Alleius Nigidius Maius: Difference between revisions
No edit summary |
wlink |
||
| (31 intermediate revisions by 21 users not shown) | |||
| Line 1: | Line 1: | ||
| ⚫ | '''Gnaeus Alleius Nigidius Maius''' (15–23 CE – 79 CE?) was a politician and wealthy businessman in ancient [[Pompeii]] who gained wide popularity with the citizens of the town through his sponsorship of [[gladiator]]ial games and other spectacles.<ref name="PompeiiThe">''Pompeii: The Life of a Roman Town'' by [[Mary Beard (classicist)|Mary Beard]]</ref> |
||
{{AFC submission|||ts=20130405162749|u=Wildmountainscene|ns=2}} |
|||
| ⚫ | |||
Alleius Maius's mother was Pomponia Decharis and he was adopted at a relatively young age. His mother was buried in the tomb of [[Eumachia]].<ref name="Pompeii">Pompeii, A Sourcebook by [[Alison E. Cooley]] and M. G. Cooley</ref> |
|||
| ⚫ | |||
| ⚫ | '''Gnaeus |
||
| ⚫ | Alleius Maius enjoyed a successful career in local Pompeian politics, having been elected [[aedile]], [[duumvir]] and [[quinquennial]] duumvir (in 55 A.D.) before the age of forty. He gained wide popularity among the public through his sponsorship of gladiatorial games and many notices pertaining to the shows he sponsored have been uncovered during the excavations at Pompeii: |
||
| ⚫ | |||
| ⚫ | |||
Little detail is known about his childhood. His mother was Pomponia Decharis and he was adopted at a relatively young age into the gens Alleii, his original family name being Maius, and it is possible that his mother was a freedwoman. His mother was buried in the tomb of [[Eumachia]], a wealthy and influential woman in the town, which suggests a close connection between the Alleii and Eumachia family. Allieus Maius may have been a beneficiary in the will of Eumachia. <ref name="Pompeii">Pompeii, A Sourcebook by Alison E Cooley and M G Cooley</ref> |
|||
| ⚫ | |||
| ⚫ | |||
| ⚫ | |||
| ⚫ | |||
| ⚫ | After he exited public life, Alleius Maius concentrated on his private business interests and on the evidence of his private sponsorship of games, his palatial home, which is among the largest single properties in the town, and notices advertising rental properties. One of his businesses involved the leasing of residential and retail properties to tenants; among the surviving notices is the following advert: |
||
| ⚫ | |||
| ⚫ | |||
| ⚫ | |||
| ⚫ | The fact that this sign was painted shortly before the [[eruption of Vesuvius]] also indicates that Allieus Maius was still alive as of that date. It is not known whether he survived the catastrophe.<ref name="PompeiiThe" /><ref>Gnaeus Alleius Nigidius Maius – Welcome to Pompeii, VI.6: Insula Arriana Polliana, University of Virginia</ref> |
||
| ⚫ | |||
| ⚫ | |||
| ⚫ | After he |
||
| ⚫ | Alleius Maius and his daughter were also prominent in religious circles in Pompeii. One of the surviving notices refers to him as 'Priest (or [[Flamen]]) of Caesar Augustus' which might refer either to the Emperor [[Claudius]] or [[Vespasian]], the title suggesting a position of some eminence. His daughter Alleia was also a public priestess and may have had a statue dedicated to her in the [[Macellum]], which was the town's market building.<ref name="Pompeii" /> |
||
| ⚫ | |||
| ⚫ | |||
| ⚫ | The fact that this sign was painted shortly before the [[eruption of Vesuvius]] |
||
| ⚫ | Unfortunately much of the decoration of his large home (also known as The House of Pansa) was destroyed in the eruption. However its size, location and layout indicate that it was one of the finest homes in the town. It was located near to the Forum almost directly opposite the Forum Baths, and it occupied an entire city block. The exterior, ground floor sections of the house were rented out as shops and the first floor as residential units. Allieus Maius and his family occupied the extensive ground floor, which featured an impressive atrium, multiple bedrooms (''cubicula''), several dining or recreational rooms and a peristyle featuring sixteen Ionic columns. The rear of the property had a veranda which overlooked an extensive garden area.<ref>The House of Pansa – Welcome to Pompeii, VI.6: Insula Arriana Polliana, University of Virginia</ref> |
||
| ⚫ | |||
| ⚫ | |||
| ⚫ | |||
| ⚫ | Unfortunately much of the decoration of his large home (also known as The House of Pansa) was destroyed in the eruption. However its size, location and layout indicate that it was one of the finest homes in the town. It was located near to the Forum almost directly opposite the Forum Baths, and it occupied an entire city block. The exterior, ground floor sections of the house were rented out as shops and the first floor as residential units. Allieus Maius and his family occupied the extensive ground floor, which featured an impressive atrium, multiple bedrooms ( |
||
[[File:House of Pansa.jpg|thumb|The peristyle of the House of Gnaeus Alleius Nigidius Maius (also known as The House of Pansa) in the ruined city of Pompeii]] |
