This is a row of shops along the Decumanus, in front of the Four Small Temples (II,VIII,2). The opus mixtum is probably Hadrianic. Many entrances from the Decumanus were later narrowed or reinforced. In late antiquity a curious wall of opus vittatum was built in the south half of the shops. It seems intended to hide ruins from view, and may have been built at the end of the third century after an earthquake.
Plan of the shops. After SO I.In 1913 three fragments of an inscription on architectural decoration were found on the Decumanus, in front of the building, and can still be seen there. The inscription belongs to the late fourth century (383-392 AD). It testifies to the building of an unknown structure by Herculius, prefect of the grain supply. Some other fragments, found on the Decumanus near Via dei Molini, may belong to an identical, "twin" inscription.
[Toto orbe vict]ORIBVS AC TRIVMFAT(oribus) SEMPER AVGVST(is) VALENTINIANO THEODOSIO ARCH[adio]
[pro felicita]TE AC BEATITVDINE CLEMEN[tiaq(ue) tempo]RVM [---] OPSEQ(u---)
[---]TVLEIVS HERCVLIVS V(ir) C(larissimus) ANNONA[e pra]EFECTV[s --- ae]DIFIC[a]VITCIL XIV Suppl., 4410. Preserved length 2.88. The fragments from Via dei Molini are CIL XIV Suppl., 4411. Little holes in the marble had been used for attaching the metal letters of another, older inscription. Presumably they were filled in with plaster when the inscription was reused. This older inscription still awaits a specialist for the deciphering.
