VIII.3.1 Pompeii. Comitium o Sala delle Elezioni, o Scuola di Verna.

Comitium or Hall of the Elections, or School of Verna.

Linked to VIII.3.32 and VIII.3.33. Excavated 1814. (Strada del Abbondanza 1).

VIII.3.1 Pompeii. December 2006. Entrance doorway on Via dell’Abbondanza.

VIII.3.1 Pompeii. May 2005. Entrance doorway on Via dell’Abbondanza.

According to Della Corte, found on the east (left) of the entrance doorway was a recommendation –

Verna cum discent(ibus) rog(at)    [CIL IV 694]

See Della Corte, M., 1965. Case ed Abitanti di Pompei. Napoli: Fausto Fiorentino. (p.224)

According to Fiorelli, there were numerous electoral programmes written on the walls here, the one –

Capellam D V I D O V F

Verna cum discent rog,

was the one that originally attributed the name of Scuola di Verna to this place. (School of Verna)

VIII.3.1 Pompeii. c.1900. Drawing by Pierre Gusman of Capellam inscription.

According to Gusman, “one inscription on the school of Verna informs us that the establishment was under the patronage of Capella, whose promotion to the office of duumvir was much to be desired.”

See Gusman P., 1900. Pompeii: The City, Its Life & Art. London: Heinemann, p. 194.

According to Pagano and Prisciandaro, reported on 6th October 1814 was the finding of a recommendation for the election of the duumvir C. Cecilio Capella near the north door. It read –

Capellam d(uumvirum) i(ure) d(icundo) o(ro) v(os) f(aciatis)

Verna cum

discent(ibus) rog(at)      [CIL IV 694]

See Pagano, M. and Prisciandaro, R., 2006. Studio sulle provenienze degli oggetti rinvenuti negli scavi borbonici del regno di Napoli. Naples: Nicola Longobardi, p.111.

VIII.3.1 Pompeii. May 2005. Entrance doorway.

VIII.3.1 Pompeii. May 2005. Looking towards south-east corner, from entrance.

Originally the east wall would have had four recesses or niches for statues, according to Eschebach.

The south wall would have had three.

See Eschebach, L., 1993. Gebäudeverzeichnis und Stadtplan der antiken Stadt Pompeji. Köln: Böhlau. (p.362)

VIII.3.1 Pompeii. December 2006. Looking towards south-west corner, from entrance.

VIII.3.1 Pompeii. 1961. Looking south-west from entrance doorway. Photo by Stanley A. Jashemski.

Source: The Wilhelmina and Stanley A. Jashemski archive in the University of Maryland Library, Special Collections (See collection page) and made available under the Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial License v.4. See Licence and use details.

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VIII.3.1 Pompeii. 1961. Looking west towards entrances at VIII.3.32, on left, and VIII.3.33 on east side of the Forum.

Photo by Stanley A. Jashemski.

Source: The Wilhelmina and Stanley A. Jashemski archive in the University of Maryland Library, Special Collections (See collection page) and made available under the Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial License v.4. See Licence and use details.

J61f0797

VIII.3.1 Comitium. Sala delle Elezioni. Niche.

VIII.3.1 Comitium. Sala delle Elezioni. Niche.

VIII.3.1 Pompeii. December 2006. South-east corner and south wall with two recesses or niches.

VIII.3.1 Pompeii. December 2006. Recess or niche on south wall in south-east corner.

VIII.3.1 Pompeii. December 2006. Recess or niche on south wall.

VIII.3.1 Pompeii. December 2006. Podium or platform with large niche on south wall.

VIII.3.1 Pompeii. December 2006. Large niche on south wall.

VIII.3.1 Pompeii. December 2006. South wall.

VIII.3.1 Pompeii. December 2006. South wall in south-west corner there appears to be another niche behind the “hut”.

VIII.3.1 Pompeii. December 2006. Remains of steps.

VIII.3.1 Pompeii. December 2006. Podium behind south wall.

VIII.3.1 Pompeii. December 2006. Podium behind south wall.