Santuario C, Il tempio dionisiaco in località Sant’Abbondio di Pompei. Santuario di Dioniso-Liber.

Sanctuary C, Temple of Dionysus at Sant’Abbondio, Pompeii. Sanctuary of Dionysus-Liber.

Excavated 1947, 1973 and 2008.

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Temple entrance

Tempio dionisiaco in località Sant’Abbondio di Pompei. May 2018. Sign identifying site. Photo courtesy of Buzz Ferebee.

Tempio dionisiaco in località Sant’Abbondio di Pompei. May 2018.

Looking east up ramp C into temple. Photo courtesy of Buzz Ferebee.

Tempio dionisiaco in località Sant’Abbondio di Pompei. May 2018.

Looking east across temple remains. Photo courtesy of Buzz Ferebee.

Tempio dionisiaco in località Sant’Abbondio di Pompei. 2011. Looking east. Temple with pediment in place.

Tempio dionisiaco in località Sant’Abbondio di Pompei. December 2011. Looking east across temple. Photo courtesy of Google Earth.

Altar A

VIII.1.4 Pompeii Antiquarium. February 2021.

Altar from the sanctuary of Sant’Abbondio di Pompei, on display in Antiquarium.

Photo courtesy of Fabien Bièvre-Perrin (CC BY-NC-SA).

VIII.1.4 Pompeii Antiquarium. February 2021.

Altar with Oscan inscription to Maras Atinius, aedile of Samnite Pompeii, from the sanctuary of Sant’Abbondio di Pompei.

Photo courtesy of Fabien Bièvre-Perrin (CC BY-NC-SA).

Tempio dionisiaco in località Sant’Abbondio di Pompei. May 2018. Front of altar. Photo courtesy of Buzz Ferebee.

Tempio dionisiaco in località Sant’Abbondio di Pompei. May 2018.

Front of Altar on display in Pompeii Antiquarium. Photo courtesy of Buzz Ferebee.

VIII.1.4 Pompeii Antiquarium. February 2021.

Second side of Altar with Oscan inscription to Maras Atinius, aedile of Samnite Pompeii, from the sanctuary of Sant’Abbondio di Pompei.

Photo courtesy of Fabien Bièvre-Perrin (CC BY-NC-SA).

Tempio dionisiaco in località Sant’Abbondio di Pompei. May 2018. Inscription on second side (rear) of altar.

Photo courtesy of Buzz Ferebee.

According to Lorenza Barnabei, the Oscan inscription equates to

MARAS ATINIUS MARAE F AIDILIS SUA PECUNIA.

The inscription on the rear was engraved with less accuracy than that on the front.

See Barnabei L. in Contributi di Archeologia Vesuviana, 3, Rome, 2007 (Studi della Soprintendenza archeologica di Pompei, 21), p. 39.

Tempio dionisiaco in località Sant’Abbondio di Pompei. February 2021.

Detail of inscription. Photo courtesy of Fabien Bièvre-Perrin (CC BY-NC-SA).

Tempio dionisiaco in località Sant’Abbondio di Pompei. March 2009. Temple altar in storage by the Pompeii Antiquarium.

Tempio dionisiaco in località Sant’Abbondio di Pompei. March 2009. Temple altar with Oscan inscription in Pompeii Antiquarium.

According to Lorenza Barnabei, an Oscan an inscription on two sides of the altar honoured Maras Atinius, an aedile of Samnite Pompeii.

See Barnabei L. in Contributi di Archeologia Vesuviana, 3, Rome, 2007 (Studi della Soprintendenza archeologica di Pompei, 21), p. 39.

Tempio dionisiaco in località Sant’Abbondio di Pompei. March 2009. Temple altar in Pompeii Antiquarium.

According to Lorenza Barnabei, the Oscan inscription equates to

MARAS ATINIUS MARAE F AIDILIS SUA PECUNIA.

The inscription on the rear was engraved with less accuracy than that on the front, which still showed traces of the red paint highlighting its letters.

Cooley translates this as

Maras Atinius, son of Maras, aedile, at his own expense.

