The Hypogeum of the Aurelii: A new interpretation as the collegiate tomb
of professional scribae' examines the frescoes of one of the most
enigmatic funerary monuments of ancient Rome. The three chambers of the
Hypogeum of the Aurelii, so-named from an mosaic inscription in one of
the surviving chambers, contain a varied series of images that have long
been considered an example of early Christian or Gnostic iconography.
One hundred years after the monument's discovery Dr Bradley challenges
earlier theories and concludes that far from having religious
significance the pictures reveal a world of professional pride among a
group of what we might today call 'white collar workers'. Although not
among the rich and famous of Imperial Rome, the deceased nevertheless
rose from a state of slavery to positions within the bureaucracy at the
centre of an empire at its height. Although part of a strictly
hierarchical, and male-dominated, society the community to which the
Aurelii belonged provided an environment of comparative equality: a
community that acknowledged the contribution and expertise of both women
and children in their profession. The pride in their achievement is
reflected in the decoration of the tomb in which they expected to spend
eternity. This study, the first in modern times to examine all the
extant images in detail, will be of interest, not only to historians of
ancient Roman art, but also to social historians who wish to more fully
understand the lives of those who helped support the running of an
empire.
