR | PVS IIS.
Interpretation: "Secundus, Polycarpus you are ..." (?).
G0290 - GREEK TEXT
- Della Corte - Ciprotti 1961, 334, nr. 46:
IBM
AΓAEOΠIYS
MPAΓ
G0291 - LATIN TEXT
- Della Corte - Ciprotti 1961, 334, nr. 47: MMISSXVSFEGIT.
Interpretation: "fegit" is presumably "fecit".
G0292 - GREEK TEXT
- Della Corte - Ciprotti 1961, 334, n. 48: CEΦYXOE.
G0293 - LOVE AND LOVERS
- Della Corte - Ciprotti 1961, 334, n. 49 (line 3 written in the right half of the graffito):
CRVSEROS AMAS ADAMA
APELLA CRVSIDE . IVSTVS IANVAR ... VS
PLVRIMA
Interpretation: "Chrysis, you love Chryseros, but he loves Apella. Many greetings from Iustus Ianuarius".
G0294 - DISLIKE
- Della Corte - Ciprotti 1961, 334, n. 50: STEPI | STEPHANEFASTI | AT RVFIONE.
Interpretation possibly: "Rufio dislikes Stephanus!" (or the other way around).
G0295 - I REMEMBER ...
- Della Corte - Ciprotti 1961, 335, nr. 51: GOMIIMIIMINI FVISSIIT.
Interpretation: "ego me memini ...", "I remember ...".
G0296 - 150 AD
- Solin: "an der schrägen Wand unter der Treppe".
- Della Corte - Ciprotti 1961, 335, nr. 52.
- Solin 1972, 195 note 3: M(arco) CAVIO SQUILLA GALLICANO | SEX(to) CARMINIO VETERE.
Interpretation: the consular date 150 AD.
G0299 - HELLO DARLING, GREETINGS!
- Della Corte - Ciprotti 1961, 335, nr. 55: PVPA V SAL.
Interptretation: "Pupa v(ale) sal(utem)", "Hello darling (doll), greetings!"
G0300 - BEHAVIOUR
- Della Corte - Ciprotti 1961, 335, nr. 56: MORIIM SAN.
Interpretation: "The conduct ...". "San" for "sanctum"?
G0301 - INJUSTICE
- Della Corte - Ciprotti 1961, 336, nr. 57 (on the last letter an S was written): QVO NON FACITI(s) INIVRIAM.
Interpretation: "In this way you do not do injustice". Should it be read with a question mark at the end?
G0302 - A PERVERTED WOMAN
- Della Corte - Ciprotti 1961, 336, nr. 58 (the third letter could also be A or an R): MVLVSAMETPATICAM.
Interpretation: "May the mule love the perverted woman".
G0303 - LATIN TEXT
- Della Corte - Ciprotti 1961, 336, nr. 59:
IALISVS SAALBIVS SAINIIEMIIIIA
PEPERIT INSANVSAICAVEIE PIITVVQVIIDII
CAVERNE
Interpretation: the graffito seems to begin with the names Ialisus (a Greek name documented in Rome) and Salvius.
G0304 - A NAME
- Della Corte - Ciprotti 1961, 336, nr. 60: MRVSIILLIO COS SOLVI
Interpretation. The name Rusellius is not known. We could think of Rubellius, but we don't have a consul Marcus Rubellius.
CETERA
- G0815. West wall: to the left of G0271: Harp 2015
- G0816. West wall, right part, upper section: Harp 2015
- G0817. West wall, right part, middle section: Harp 2015
- G0818. West wall, right part, lower section: Harp 2015
- G0819. West wall, right part, below G0277: Harp 2015, Harp 2015 (detail)
- G0820. West wall, to the left of G0270: Eric Taylor
- G0821. North wall: Harp 2015
- G0459. North wall: ICCD N005403, Harp 2015, Harp 2015
- G0822. North wall: Harp 2015
- G0823. South wall: Harp 2015
- G0824. South wall: Harp 2015
- G0825. South wall: Harp 2015
- Harp 2015
- G0826. Entrance, west side: Harp 2015
- G0827. Entrance, west side: Harp 2015 (detail)
- G0828. Floor: Harp 2015
- G0829. Floor: Harp 2015
- G0830. Ceiling: Harp 2015
- G0831. Ceiling: Harp 2015
- G0832. Ceiling: Harp 2015
- G0833. Ceiling: Harp 2015