10. Room 9 - The Necropolises of the Imperial Age

Audioguide by eArs 10. Room 9 - The Necropolises of the Imperial Age Beginning in the 2nd century CE, the necropolises of the Roman Empire adopted a new funerary practice: cremation. The ashes of the deceased were placed in terracotta ollae or stone urns, often intricately carved to mimic the details of elegant wooden caskets. Alongside the urns, personal items were placed—such as balsam jars, oil lamps, and small utensils, like those displayed in showcases 38 and 39—and occasionally even funerary portraits, such as the one exhibited in the center of the room.In display case 40, a curious artifact is on display: rectangular bone plaques engraved with names and numbers. These served as admission tickets for reserved seats for the wealthy in amphitheater performances.The room also features several funerary inscriptions. Some commemorate the tombs of a miller (molitor) and a teacher (paedagogus), shedding light on the trades and lives of the community. A particularly moving epigraph, translated on the wall, is a father’s heartfelt dedication to his daughter, who died prematurely.Two stone high-reliefs are dedicated to priestesses, whose tombs were adorned with depictions of sacrificial rituals.