The same individual is named as quaestor (kvaísstur) on the inscribed sundial in the Stabian Baths.

The inscriptions found in this temple show that Pompeii’s magistrates were directly involved in establishing the cult, perhaps in the second half of the third century BC.

See Cooley, A. and M.G.L., 2004. Pompeii: A Sourcebook. London: Routledge, p. 12, A16.

See Cooley, A. and M.G.L., 2014. Pompeii and Herculaneum: A Sourcebook. London: Routledge, p. 16, A20.

See Barnabei L. in Contributi di Archeologia Vesuviana, 3, Rome, 2007 (Studi della Soprintendenza archeologica di Pompei, 21), p. 39.

Tempio dionisiaco in località Sant’Abbondio di Pompei. May 2018. Side and rear view of altar. Photo courtesy of Buzz Ferebee.

Tempio dionisiaco in località Sant’Abbondio di Pompei. May 2018.

Altar rear showing scrolls and basin on top. Photo courtesy of Buzz Ferebee.

Tempio dionisiaco in località Sant’Abbondio di Pompei. May 2018. Altar top with basin. Photo courtesy of Buzz Ferebee.

Tempio dionisiaco in località Sant’Abbondio di Pompei. May 2018. Second side and rear view of altar. Photo courtesy of Buzz Ferebee.

Tempio dionisiaco in località Sant’Abbondio di Pompei. May 2018. Altar side view. Photo courtesy of Buzz Ferebee.

Triclinium B north

Tempio dionisiaco in località Sant’Abbondio di Pompei. May 2018.

Looking north across the triclinium B and ramp C towards triclinium B, south. Photo courtesy of Buzz Ferebee.

According to Soprano –

Santuario dionisiaco sito in localita S. Abbondio (agro di Pompei), scavato nel 1947-48.

Dimensioni: L. medius, m.7.60; l. imus e summus, m.5.00; diametro delle mense, m.0.83.

Davanti al tempio si estendono due grandi triclini in muratura di eguali dimensioni e di ampiezza quale non si riscontra a Pompei.

Entrambi sono rivestiti di intonaco rosso e hanno la mensa circolare.

Lungo le pareti interne di ciascuno di essi corre un gradino sporgente (cm.26).

See Soprano, P. (1950). I triclini all’aperto di Pompei. (In Pompeiana, raccolta di studi per il secondo centenario degli scavi di Pompei. Napoli, Gaetano Macchiaroli, Editore, p.304, no.22.

Tempio dionisiaco in località Sant’Abbondio di Pompei. May 2018.

Triclinium B (north) and table at north side of ramp. Photo courtesy of Buzz Ferebee.

Tempio dionisiaco in località Sant’Abbondio di Pompei. May 2018. North triclinium B. Photo courtesy of Buzz Ferebee.

Tempio dionisiaco in località Sant’Abbondio di Pompei. May 2018.

Detail of triclinium B and table at north side of ramp. Photo courtesy of Buzz Ferebee.

Tempio dionisiaco in località Sant’Abbondio di Pompei. May 2018. Detail of triclinium B east side. Photo courtesy of Buzz Ferebee.

Tempio dionisiaco in località Sant’Abbondio di Pompei. May 2018.

Round table in triclinium B at north side of ramp. Photo courtesy of Buzz Ferebee.

Tempio dionisiaco in località Sant’Abbondio di Pompei. May 2018. North triclinium B. Photo courtesy of Buzz Ferebee.

Tempio dionisiaco in località Sant’Abbondio di Pompei. 2011. Looking south–east across north triclinium B, ramp C to temple.

Tempio dionisiaco in località Sant’Abbondio di Pompei. 1948.

Looking south–east across north triclinium B, ramp C to temple. Photo courtesy of Ruth Bielfeldt.

See Bielfeldt R., Der Liber-Tempel in Pompeji in Sant’Abbondio. Oskisches Vorstadtheiligtum und kaiserzeitliches Kultlokal, dans MDAI-Römische Abteilung, 113, 2007, pp. 345, Abb. 15.

Ramp C

Tempio dionisiaco in località Sant’Abbondio di Pompei. May 2018.