[[File:House of Pansa.jpg|thumb|The peristyle of the House of Gnaeus Alleius Nigidius Maius (also known as The House of Pansa) in the ruined city of Pompeii]] |
||
== References == |
== References == |
||
<!--- See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Footnotes on how to create references using <ref></ref> tags which will then appear here automatically --> |
|||
{{Reflist}} |
{{Reflist}} |
||
== External links == |
== External links == |
||
* |
* https://web.archive.org/web/20100215093300/http://cti.itc.virginia.edu/~jjd5t/region-vi/pansa/domus.html |
||
* |
* https://web.archive.org/web/20080918081140/http://cti.itc.virginia.edu/~jjd5t/region-vi/pansa/nigid.html |
||
<!--- Categories ---> |
|||
| ⚫ | |||
[[History of Rome]] |
|||
[[History of the Roman Empire]] |
|||
| ⚫ | |||
<!-- This will add a notice to the bottom of the page and won't blank it! The new template which says that your draft is waiting for a review will appear at the bottom; simply ignore the old (grey) drafted templates and the old (red) decline templates. A bot will update your article submission. Until then, please don't change anything in this text box and press "Save page". --> |
|||
[[Category:Ancient Roman merchants]] |
|||
[[Category:1st-century Romans]] |
|||
[[Category:Deaths in the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD]] |
|||
Latest revision as of 10:22, 3 October 2024
Gnaeus Alleius Nigidius Maius (15–23 CE – 79 CE?) was a politician and wealthy businessman in ancient Pompeii who gained wide popularity with the citizens of the town through his sponsorship of gladiatorial games and other spectacles.[1]
Early life
[edit]Alleius Maius's mother was Pomponia Decharis and he was adopted at a relatively young age. His mother was buried in the tomb of Eumachia.[2]
Political career
[edit]Alleius Maius enjoyed a successful career in local Pompeian politics, having been elected aedile, duumvir and quinquennial duumvir (in 55 A.D.) before the age of forty. He gained wide popularity among the public through his sponsorship of gladiatorial games and many notices pertaining to the shows he sponsored have been uncovered during the excavations at Pompeii:
At the dedication of (Ocella) of the opus tabularum of Gnaeus Alleius Nigidius Maius, at Pompeii on 13 June, there will be a procession, hunt, athletics, and awnings.
Good fortune to Gnaeus Alleius Maius, the leading games-giver. [2]
Business career
[edit]After he exited public life, Alleius Maius concentrated on his private business interests and on the evidence of his private sponsorship of games, his palatial home, which is among the largest single properties in the town, and notices advertising rental properties. One of his businesses involved the leasing of residential and retail properties to tenants; among the surviving notices is the following advert:
To let from July 1. In the insula Arriana Polliana, property of Cnaius Alleius Nigidius Maius, commercial/residential units with mezzanines, quality upper floor apartments and houses. Agent: Primus, slave of Cnaius Alleius Nigidius Maius.
The fact that this sign was painted shortly before the eruption of Vesuvius also indicates that Allieus Maius was still alive as of that date. It is not known whether he survived the catastrophe.[1][3]
Priesthood
[edit]Alleius Maius and his daughter were also prominent in religious circles in Pompeii. One of the surviving notices refers to him as 'Priest (or Flamen) of Caesar Augustus' which might refer either to the Emperor Claudius or Vespasian, the title suggesting a position of some eminence. His daughter Alleia was also a public priestess and may have had a statue dedicated to her in the Macellum, which was the town's market building.[2]
House of Pansa
[edit]Unfortunately much of the decoration of his large home (also known as The House of Pansa) was destroyed in the eruption. However its size, location and layout indicate that it was one of the finest homes in the town. It was located near to the Forum almost directly opposite the Forum Baths, and it occupied an entire city block. The exterior, ground floor sections of the house were rented out as shops and the first floor as residential units. Allieus Maius and his family occupied the extensive ground floor, which featured an impressive atrium, multiple bedrooms (cubicula), several dining or recreational rooms and a peristyle featuring sixteen Ionic columns. The rear of the property had a veranda which overlooked an extensive garden area.[4]
References
[edit]- ^ a b Pompeii: The Life of a Roman Town by Mary Beard
- ^ a b c Pompeii, A Sourcebook by Alison E. Cooley and M. G. Cooley
- ^ Gnaeus Alleius Nigidius Maius – Welcome to Pompeii, VI.6: Insula Arriana Polliana, University of Virginia
- ^ The House of Pansa – Welcome to Pompeii, VI.6: Insula Arriana Polliana, University of Virginia