Pompeii - The Temple of Isis
Apr. 28th, 2011 08:10 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
endlessraritiesTo one of my favourite parts of Pompeii now - The Temple of Isis.
Yesterday, I featured the Temple dedicated to Apollo, which was one of the most important places of worship in the city. In the period leading up to the eruption , however, there seemed to be an increasing interest in 'exotic' eastern cults and all things Egyptian (so the Tutmania of the 1920s wasn't original! The Romans, once again, got there first).
Numerous villas owned by wealthy trendy Roman citizens sport allusions to Egyptian gods and even the RIver Nile (more of this to follow at a later date). In addition, there's a temple dedicated to the Egyptian goddess Isis.
The Temple of Isis, like much of the city, has had the stuffing knocked out of it, to some extent. The artwork has been removed to Naples Archaeological Museum, and as a result, it's hard to really get an idea of what the place was really like. But the central sanctuary is extremely impressive, and beautifully ornate:-
I managed to track down a fresco from this temple at the museum, but it didn't really add much to the overall impression, so I didn't photograph it. There is also a lovely statue of Isis, but I didn't get a chance to see her in person at the museum - I managed the mosaics, and the frescoes, but not the statues:-(
What remained on site, however, was well worth close inspection. Here's a detail of marine and riverine animals:-
Yesterday, I featured the Temple dedicated to Apollo, which was one of the most important places of worship in the city. In the period leading up to the eruption , however, there seemed to be an increasing interest in 'exotic' eastern cults and all things Egyptian (so the Tutmania of the 1920s wasn't original! The Romans, once again, got there first).
Numerous villas owned by wealthy trendy Roman citizens sport allusions to Egyptian gods and even the RIver Nile (more of this to follow at a later date). In addition, there's a temple dedicated to the Egyptian goddess Isis.
The Temple of Isis, like much of the city, has had the stuffing knocked out of it, to some extent. The artwork has been removed to Naples Archaeological Museum, and as a result, it's hard to really get an idea of what the place was really like. But the central sanctuary is extremely impressive, and beautifully ornate:-
And a close-up:-
I managed to track down a fresco from this temple at the museum, but it didn't really add much to the overall impression, so I didn't photograph it. There is also a lovely statue of Isis, but I didn't get a chance to see her in person at the museum - I managed the mosaics, and the frescoes, but not the statues:-(
What remained on site, however, was well worth close inspection. Here's a detail of marine and riverine animals:-
An interesting story... According to my 'Guide to the Site' (as opposed to the Site Guide...), the temple was damaged in the earthquake of AD 62. It was restored by the freedman N. Popidius Ampliatus, on behalf of his six year old son, Popidius Celsinus, as a way of launching him on a political career. Evidently, Popidius Clesinus was admitted to the college of decurions without delay (Pompeii: Guide to the Site, by Guzzo and d'Ambrosio, Electa Napoli, 2010) despite being no more than a small boy.
As Obelix would say, "These Romans are crazy."
As Obelix would say, "These Romans are crazy."
