This disaster inspired the Younger Seneca to discuss earthquakes at length in his Natural Questions (C1). The disaster was highly topical as Seneca’s work was written between ad 62 and his death in ad 65. Another reason for Seneca’s focus upon Pompeii in his account may be the local connections of the dedicatee of this work, Lucilius, alluded to in Letters 5.49.1 and 8.70.1. His dating of it by the consuls of ad 63, however, is at odds with Tacitus’ inclusion of it in his Annals under ad 62 (C2).
A contemporary account of the earthquake (C1)
C1 Seneca the Younger, Natural Questions 6.1.1—3,
6.1.10, 6.27.1, 6.31
We have heard, my dear Lucilius, that Pompeii, a busy town in Campania, has subsided under an earthquake. It is situated where the shore of Sorrento and Stabiae from the one side and from the other the shore of Herculaneum come together and encircle with a beautiful bay the sea where it has been brought in from open waters. All the surrounding areas have also been affected. What is more, this happened during winter, a time our ancestors used to promise us was free from danger of this kind. This tremor was on 5 February in the consulship of Regulus and Verginius, and it inflicted great devastation on Campania, a region never safe from this evil, yet which has remained undamaged and has so often got off with a fright. For part of the town of Herculaneum too fell down and even the structures that remain are unstable, and the colony of Nuceria, though it escaped disaster, nevertheless is not without complaint. Naples too lost many private buildings, but no public ones, being stricken only lightly by the great disaster; even villas have collapsed, everywhere things shook without damage. In addition, the following events occurred: a flock of 600 sheep died and statues split, some people have lost their minds and wander about in their madness. Both the plan of my proposed work and the coincidence of the misfortune at this time demand that we explain the reasons for these things.
[10] Therefore let us adopt great courage in the face of that disaster, which can neither be avoided nor predicted and let us stop listening to those who have renounced Campania, who have emigrated after this misfortune and say that they will never go there again. For who can promise them that this or that piece of ground stands on better foundations? [12] We are mistaken if we believe any part of the world is exempt and immune from the danger of an earthquake.
[27] In this Campanian earthquake some peculiar things are said to have occurred, of which an account ought to be given. We have said that a herd of 600 sheep died in the area of Pompeii.
[31] Yet why did the earthquake last several days? For Campania shook continuously and did not stop though it became less violent. Nonetheless there was great damage, because it was shaking things that had already been shaken, and things that are hardly standing do not need to be overturned, but merely pushed, to fall down.
Bad omens for Nero’s reign (C2)
The earthquake appears here in the Annals in a section reviewing the minor events of AD 62.
C2 Tacitus, Annals 15.22
Under the same consuls a gymnasium burned down as a result of being struck by lightning, and a statue of Nero in it was melted into shapeless bronze. And the busy town of Pompeii in Campania largely collapsed because of an earthquake; and the Vestal Virgin Laelia died: her place was taken by Cornelia from the family of the Cossi.
Relief panels depicting an earthquake, House of Caecilius lucundus (V. i.26) (C3)
Two relief panels depict scenes during an earthquake, representing identifiable areas of Pompeii, namely the Forum (C3) and area outside the Vesuvian Gate. At least one of these reliefs (C3) belonged to the household shrine (lararium) of Caecilius Iucundus, and the other is probably a companion piece. For other finds from the House of Caecilius Iucundus, see D77, E55, F17 and H69-82.
The first panel (C3) depicts the northern side of the Forum, with the Temple of Jupiter, flanked by two equestrian statues and a monumental arch, and an altar flanked by sacrificial implements and a bull sacrifice. Gradel (1992) has argued that the altar is that of the Temple of the Genius of the Colony (otherwise generally known as the Temple of Vespasian or Temple of the Genius of Augustus).
The other panel shows the area at the Vesuvius Gate, with the water-distribution tower (castellum), the gate itself, part of the town walls, and an altar next to a tree. This gate is only a short distance to the north of Caecilius Iucundus’ house. The reliefs were perhaps set up as a thank-offering to the household gods for protecting life and/or property during an earthquake.
Plate 3.1 C3 Relief panel on the lararium of Caecilius, depicting an earthquake in the Forum
Plate 3.2 C4 Repairs in brick to the north enclosure wall of the Temple of Apollo
Rebuilding the Temple of Isis follo-wing an earthquake (C5)
This building inscription was set over the main entrance to the sanctuary. The Popidii were an old, established family at Pompeii (see A22—26), but Celsinus was almost certainly the son of one of that family’s freedmen (Popidius Ampliatus) rather than descended from the distinguished family itself. As an ex-slave himself, his father was barred from becoming a member of the local council, but by rebuilding the temple in the name of his young son, Ampliatus ensured promotion up the social hierarchy for the next generation. For premature promotion of children in another family, see G21 and G24. For other finds in the Temple of Isis, see E3—5. Rebuilding after earthquake damage is also known from inscriptions at Herculaneum, where two major projects were sponsored by the emperor Vespasian: CIL X 1406 and AE (1979) 170.
C5 CIL X 846 = ILS 6367
Numerius Popidius Celsinus, son of Numerius, rebuilt at his own expense from its foundations the Temple of Isis, which had collapsed in an earthquake; because of his generosity, although he was only 6 years old, the town councillors nominated him into their number free of charge.
World History
