Unexpected Discovery in Pompeii Unveils an Unknown Roman Imperial Position in Hispania

Tomb's Top View Credit: Ministero della Cultura

In a surprising turn of events, renovations at Pompeii's San Paolino building revealed a Roman tomb, shedding light on an unknown imperial position in ancient Hispania. The tomb, belonging to Numerius Agrestinus, an important military official under Emperor Augustus, features a well-preserved inscription detailing his illustrious career and his retirement in Pompeii. This find, announced in the E-Journal of Pompeii Excavations, provides a new historical perspective on Roman administration in Spain during the 1st century B.C. and A.D., particularly the title "Praefectus Autrygonum," linked to the Cantabrian wars. Professors Maria Chiara Scappaticcio and Alberto Dalla Rosa contributed to interpreting this significant discovery.

The discovery of the tomb of Numerius Agrestinus represents a new and important result of a project related to the restructuring of State buildings in the San Paolino area, which already in 2017, as part of the Great Pompeii Project, brought to light extraordinary findings – observes the Director General of Museums, Massimo Osanna – This discovery, as well as that of a few years ago in the same area, of the monumental tomb of Nigidius Alleius Maius, with a funerary inscription stretching for 4 meters, the longest ever discovered in the city, contributes to shedding new light on the history and society of ancient Pompeii. These discoveries represent opportunities for knowledge but also for the enhancement of an extraordinary archaeological heritage, fundamental for preserving the memory of the past and transmitting it to future generations. ~La Brujula Verde

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