Pompeii: Eumachia's Building

• Daughter of Lucius Eumachus 
• Public priestess for the cult of Venus
  • Venus was the patron goddess of Pompeii
  • This was a high profile for a woman
• Matron of the Concordia Augustus (cult created by the widow of the Emperor Augustus) 
  • she was very loyal to the deified emperor
  • shown by statues in front of her building (Emperor Augustus claimed Romulus - founder of Rome - was his ancestor)
• It is said she modelled her life on Livia's, the wife of Augustus
• • Livia also funded a porticus in Rome
• She married a rich family, but was of humbler ancestry
• Funded the construction of a large building (thought to be the base for the fullers) in the public forum

Eumachia, daughter of Lucius [Eumachius], a public priestess, in her own name and [in the name] of her son, Marcus Numistrius Fronto, built at her own expense the chalcidicum, the porticus, and the crypta, and dedicated them to Concordia Augusta and to Pietas.

• Outside 2 statue plaques showing allegiance to the Emperor Augustus were found:
  • Aeneas - Trojan hero, Augustus claimed him as an ancestor
  • Romulus - Founder of Rome, another of Augustus' "ancestors"
  • Similar statues were in the forum of Augustus
• Herm of Norbanus - fertility and wealth
• Grand entrance, shows the building is of great importance
  • Although Eumachia's statue was in the back
  • Corinthian (ornate and floral) decoration
• Positioning of the building is at an unusual angle
  • they did not want to buy the land next to them (generous/kind)
  • or wanted to face the speaker
• Had marble window sills - building was brick but with marble veneer
• Between the temple of Vespasian and Voting Hall, shows an interest in politics and religion
• Her statue was dedicated by the fullers, so there is reason to believe it was a building for trading cloth - however there is little evidence for it

• Never stolen as it was hidden in the back of the building
• Statue means that people respected her
• She is wearing a priestess robe
• Can see her breasts
  • sign of fertility and motherhood
    • motherhood was very important as it showed that she had fulfilled her "duty" as a woman, to produce sons
• Modesty (an ideal trait in a woman of the time) is shown through how she holds her robes and the position of the statue
  • however her robes emphasise the shape of her body and femininity
• Statue was dedicated by the fullers
  • possibly she had a link with the cloth trade