Marcus Venerius Secundio

Marcus Venerius Secundio was a Roman impresario who produced plays in Greek and Latin, and a custodian of the temple of Venus at Pompeii. Marcus was a former slave, who, after his manumission, applied himself to organizing theatrical performances. He enjoyed financial success, improving his social standing, and garnering prestige. Marcus lived in the 1st century: he was probably born around the beginning of the Christian era and died a few years before the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79. Analysis of his remains suggests that he was about 60 years old when he died. His name occurs in the wax tablet archive of his contemporary, the banker Caecilius Iucundus. The team was also joined by two groups of undergraduates organized by ArchaeoSpain.

Tomb and remains The tomb consists of a cell of 1.6 x 2.4 metres within a larger enclosure; the facade of the enclosure has traces of murals showing green plants on a blue background. Marcus's skeletal remains, found in the cell, were in good condition. A small part of the scalp had been mummified, with white hair and the left ear still clearly visible. Why part of him was mummified, and whether this is the result of intentional treatment, are questions that require further research.

Hypothesis The archaeological team of the University of Valencia hypothesize that Marcus was born in Greece. This might explain why he produced theatrical performances in Greek, and might also explain why his remains were not cremated. The Greeks believed that life after death was only possible if the body had been buried.

Links Pompeii - The tomb of Marcus Venerius Secundio discovered at Porta Sarno with mummified human remains - The discovery of Marcus' tomb. YouTube - Pompeii Sites - Director of the Archaeological Park Pompeii, Gabriel Zuchtriegel, describes the tomb (In Italian; English subtitles are available)