Alessandra Avagliano | Sovrintendenza di Roma Capitale (original) (raw)

Books by Alessandra Avagliano

Il libro affronta lo studio della fase arcaica di Pompei (VI-V secolo a.C.) con particolare atten... more Il libro affronta lo studio della fase arcaica di Pompei (VI-V secolo a.C.) con particolare attenzione al tema della configurazione urbanistica della città. Gli aspetti tenuti in considerazione spaziano dalla storia della scoperta di Pompei preromana, alla descrizione degli elementi caratterizzanti il paesaggio urbano, ai culti praticati dentro e fuori le mura. Il lavoro - fondato sia su materiale edito, che su dati d'archivio inediti - ha incluso la realizzazione di una carta archeologica di fase, approntata tramite il riposizionamento planimetrico delle evidenze pertinenti all'orizzonte cronologico in esame. Si è inteso così realizzare uno strumento di fondamentale importanza per il prosieguo della ricerca sulle fasi pre-romane di Pompei.

The book provides a complete overview of Pompeii in the Archaic period (6th-5th century BC), by taking into account all the aspects connected with the topic, from the history of the research to the reconstruction of the urban landscape, and the religious practices inside and outside the city walls. Particular attention is given to the urban configuration of the city plan. The work stems from the integration of published and unpublished archival data. The plan of the city with the planimetric repositioning of the Archaic findings, presented in the attached CD-ROM, is a fundamental tool both for preservation purposes and for future research in the field.

Identity of the Hirpini is investigated through both literary and epigraphic sources. Traditional... more Identity of the Hirpini is investigated through both literary and epigraphic sources. Traditional accounts on the origins of the Hirpini near the Soracte mountain point out several features shared by the Hirpini of southern Italy, preserved until Roman period. Particularly the speci c worship of the underworld god Dis is the prominent fact that ties both Sabellian communities in addition to their common name. Strictly linked with Dīs pater worship in the Ansanto's santuary is the goddess Me tis, whose cult points to a connection of the Hirpini with the neighboring Samnite communities. With respect to Romanization the Hirpini region shows contrasting patterns: on the one hand, some upper classes display a repeated adhesion to the Roman rule and an early adoption of Latin; on the other hand, resistance to the Roman rule during the Social war gave way to the assignment of their territory to the Second region (Apulia et Calabria) in the Augustan partition of Italy.

Papers on Roman Sculpture by Alessandra Avagliano

A. Avagliano, Piccole architetture per grandi uomini: una nota sui rilievi con modellini di porta dall’area campana, in Parrhesia, in dialogo tra saperi. Studi per Lucio d'Alessandro, a cura di P. Villani, E. Corbi, T.E. Frosini, Napoli 2023, pp. 321-331.., 2023

The paper examines architectural reliefs depicting urban gate models from the Campanian region, a... more The paper examines architectural reliefs depicting urban gate models from the Campanian region, a unique phenomenon dating back to the late Republican period.

Antike Kunst, 2022

There are very few examples of large-scale clay figures dating from the mid-Republican period in ... more There are very few examples of large-scale clay figures
dating from the mid-Republican period in Rome. To
these, a terracotta head of exceptional quality has now
been added. It was found during the excavation of a Roman
villa outside Rome on the Via Anagnina and is now
in the Antiquarium of Lucrezia Romana. The article
analyses the technical characteristics, iconography, and
style of the work, and proposes for discussion a reconstruction
as Hercules wearing the lion skin with the jaws
around his head. Based on comparisons, the second half
of the 3rd century is suggested for its creation, with the
author favouring a date in the final decades of the century.

Studi sull'Irpinia antica, 2021

The stone sculpture of Aeclanum, a Roman town of Oscan origin in ancient Hirpinia, has now almost... more The stone sculpture of Aeclanum, a Roman town of Oscan origin in ancient
Hirpinia, has now almost completely disappeared as a result of spoliation and depletion of its cultural heritage for centuries. Some materials (approximately 20 pieces) survive in the Museo Irpino (Avellino), in the Antiquarium ‘Filippo Buonopane’ (Grottaminarda), and in the Auditorium SS. Annunziata (Mirabella Eclano). The present paper aims at analysing all the available data in order to provide a general overview on the sculptural production of the centre between the Late Republican period and the Empire.

