Herculaneum. South-east corner. Terrace statue and altar of Marcus Nonius Balbus.

Ercolano. Angolo sud-est. Terrazza, statua e altare di Marco Nonio Balbo.

Herculaneum Entrance and views across terrace      Terrace of Marcus Nonius Balbus      Suburban Baths, atrium and surrounding rooms      Suburban Baths, Waiting room, Frigidarium and Tepidarium      Suburban Baths Caldarium      Sacred Area Terrace      Shrine of Venus      Temple of four Gods      Terrace north-west corner      Ancient shoreline, arched vaults or boatsheds      Building with boat exhibition

Risalendo la rampa addossata alle mura si può accedere a un'ampia piazza rettangolare antistante al complesso delle terme suburbane.
Qui si erge l'ara funeraria, rivestita di marmo, che per decreto del senato locale fu dedicata al senatore M. Nonius Balbus, pretore e proconsole della provincia di Creta e di Cirene, tribuno della plebe nel 32 a.C. e partigiano di Ottaviano, il futuro 'Augusto' (27 a.C.-14 d.C.). M. Nonio Balbo si rese benemerito verso la città di Ercolano per aver restaurato e costruito molti edifici pubblici: in suo onore furono erette almeno 10 statue e alla sua morte gli furono tributati grandi onori, ricordati nella lunga iscrizione incisa sulla faccia dell'ara funeraria rivolta verso il mare. Sulla base marmorea a lato dell'ara funeraria era collocata la statua loricata (con corazza) dello stesso M. Nonio Balbo, anch'essa in marmo: la testa fu trovata già durante gli scavi di A. Maiuri, mentre l'ampio frammento del busto è stato recuperato nel 1981.

Going up the ramp leaning against the walls you can access a large rectangular square in front of the Suburban Baths.
Here stands the funerary altar, covered with marble, which by decree of the local senate was dedicated to Senator M. Nonius Balbus, Praetor and Proconsul of the province of Crete and Cyrene, Tribune of the Plebs in 32 BC. and partisan of Octavian, the future 'Augustus' (27 BC-14 CE). M. Nonius Balbus made himself deserving of the city of Herculaneum for having restored and built many public buildings: in his honour at least 10 statues were erected and at his death he was bestowed with great honours, remembered in the long inscription engraved on the face of the funerary altar facing the sea. On the marble base beside the funerary altar was placed the statue in armour (with cuirass) of the same M. Nonius Balbus, also in marble: the head was found already during the excavations of A. Maiuri, while the larger fragments of the bust were recovered in 1981.

Herculaneum, July 2007. South end of Cardo V, ramp leading down to beachfront.

Photo courtesy of Jennifer Stephens. ©jfs2007_HERC-8602.

Herculaneum, September 2015.

Ramped passageway under the gate, at south end of Cardo V, leading down to the Terrace of Marcus Nonius Balbus (Marco Nonio Balbo), the Suburban baths, the Sacred Area and the beachfront.

Herculaneum, September 2015. Floor of ramped passageway at south end of Cardo V.

Herculaneum. September 2017.  

Looking down from access roadway towards the Terrace of Marcus Nonius Balbus.

In the upper right, is the south end of ramped vaulted passageway/gate, leading down from Cardo V. Photo courtesy of Klaus Heese.

Herculaneum, March 2014. Looking north from terrace.

Foto Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR

Herculaneum. April 2014.

Looking down from access roadway towards south end of ramped vaulted passageway/gate, on lower right.

This leads down from Cardo V onto the Terrace of Marcus Nonius Balbus. Photo courtesy of Klaus Heese.

Herculaneum, September 2015. Looking east across the roof of the Suburban baths.

Herculaneum, September 2015. Looking south onto the Terrace of Marcus Nonius Balbus, from the end of Cardo V.

Herculaneum, August 2021.

Looking south onto the Terrace of Marcus Nonius Balbus, from the end of Cardo V. Photo courtesy of Robert Hanson.

