Herculaneum: The College of the Augustales

Happy Herculaneum Humpday! Today we’re going to the College of the Augustales.

This plaque dedicates the building, located near the center of town (showing its standing in the community), to the Emperor Augustus and thus tells us its function. The cult of Augustus was a society of freed slaves who were now making their way in Herculaneum as full citizens. It sounded like kind of a support group to me (?), offering training, services and support to its members. Freed slaves were not permitted to hold traditional political office or become a Roman priest, but through the Augustales they could contribute and affect the society and culture of Herculaneum.

This is the temple within the College building, dedicated to Hercules, where the Augustales gathered together.

These are the original timbers around the ceiling of the temple, fortified in the eruption of Vesuvius in 79AD. Metal supports have recently been added (we wouldn’t want it crashing down on our heads…)

The frescoes in the temple all seem incredibly well preserved. They relate the final scenes of the Herculean myths.

This was the “custodian’s room”. I thought this was the most moving story told during the audio tour: During the excavation a skeleton was found here on a cot; the caretaker of the College of the Augustales “going down with the ship” so to speak (talk about being devoted to your job), or perhaps just unsure of where else to go when his world was ending.

Stories like that really drive home the tragedy of Herculaneum, to me.