Un trofeo in miniatura dall'ager Campanus, 2020

Ancient Campania has played a pivotal role in the reception of the Greek military image during th... more Ancient Campania has played a pivotal role in the reception of the Greek military image during the Late-Hellenistic period. In this region the
Hellenistic cuirass with cylindrical corset, rectangular straps, cingulum, and
2-3 rows of pteryges spread early. One of the first testimonies of the circulation of the model in the West Mediterranean area is a tuff torso, smaller than life-size, which has been found in 1999 in Gricignano di Aversa (Caserta). Already interpreted as a part of a freestanding sculpture, the torso has been now re-examined and recognised rather as a miniaturised military trophy. It was probably placed as a dedication in a place of worship dedicated to Venus Erycina, which was attested by an inscription, to celebrate an unknown military success occurred between the III and II centuries BC.

The issue of the dissemination of Hellenistic culture in the Mid- and Late Republican periods has... more The issue of the dissemination of Hellenistic culture in the Mid- and Late Republican periods has been approached from different points of view in the archaeological research. This paper surveys all available evidence with the goal of offering a reappraisal of the sculptural and architectural productions in tufa and terracotta in Rome, especially in the period of M. Fulvius Nobilior (first half of the second century BCE).

The paper aims to contextualize the honorary sculptures discovered at Aeclanum, a roman town of o... more The paper aims to contextualize the honorary sculptures discovered at Aeclanum, a roman town of oscan origin in Ancient Hirpinia. Since today only a small part of total archaeological site has been excavated, thus the history of the city remains under-studied. Therefore, the connection between some sculptures and their originary context is an important step in deepening our knowledge of the center. A cuirassed statue decorated with a couple of Victoriae flanking a Palladium – dated in the age of Domitian – was placed in the theater or in the odeion, while two portraits of emperors Augustus and Claudius, members of the Julio-Claudian dynasty, perhaps belonged to a gallery of statues connected with an imperial cult shrine.

The paper aims to reconstruct the figurative program of the Roman Baths of Aeclanum, starting fro... more The paper aims to reconstruct the figurative program of the Roman Baths of Aeclanum, starting from the study of the remaining sculptures discovered in the complex during the excavations of Giovanni Oscar Onorato between 1956-1960. Historical sources testify that in the Baths were found dozens of statues, then transferred into private collections or sold in the antiquarian trade and today disappeared. A group of Niobids, of which remains only a statue of a young son, played an important role in the figurative program of the Baths. By comparison with other contexts, it has proved that this subject has entered in the decorative repertoire of the thermal buildings during the imperial age.

Many books and articles have discussed the reception and employment of Greco-Hellenistic forms in... more Many books and articles have discussed the reception and employment of Greco-Hellenistic forms in sculpture and architectural ornament in Rome and Lazio beginning in the early second century BC. Generally, scholars have believed that Rome was a key driving force behind the spread of Hellenistic forms in Italy. On the basis of previously unpublished sculptures and architectural ornament from republican Benevento, this paper reconsiders this belief, asking whether we should also consider independent processes of reception by the local elites of Italic cities such as Benevento. Although the available archaeological material consists exclusively of ancient spoils removed from their original context and repurposed in the medieval town of Benevento, we show that it is possible to demonstrate an ambitious program to redesign the city at the turn of the second to first
century BC, using elaborate Hellenistic forms.

Studi Romani, LXII (2014), pp. 51-70

Il ritrovamento della corrispondenza inedita tra Bernardo Filipponi e i membri della Commissione ... more Il ritrovamento della corrispondenza inedita tra Bernardo Filipponi e i membri della Commissione delle Belle arti, che ha per oggetto la scoperta in situ della famosa statua di Saturnino (oggi conservata al Museo Gregoriano Profano) e delle relative iscrizioni, ha posto le basi per un riesame della documentazione archeologica del settore meridionale della regio VII via Lata a Roma, con un focus particolare sull’edilizia abitativa.

The so-called Ares Borghese statue type, traditionally identified with the Ares seen by Pausanias... more The so-called Ares Borghese statue type, traditionally identified with the Ares seen by Pausanias in the Athenian Agorà (I, 8, 4), is so far known to us in 25 copies. This study examines the reconstruction and the identity of the prototype dating to the late 5th century B.C. The comparative analysis carried out on the Roman copies suggests that the attributes of the bronze archetype was a shield, borne by the left arm, and probably a sword taken up by the right hand. As for the identification, the statue type is not compatible with an image of Ares: the short beard, the particular arrangement of the hair with long locks falling before the ears, and the dogs on the helmet characterize an ephebe, who may be recognized as Theseus.