Herculaneum, September 2015. Memorial altar to Marcus Nonius Balbus together with a plaster-cast of his breast-plated statue, on the right.

On the top of the altar stand two marble statues of sleeping funeral figures which would have been leaning on torches, but which are now ruined.

Herculaneum, April 2014.

Memorial altar to Marcus Nonius Balbus together with a plaster-cast of his breast-plated statue, on the right. Photo courtesy of Klaus Heese.

Herculaneum, May 2018. Two marble statuettes on top of altar. Photo courtesy of Buzz Ferebee.

According to Jashemski – “The beautiful statuette of the boy Eros found on the terrace below (that is below and belonging to The House of the Stags) together with the fragments of another statuette of the same subject are believed to have belonged to the same collection of art”.

See Jashemski, W. F., 1993. The Gardens of Pompeii, Volume II: Appendices. New York: Caratzas. (p.265).

According to Deiss, “another statuette found on the terrace [of the House of the Stags] of extraordinary quality is the “Boy Eros”, a nude adolescent with swirling curls (once painted red) and dreamy face.”

See Deiss J. J., 1968. Herculaneum: A city returns to the sun. London: History Book Club, p. 43.

Herculaneum, August 2013. Memorial altar to Marcus Nonius Balbus and his statue, on the right. Photo courtesy of Buzz Ferebee.

Herculaneum, September 2017.

Memorial altar to Marcus Nonius Balbus and his statue. Photo courtesy of Klaus Heese.

Herculaneum, April 2011. Looking north towards altar and statues. Photo courtesy of Klaus Heese.

Herculaneum, March 2014.

Looking north towards altar and statues, as well as the south end of ramped vaulted passageway/gate, leading down from Cardo V.

Foto Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR

Herculaneum, August 2021. Looking west across Terrace of Balbus towards altar and statues. Photo courtesy of Robert Hanson.

Herculaneum, August 2021. Looking across Terrace towards altar and statues. Photo courtesy of Robert Hanson.

Herculaneum, October 2020. Looking north-west towards altar and statues. Photo courtesy of Klaus Heese.

Herculaneum, August 2013. Looking north-west towards altar and statues. Photo courtesy of Buzz Ferebee.

Herculaneum, August 2021. Statue of Marcus Nonius Balbus. Photo courtesy of Robert Hanson.

Herculaneum, photo taken between October 2014 and November 2019.

Statue of Marcus Nonius Balbus. Photo courtesy of Giuseppe Ciaramella.

Parts of the marble statue (its head, left foot and part of the base) were found in 1942 on the terrace outside the Baths, but the left side of the statue’s body and other fragments were only discovered in 1981 on the beach underneath the terrace.

See Cooley, A. and M.G.L., 2014. Pompeii and Herculaneum: A Sourcebook. London: Routledge, F105b, p. 191.

Herculaneum, August 2013. Statue of Marcus Nonius Balbus. Photo courtesy of Buzz Ferebee.

Herculaneum, March 2014. Detail of statue of Marcus Nonius Balbus.

Foto Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR

Herculaneum, March 2008. Statue of Marcus Nonius Balbus. Photo courtesy of Sera Baker.

The statue was significantly damaged by the eruption. A volcanic wave demolished the statue from its pedestal.

It was partially restored after discovery.

The head of the proconsul was found during excavations led by Maiuri while a significant part of the torso was restored in 1981.

Herculaneum, October 2022. Inscription below statue of Marcus Nonius Balbus. Photo courtesy of Klaus Heese.

The statue of Balbo on the terrace itself stands on a marble foundation in front of the altar. It was erected by his freed slave M. Nonius Volusianus.

According to the Epigraphic Database Roma this read

M(arco) Nonio M(arci) f(ilio) Balbo

prae(tori) pro co(n)s(uli)

M(arcus) Nonius Balbi

[l(ibertus)] Volusian[us]

- - - - - - (?)