Looking up ramp, east across temple. Photo courtesy of Buzz Ferebee.

Tempio dionisiaco in località Sant’Abbondio di Pompei. May 2018. Ramp and south-west corner. Photo courtesy of Buzz Ferebee.

Tempio dionisiaco in località Sant’Abbondio di Pompei. May 2018. Temple entrance at top of ramp. Photo courtesy of Buzz Ferebee.

Tempio dionisiaco in località Sant’Abbondio di Pompei. 1948. Looking east up ramp into temple. Photo courtesy of Ruth Bielfeldt.

See Bielfeldt R., Der Liber-Tempel in Pompeji in Sant’Abbondio. Oskisches Vorstadtheiligtum und kaiserzeitliches Kultlokal, dans MDAI-Römische Abteilung, 113, 2007, p. 332, Abb. 13.

Tempio dionisiaco in località Sant’Abbondio di Pompei. A mosaic Oscan inscription on the floor of the ramp. Photo courtesy of Ruth Bielfeldt.

This reads ú. epidiis. ú. tr(ebis). meziis.tr(ebieís). Aídilis

= Ovius Epidius Ovii f. Trebius Mezius Trebii f. aediles

See Bielfeldt R., Der Liber-Tempel in Pompeji in Sant’Abbondio. Oskisches Vorstadtheiligtum und kaiserzeitliches Kultlokal, dans MDAI-Römische Abteilung, 113, 2007, p. 333, Abb. 14.

This translates to OPPIUS EPIDIUS OPPI FILIUS TREBIUS MEZIUS TREBII FILIUS AEDILES.

Cooley translates this as Ovius Epidius, son of Ovius, and Trebius Mettius, son of Trebius, aediles.

See Cooley, A. and M.G.L., 2014. Pompeii and Herculaneum: A Sourcebook. London: Routledge, p. 16, A21.

The construction of the ramp was probably in the final phase of the edifice.

The ramp led up to the area under the portico (the pronaos) which then led to the temple cella.

See Barnabei L. in Contributi di Archeologia Vesuviana, 3, Rome, 2007 (Studi della Soprintendenza archeologica di Pompei, 21), p. 39.

According to Sironen, re-reading this in 2008, this should now be read as

]ú. e[p]pidiis. ú. tr. meziis. tr. Aedilis

O(vius) Eppidius O(vii) f. Tr(ebius) Mettius Tr(ebii) f. aediles

Ovius Eppidius, son of Ovius and Trebius Mettius, son of Trebius, aediles.

See Sironen T, 2013. Documentazione epigrafica osca del santuario suburbano delle divinità dionisiache a S. Abbondio, MEFRA, 125-1. http://mefra.revues.org/1250

Triclinium B South

Tempio dionisiaco in località Sant’Abbondio di Pompei. May 2018.

Looking north across south triclinium B and ramp C to north triclinium B. Photo courtesy of Buzz Ferebee.

Tempio dionisiaco in località Sant’Abbondio di Pompei. May 2018.

Looking north-east from south triclinium B. Photo courtesy of Buzz Ferebee.

Tempio dionisiaco in località Sant’Abbondio di Pompei. May 2018. South side of temple. Photo courtesy of Buzz Ferebee.

Tempio dionisiaco in località Sant’Abbondio di Pompei. May 2018. Triclinium B on south side of ramp. Photo courtesy of Buzz Ferebee.

Tempio dionisiaco in località Sant’Abbondio di Pompei. May 2018.

South triclinium B and table looking north. Photo courtesy of Buzz Ferebee.

Tempio dionisiaco in località Sant’Abbondio di Pompei. May 2018. South triclinium B looking east. Photo courtesy of Buzz Ferebee.

Tempio dionisiaco in località Sant’Abbondio di Pompei. 1948. South triclinium B, from the north. Photo courtesy of Ruth Bielfeldt.

See Bielfeldt R., Der Liber-Tempel in Pompeji in Sant’Abbondio. Oskisches Vorstadtheiligtum und kaiserzeitliches Kultlokal, dans MDAI-Römische Abteilung, 113, 2007, pp. 349, Abb. 20.

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