Talks by Alessandra Avagliano

The scientific debate on the origins of Pompeii goes back to the beginning of the 1900s, when F.J... more The scientific debate on the origins of Pompeii goes back to the beginning of the 1900s, when F.J. Haverfield identified the traces of an early village in the plan of the city, the so-called Altstadt. This area, which can be recognized thanks to the curved shape of its perimeter, would have constituted the “city centre” inside the regular plan of the larger Roman city. This theory was questioned in the 1980s, after the discovery of an archaic fortification, whose extension corresponds to the area enclosed by the later walls. Following this discovery, it became evident that the city had not undergone a process of enlargement. The first attempt to gather information concerning the archaic phase of Pompeii was undertaken by Ch. Reusser on the occasion of the publication of the excavations carried out by H. Eschebach in the House of Ganymede (VII, 13, 4). Since then, the list of findings has not been updated in a systematic way, despite the fact that in the meantime the excavations in the pre–79 levels have increased in number. On the basis of a new systematic gathering of data, this paper aims to reassess the chronology of the urban plan of Pompeii, traditionally dated between the 4th and 3rd century BC, but probably existing before.

The paper aims to reconstruct the figurative program of the Roman Baths of Aeclanum, starting fro... more The paper aims to reconstruct the figurative program of the Roman Baths of Aeclanum, starting from the study of the remaining sculptures discovered in the complex during the excavations of Giovanni Oscar Onorato (1956-1960). The historical sources testify that in the Baths were found dozens of statues, then transferred into private collections or sold and today disappeared.
A group of Niobids, of which remains only a statue of a young son, played an important role in the figurative program of the Baths. By comparison with other contexts, it has proved that this subject has entered in the decorative repertoire of the thermal buildings during the imperial age.

Projects by Alessandra Avagliano

A dispetto della densa stratificazione archeologica, l'antica Irpinia fa parte di un territorio i... more A dispetto della densa stratificazione archeologica, l'antica Irpinia fa parte di un territorio in gran parte inesplorato. Ciò vale soprattutto per le numerose e pregiate opere di scultura, che documentano sin dall'età preromana l'esigenza di autorappresentazione delle classi dominanti. Oggi questo materiale è in parte raccolto nei poli museali del territorio (Benevento e Avellino), in parte è reimpiegato in edifici medievali e moderni, come il Campanile e la Rocca dei Rettori di Benevento. Una sistemazione cronologica del materiale, associata ad un inquadramento storico-artistico, architettonico e iconografico dei pezzi, consentirebbe di ricostruire sia l'immagine delle città, sia il sistema di valori condivisi dalla popolazione.

Review Articles by Alessandra Avagliano

Antike Kunst, 2022

Studi sull'Irpinia antica, 2021

Un trofeo in miniatura dall'ager Campanus, 2020

Studi Romani, LXII (2014), pp. 51-70

The paper aims to reconstruct the figurative program of the Roman Baths of Aeclanum, starting fro... more The paper aims to reconstruct the figurative program of the Roman Baths of Aeclanum, starting from the study of the remaining sculptures discovered in the complex during the excavations of Giovanni Oscar Onorato (1956-1960). The historical sources testify that in the Baths were found dozens of statues, then transferred into private collections or sold and today disappeared.
A group of Niobids, of which remains only a statue of a young son, played an important role in the figurative program of the Baths. By comparison with other contexts, it has proved that this subject has entered in the decorative repertoire of the thermal buildings during the imperial age.

Altorilievo in nenfro con Perseo e Medusa, Pinax con maschere teatrali, Rilievo con cd. Cavaliere... more Altorilievo in nenfro con Perseo e Medusa, Pinax con maschere teatrali, Rilievo con cd. Cavaliere Trace

Sarcofago con Eroti e con gruppi di Eros armato e psiche, Frammento di sarcofago con testa di Sat... more Sarcofago con Eroti e con gruppi di Eros armato e psiche, Frammento di sarcofago con testa di Satiro, Frammento di sarcofago con busto maschile, Sarcofago a lenos strigilato, Sarcofago strigilato moderno con Porta Inferis, Sarcofago moderno con eroti reggenti una tabula (con M. Papini)

Reexamination of the slabs in the Insula Occidentalis leads to the conclusion that the fragments ... more Reexamination of the slabs in the Insula Occidentalis leads to the conclusion that the fragments with recumbent figures (invv. 40655, 40644), traditionally thought to have belonged to the tympanum of a sacred extra-urban building, actually come from elsewhere. According to critical literature, the decorative system of the roof would have included both the four-cornered slabs with the myth of Marsyas and Apollo and the ‘rectangular’ series with vegetable racemes and Erotes. Instead, the slab inv. 40644 is part of the fragment with a female figure seen from behind (inv. 40645). The present proposal is to reconstruct a semi-tympanum with two figures (Dionysus and Ariadne?). As for the slabs with Marsyas and Apollo, the last support for the idea that they could have been set in a sacred context falls: a domestic environment seems much more consonant with the subject matter. It is likely that the figure of the satyr Marsyas and his myth were chosen by members of the Pompeian nobility to represent their desire for a greater involvement in the political decisions made in Rome.