According to Cooley this translates as

To Marcus Nonius Balbus, son of Marcus, praetor, proconsul, Marcus Nonius Volusius [. . .].      [AE (1980) 249]

See Cooley, A. and M.G.L., 2014. Pompeii and Herculaneum: A Sourcebook. London: Routledge, F105b, p. 191.

Herculaneum, photo taken between October 2014 and November 2019.

Inscription below statue of Marcus Nonius Balbus. Photo courtesy of Giuseppe Ciaramella.

Herculaneum, October 2020. Detail from statue of Marcus Nonius Balbus. Photo courtesy of Klaus Heese.

Herculaneum, April 2011. Looking north-west across terrace towards altar and statue. Photo courtesy of Klaus Heese.

Herculaneum, March 2008. Looking north-west across terrace towards altar and statue. Photo courtesy of Sera Baker.

Herculaneum. October 2001. Looking north-west towards altar, without statues. Photo courtesy of Peter Woods.

Herculaneum, 1975. Terrace of Marcus Nonius Balbus with altar and statue base. Photo by Stanley A. Jashemski.  

Source: The Wilhelmina and Stanley A. Jashemski archive in the University of Maryland Library, Special Collections (See collection page) and made available under the Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial License v.4. See Licence and use details.

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Herculaneum, March 2014. Looking north to Memorial altar to Marcus Nonius Balbus.

Foto Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR

Herculaneum, August 2013. Looking north to Memorial altar to Marcus Nonius Balbus. Photo courtesy of Buzz Ferebee.

Herculaneum, March 2015. Memorial altar to Marcus Nonius Balbus. Photo courtesy of Bruce Longenecker.

Herculaneum, October 2020. Inscription on memorial altar to Marcus Nonius Balbus. Photo courtesy of Klaus Heese.

According to the Epigraphic Database Roma this reads

Quod M(arcus) Ofillius Celer IIvir iter(um) v(erba) f(ecit) pertinere at municipi
dignitatem meritis M(arci) Noni Balbi respondere d(e) e(a) r(e) i(ta) c(ensuerunt):
Qum M(arcus) Nonius Balbus quo hac vixerit parentis animum cum plurima liberalitate
singulis universisque praistiterit placere decurionibus statuam equestrem ei poni quam
celeberrimo loco ex pecunia publica inscribique M(arco) Nonio M(arci) f(ilio) Men(enia) Balbo pr〚a〛(etori) pro co(n)s(uli) patrono universus
ordo populi Herculaniessis ob merita eius item eo loco quo cineres eius conlecti sunt aram
marmoream fieri et constitui inscribique publice M(arco) Nonio M(arci) f(ilio) Balbo exque eo loco parentalibu(s)
pompam duci ludisque gymnicìs quì solitì eran̂t fierì diem adicì unum in honorem eius et cum in theatro
ludi fient sellam eius ponì. C(ensuerunt).

Cooley shows the following:

Seeing as Marcus Ofillius Celer, duumvir for the second time, made the statement that it was conducive to the town’s dignity to act in response to the public service of Marcus Nonius Balbus, they decreed on this matter as follows: Marcus Nonius Balbus, for as long as he lived here, displayed a father’s spirit together with the utmost generosity to individuals and everyone alike. Therefore it pleases the town councillors that an equestrian statue be set up to him in the most frequented place out of public funds and that it be inscribed: ‘To Marcus Nonius Balbus, son of Marcus, of the Menenian voting-tribe, praetor, proconsul, patron. The whole governing body of the people of Herculaneum (set this up) on account of his public service’; and also in the same place, where his ashes have been gathered together, that a marble altar be made and set up and publicly inscribed: ‘To Marcus Nonius Balbus, son of Marcus’; and that a procession proceed from this place at the festival of the dead, and that one day be added in his honour to the athletic games, which had usually occurred, and that when shows are performed in the theatre, his seat be placed there. They decreed.

