City Life in Roman Italy – Important People Assignment

Poppaea

The wife of the Emperor Nero. Her family connections in Pompeii

may have persuaded the Emperor to lift the gladiatorial games ban
in Pompeii. The family who lived in the House of Menander in
Pompeii boasted kinship with her.

Gnaeus Alleius Nigidius Maius

A prominent individual in Pompeii during Nero’s rule. He became the

quinquennial duumvir in AD 55/56 and was notable for putting on
several gladiatorial games. He owned the House of Pansa and
rented out many properties from the same insula. Some of his
wealth probably came from his connection to Eumachia as members
of his family were buried in her tomb.

Cuspius Pansa (the father)

One of two individuals responsible for the reconstruction of the

amphitheatre in Pompeii after the earthquake in AD 62. He was
awarded an honorific statue in the Forum, which stood on bases
decorated with gladiator motifs. He may have been appointed as a
special prefect with responsibility for repairing sections of the city
after the earthquake.

Cuspius Pansa (the son)

The second individual responsible for the reconstruction of the

amphitheatre in Pompeii. Like his father, he was awarded an
honorific statue in the Forum.

Gavius Maximus

The man who financed the Baths of the Forum in Ostia. He was a
prefect of the Praetorian Guard, responsible for protecting the
Emperor and he held the post for 20 years. His name is stamped on
a water pipe. An inscription found tells us that the baths were
originally named after him.

Livineius Regulus

A disgraced senator from Rome who held the games that caused a
serious riot in Pompeii between the Pompeians and Nucerians.
Pompeii was punished with a 10 year ban on gladiatorial games. He
may have been trying to establish himself as a benefactor and a
man of influence in Pompeii.
Claudius

The man made Emperor following the assassination of his nephew

Caligula. It was never intended for him to become Emperor as he
had physical disabilities that affected his speech and movement. He
was in a weak position due to the Senate being opposed to his rule
so had do things that would strength his rule. He ordered the
construction of a harbour at Portus, which would provide a better
route for grain to get to Rome. The harbour was not completed until
the after his death, during the reign of Nero. An inscription found in
Ostia proclaims him to be a hero who through building his harbour
saved the city of Rome from floods.

Trajan

He was adopted by the Emperor Nerva in AD 97 and following his

death the next year became Emperor. He ordered the construction
of a second harbour at Portus after discovering problems with
Claudius’ one as it was unable to protect large vessels so they
continued to dock in Puteoli. This hexagonal basin harbour would
protect and allow docking for the Alexandrian grain fleet.

Aeneas

A legendary ancestor of the Julian family (the emperors) who fled

from Troy to Italy. A statue of him and Romulus would have stood in
the Building of Eumachia in Pompeii, probably copied from the
statues in the Forum of Augustus in Rome. The statues do not
survive but there is a depiction of them on the wall of a laundry in
Pompeii. There is also an inscription on the front of the Building of
Eumachia, which gives a description of his life.

Numerius Popidius Celsinus

The boy who paid for the rebuilding of the Temple of Isis in Pompeii
after the earthquake in AD 62 according to an inscription from
above the main entrance of the temple. It is notable that he was
only 6 years old when he paid for it so it is likely his father was a
freedman who wanted his son to get into politics, which he himself
could not do so he paid for the rebuilding in his son’s name.

Gaius Quinctius Valgus

One of two individuals who saw to the construction of the

amphitheatre in Pompeii according to two copies of the same
inscription which stood over the east and west entrances of the
amphitheatre. He was a quinquennial duumvir and at his own
expense paid for the construction, this may have been forced
philanthropy so that he could gain political dominance.
Marcus Porcius

The second individual who saw to and paid for the construction of
the amphitheatre according to the east and west entrance
inscriptions. Like Valgus, he too was quinquennial dummvir at some
point in time. Probably wanted political dominance too.

Marcus Nonius Balbus

A very popular chief benefactor of Herculaneum who took

Octavian’s side in the civil wars after the murder of Julius Caesar. He
became a senator after Augustus took power and held major
political offices such as praetor and consul. In Herculaneum were at
least 10 statues of him and many inscriptions, which were set up by
various communities across the empire. After his death, he was
awarded with a marble altar where his body was cremated and one
of his freedmen set up a statue behind the altar.

Flavius Octavius Victor

A man thought to be the prefect of the corn supply, an important

post in Rome. He is mentioned in several inscriptions from the Baths
of the Forum in Ostia regarding his restoration work.

Ragonius Vincentius Celsus

A man who held the post of prefect of the corn supply at some point
in time who along with Victor restored the Baths of the Forum
according to an inscription in the first room.

Octavius Quartio

One of the men who is believed to have owned the House of Loreius
Tiburtinus/Octavius Quartio in Pompeii. Classicists are divided on
who owned the house due to there being graffiti on the house
saying ‘Vote for Loreius’ and ‘Vote for Tiburtinus’ and the finding of
a signet ring in a shop on the same plot belonging to Octavius
Quartio.

Apuleius

The man owned the House of Apuleius in Ostia. He was probably the
Latin prose writer who wrote the book ‘The Golden Ass’ and this
suggests he was fascinated with religious practice. The house has a
Mithraeum in it, which can be accessed both from the inside and
outside of the house, this links back to the man’s fascination with
religious practice.
Nero

The Emperor who banned gladiatorial games for 10 years in Pompeii

after the riot between the Pompeians and Nucerians. The ban was
lifted 5 years early, probably due to the influence of his second wife
Poppaea who had family connections in Pompeii. He also recalled
the two urban cohorts in Ostia who had been put there by the
Emperor Claudius to fight the fires, which often broke out.

Quintus Poppaeus

The man who probably owned the House of Menander in Pompeii

due to the finding of his bronze seal in the servants’ quarter. He and
his family boasted kinship with the Poppaea, the second wife of the
Emperor Nero and may have asked her to persuade her husband to
lift the ban on gladiatorial games in Pompeii.

Gaius Norbonius Sorex

An actor who was honoured with two busts in Pompeii, one placed in
the Temple of Isis and one in the Building of Eumachia. He probably
toured around Italy and would have performed in the theatre in
Pompeii. The inscription found on both statues says he was a
supporting actor but was popular enough to warrant space being
given by the town councillors for his busts.