This paper deals with an unpublished fragment of a terracotta frieze discovered during the strati... more This paper deals with an unpublished fragment of a terracotta frieze discovered during the stratigraphic investigations which took place in Pompeii, at the house VII, 14, 14-15 (2005). The fragment, carried out by a local workshop in the second quarter of the 2nd century BC, depicts a fallen giant defending himself from a lion advancing from the left. The reference model is almost certainly the Pergamon Altar, as suggested by the peculiar iconography of the giant both anguiped and winged. Thus, for the first time in Hellenistic Italy, the Gigantomachy is testified as architectural decoration not in a usual sacred context but in a domestic one. The success of the myth of the victory of the Gods over the Giants and the contemporary adoption of the ‘Baroque style’ were relaunched by Rome after his military expeditions in Asia Minor thanks to the renewed relations with the Kingdom of Pergamon.

The paper focuses on the archaeological excavations conducted by Amedeo Maiuri in the Insula Arri... more The paper focuses on the archaeological excavations conducted by Amedeo Maiuri in the Insula Arriana Polliana, to date still unpublished. The 34 exploratory trenches realized in 1945 revealed the existence of walls in pappamonte tuff under the atrium and the peristyle of the Casa di Pansa and the neighbouring house VI, 6, 9. The recover of the original documentation, including a general plan of the excavations, allows us to establish the correct position of the walls. To sum up, this rediscovery adds a new piece of information to the knowledge of the urban arrangement of Pompeii in archaic period.

Herakles plays an important role in the myth of foundation and in the private cults of Pompeii. D... more Herakles plays an important role in the myth of foundation and in the private cults of Pompeii. Despite this, the existence of a public cult of the demigod is not demonstrated. The paper questions the attribution of the sanctuary of the Triangular Forum to Herakles and Athena. A consolidated tradition of studies in fact attributes the Doric Temple to the couple: this theory is usually supported by several elements including the presence of an off-axis base in the cella, and the subject of the architectural terracotta of the Samnite period. The most important evidence however is the identification of the enclosure in front of the temple as a heroon of Herakles. Starting from a new analysis of the archaeological data, the present study aims to reconsider the function of the so-called heroon, proving its destination as an altar.

The paper aims to reconstruct the excavations carried out at Pompeii by the archaeologist Innocen... more The paper aims to reconstruct the excavations carried out at Pompeii by the archaeologist Innocenzo Dall'Osso in 1905, during his assistantship in the site. In order to trace the archaeological remains of a prehistoric settlement, Dall'Osso realized a series of trenches (about 35) underneath the roman buildings of Pompeii. Unfortunately, because of the lack of a valid scientific method, he did not achieve relevant results. As a consequence, his undertaking remained largely unknown.
The discovery of several unpublished documents, currently held in the archives of Pompeii and Rome, allows us to revaluate the figure of this Italian archaeologist: he was a “pioneer” in the understanding of the central role of stratigraphic archaeology in the research on the urban development of Pompeii. Furthermore, the map of Dall'Osso's excavations is an useful tool for the modern archaeologists working in the site.