[AE (1976) 144]

See Cooley, A. and M.G.L., 2014. Pompeii and Herculaneum: A Sourcebook. London: Routledge, F104, p. 191.

Herculaneum, April 2014. Inscription on memorial altar to Marcus Nonius Balbus. Photo courtesy of Klaus Heese.

Herculaneum, October 2023.

Detail of the carving on the south side of altar to Marcus Nonius Balbus on Terrace. Photo courtesy of Johannes Eber.

Herculaneum, August 2013. Detail of the carving on the south side of altar to Marcus Nonius Balbus. Photo courtesy of Buzz Ferebee.

Herculaneum, October 2022.

On the top of the altar stand two marble statues of sleeping funeral figures which would have been leaning on torches, but which are now broken.

One of the two statues shows considerable traces of red-lead colour on their head of hair.  Photo courtesy of Klaus Heese.

Herculaneum, September 2015.

On the top of the altar stand two marble statues of sleeping funeral figures which would have been leaning on torches, but which are now broken.

One of the two statues shows considerable traces of red-lead colour on their head of hair.

Herculaneum, October 2022.

Detail of one of the two statuettes on top of the altar. Photo courtesy of Klaus Heese.

Herculaneum, April 2014.

Detail of one of the two statuettes on top of the altar. Photo courtesy of Klaus Heese.

Herculaneum, photo taken between October 2014 and November 2019.

Detail of one of the two statuettes on top of the altar. Photo courtesy of Giuseppe Ciaramella.

Herculaneum, 1978.

One of the sleeping funerary statues now seen on the memorial altar of Marcus Nonius Balbus. Photo by Stanley A. Jashemski.  

Source: The Wilhelmina and Stanley A. Jashemski archive in the University of Maryland Library, Special Collections (See collection page) and made available under the Creative Commons Attribution-Non-Commercial License v.4. See Licence and use details.

J78f0504

According to Deiss, “another statuette found on the terrace [of the House of the Stags] of extraordinary quality is the “Boy Eros”, a nude adolescent with swirling curls (once painted red) and dreamy face.”

See Deiss J. J., 1968. Herculaneum: A city returns to the sun. London: History Book Club, p. 43.

Herculaneum, 1978.

Statue now seen on the memorial altar of Marcus Nonius Balbus. Photo by Stanley A. Jashemski.  

Source: The Wilhelmina and Stanley A. Jashemski archive in the University of Maryland Library, Special Collections (See collection page) and made available under the Creative Commons Attribution-Non-Commercial License v.4. See Licence and use details.

J78f0512

Herculaneum, 1978.

Statue now seen on the memorial altar of Marcus Nonius Balbus. Photo by Stanley A. Jashemski.  

Source: The Wilhelmina and Stanley A. Jashemski archive in the University of Maryland Library, Special Collections (See collection page) and made available under the Creative Commons Attribution-Non-Commercial License v.4. See Licence and use details.

J78f0513

Herculaneum, 1968.

Statue now seen on the memorial altar of Marcus Nonius Balbus. Photo by Stanley A. Jashemski.

Source: The Wilhelmina and Stanley A. Jashemski archive in the University of Maryland Library, Special Collections (See collection page) and made available under the Creative Commons Attribution-Non-Commercial License v.4. See Licence and use details.

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Herculaneum, September 2015. Looking east across terrace towards the Suburban baths.

Herculaneum, March 2014. Looking south-east from the terrace towards the beachfront.

Foto Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR

Herculaneum Entrance and views across terrace      Terrace of Marcus Nonius Balbus      Suburban Baths, atrium and surrounding rooms      Suburban Baths, Waiting room, Frigidarium and Tepidarium       Suburban Baths Caldarium      Sacred Area Terrace      Shrine of Venus      Temple of four Gods      Terrace north-west corner      Ancient shoreline, arched vaults or boatsheds      Building with boat exhibition