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Freedmen Tombs of Pompeii |
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written
by julia625 / 10.12.2005 |
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Tomb Styles |
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Describe |
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| http://www.brynmawr.edu/Admins/DMVRC/lanterns/
medimage/italy/pompeii/LV000529.html |
| Via dei Sepolcri in Pompeii |
| This street, known as the Street of Tombs in Pompeii, provides examples of the many different shapes and sizes of ancient Roman tombs. Notice how some only take up small plots, while others take up 20+ feet of the road. |
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The tomb styles ranged from monuments shaped like altars and temples to memorial arches and niches. Not all the tombs have the sepulcher chamber; the remains were sometimes deposited in the earth beneath the monument. One characteristic of many Pompeii tombs, regardless of style, were large funereal reliefs with portraits. These reliefs were especially common in the tombs of the libertini and most followed a basic format. There was typically a framed niche within with frontal partial-view portraits of a man dressed in a toga and a woman dressed in a stola and a mantle. The clothing is significant because clothing is something that is heavily restricted for slaves. Only once they become free can they choose their own clothing. In addition, this style of clothing shows that they are Roman citizens. The faces in the portraits were also significant in determining statues. Some common characteristics of the portraits include deep set eyes, creases alongside the nose, set mouths and often deep furrows in the brow for the men. Overall, the reliefs with portraits have the intent of showing the individual social accomplishments of the deceased as a respectable citizen of Rome. Being seen as an upstanding Roman citizen was something that the noble class maintained after death and the libertini emulated in their own graves. By emphasizing what honorable citizens they were, the freed slaves hoped that their status as a freed slave would be overlooked in favor of these other characteristics.
Another characteristic of the tombs are the similarities between the portraits. The portraits were often made generically in bulk, and then altered once they had been purchased. Consequently, the bodies on the portraits are very similar and only the faces would be unique depending on each person. These funerary reliefs were often associated with the class of freed slaves because the portraits were inexpensive and accessible and were an easy way to portray the deceased as they wanted to be remembered. The virtues of respectability and age were very highly prized in Roman society, and as a result the portraits were often made to look older by adding wrinkles and furrowed brows. These aging features also suggest hard work, that the libertini had survived considerable struggle and hardship to attain their freedom. One possible reason that this tomb style was so popular among freed slaves was they felt it was very important to commemorate their changed social statues. The libertini often included a brief inscription below their portraits giving their names and a brief list of accomplishments. Although most inscriptions listed names and a few achievements, the lengths could range from just the names, to lengthy biographies. If it was not specified that the deceased was a freedman in the inscription, their name would show their social status; a slave only had one name of their own and their masters’ family name while a citizen of society had both a first, and a family name. Once a slave had been freed he often kept his masters family name, and added his own on to it. A final commonality between reliefs were the carvings. At this time, very few common citizens were literate and since the tombs were meant to be appreciated by all, visual biographies were often added. These included a few significant illustrative carvings that would visually explain who the inhabitant of the tomb was. There could be a re-enactment of a scene, for example bread making if the deceased was a baker, or just significant objects, such as tools they worked with. Either way, these drawings were meant to further describe the life and lifestyle of the departed.
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