Il contributo si propone di ridiscutere la presenza del culto di Ercole nel santuario del Tempio... more Il contributo si propone di ridiscutere la presenza del culto di Ercole nel santuario del Tempio Dorico di Pompei alla luce dell'esame critico della ricca documentazione archeologica disponibile. Secondo una consolidata tradizione di studi il santuario, impiantato sulla terrazza del Foro Triangolare sin dall'età arcaica, avrebbe ospitato i culti di Atena e di Ercole, rivestendo in rapporto all'abitato una funzione emporica. Tuttavia gli argomenti su cui questa attribuzione è stata tradizionalmente fondata si sono rivelati in gran parte problematici o inconsistenti.
Dopo l'inquadramento sintetico dell'area sacra, una prima riflessione è stata dedicata alle terracotte architettoniche arcaiche, nella prospettiva di offrire nuovi spunti alla lettura dei temi rappresentati.
Riguardo agli aspetti architettonici dell'edificio templare, le novità maggiori hanno riguardato l'interpretazione della struttura a doppio recinto posta immediatamente davanti al tempio: considerata a lungo come un heroon, essa è stata riletta come un altare sulla base di confronti e di informazioni desunte dalla storia dei rinvenimenti nell'area. Si è, inoltre, chiarito come lo schema architettonico del tempio sia estraneo alla categoria dei templi a doppia cella: a tal proposito si è dimostrato che la posizione asimmetrica del basamento della statua di culto è tutt'altro che anomala, conoscendo un notevole numero di confronti in ambito greco.
Al termine di queste considerazioni è emersa l'improbabilità di una comune intestazione dell'edificio templare ad Atena ed Eracle. Unica referente del culto, l'Atena di Pompei si presenta come una dea preposta non solo ad aspetti connessi al mondo femminile e alla maternità, ma anche collegata alla sfera iniziatica maschile e dunque alla rigenerazione del corpo sociale.
Con questa ricerca certamente non si esaurisce la possibilità di studiare un contesto archeologico straordinariamente ricco come il Tempio Dorico, ma si pone il complesso in una differente prospettiva. Ciò vale soprattutto in relazione al rapporto intercorrente tra l'abitato e il santuario, di cui viene individuato il carattere liminare, superando la precedente interpretazione come area emporica legata allo svolgimento di attività commerciali.

Literary, epigraphic and archaeological sources testify to the presence of Greek gymnasia in pre-... more Literary, epigraphic and archaeological sources testify to the presence of Greek gymnasia in pre-Roman Italy. This paper investigates the political and cultural reasons that led to the adoption of a Greek lifestyle in ‘non Greek’ contexts, most notably the embracing of the gymnasial ideology. Examining several case studies in two different cultural contexts, namely the Brettian city of Petelia and the Samnite cities of Abella, Pompeii, and Cuma, it is comparatively assessed how the elite of these cities negotiated Greek gymnasial ideology. It is argued that strategies ranged from fully embracing the gymnasium as both an institution and building type to selective emulation of only certain features.

The paper aims to contextualize the honorific sculptures discovered at Aeclanum, a Roman town of ... more The paper aims to contextualize the honorific sculptures discovered at Aeclanum, a Roman town of Oscan origin in ancient Hirpinia. As only a small part of the archaeological site has been excavated, the history of the city remains little studied. Therefore, the connection between some sculptures and their original context is an important step in deepening our knowledge of the center. A cuirassed statue decorated with a couple of victoriae flanking a palladium – dated to the age of Domitian – was placed in the theater or in the odeion, while two portraits of emperors Augustus and Claudius, members of the Julio-Claudian dynasty, perhaps belonged to a gallery of statues connected with an imperial cult shrine.

Berlin Studies of the Ancient World. Vol. 58, 2019

Literary, epigraphic and archaeological sources testify to the presence of Greek gymnasia in pre-... more Literary, epigraphic and archaeological sources testify to the presence of Greek gymnasia in pre-Roman Italy. This paper investigates the political and cultural reasons that led to the adoption of a Greek lifestyle in 'non Greek' contexts, most notably the embracing of the gymnasial ideology. Examining several case studies in two different cultural contexts, namely the Brettian city of Petelia and the Samnite cities of Abella, Pom-peii, and Cuma, it is comparatively assessed how the elite of these cities negotiated Greek gymnasial ideology. It is argued that strategies ranged from fully embracing the gymnasium as both an institution and building type to selective emulation of only certain features.

Literarische, epigraphische und archäologische Quellen bezeugen die Existenz griechischer Gymnasia im vorrömischen Italien. Dieser Beitrag untersucht die politischen und kul-turellen Gründe, die zur Übernahme griechischen Lebens-stils, allen voran der Gymnasiums-Ideologie, in diesen nicht-griechischen Kontexten geführt haben können. Anhand von Fallstudien in zwei verschiedenen kulturellen Kontexten, der brettischen Stadt Petelia und den Samnitischen Städte Abella, Pompeji und Cuma, wird analysiert, wie die Elite dieser Städte griechische Gymnasiums-Ideologie ausgehandelt hat. Es wird gezeigt, dass Strategien von der vollständigen Über-nahme des Gymnasiums als Institution und Bautyp bis zur selektiven Nachahmung ausgewählter Charakteristika reichte.