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Basilica Noniana (Basilica Noniana) (Herculaneum)

The Basilica Noniana, also referred to as the Galleria Balbi or simply the Basilica of Herculaneum, is a prominent ancient Roman public building located at Insula VII.16 in Herculaneum (modern Ercolano, Italy), buried by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 CE. Situated on the north side of the Decumanus Maximus (the main east-west street) at the extreme north end of Cardo III Superiore (a major north-south artery), it faces opposite the College of the Augustales (Sacello degli Augustali). This structure served as a civic basilica, likely functioning as a venue for legal proceedings, public meetings, commercial activities, and possibly elements of the imperial cult, reflecting the multifunctional role of Roman basilicas in urban life. It is named after Marcus Nonius Balbus, a prominent Roman senator, proconsul of Crete and Cyrenaica, and major benefactor of Herculaneum, who financed its construction along with city gates and walls, as evidenced by inscriptions like CIL X, 1425: "M(arcus) Nonius M(arci) f(ilius) Balbus, proco(n)s(ul), basilicam, portas, murum, pecunia sua."

Historically, the building dates to the Augustan period (last quarter of the 1st century BCE), embodying the architectural and cultural shifts under Emperor Augustus. Its identification has been debated; early explorers mistook it for a temple due to its grandeur and statues, and some scholars question whether it aligns with a larger "temple" described in 18th-century accounts, possibly indicating two separate structures or measurement errors. Excavation history is marked by 18th-century Bourbon plundering via tunnels, which despoiled much of its contents, followed by partial modern re-excavations in the 1960s and conservation efforts in the 2000s under the Herculaneum Conservation Project (HCP), funded by the Packard Humanities Institute. Today, as part of the Parco Archeologico di Ercolano, only limited sections are visible (e.g., a side doorway), with much still buried due to financial and logistical constraints, making it one of Herculaneum's most enigmatic sites. Visitor access is restricted, but the exposed eastern wall and doorway offer glimpses, often rated highly for their historical intrigue in site reviews.

Overall Layout and Architectural Features

The Basilica Noniana occupies a large rectangular footprint, measuring approximately 68 meters by 40 meters, adapted to Herculaneum's urban grid on sloping terrain near the ancient shoreline. It is a two-story structure with a colonnade facing the Decumanus Maximus, providing a grand public façade, and an internal porticus (portico) on two levels for circulation and display. The layout centers on a large rectangular hall with a central open square surrounded by a colonnade on three sides (north, east, south), supporting porticoes that facilitated gatherings and sheltered activities. Columns were brick-built and plastered for a marble-like appearance, with semi-columns along the side walls in opus vittatum (banded masonry) covered in white fluted stucco. The lower order featured Ionic capitals, while the upper had Corinthian, emphasizing vertical grandeur.
The main entrance was likely on the northeast side off the Decumanus Maximus, though debates persist due to conflicting 18th-century plans (e.g., Cochin and Bellicard's 1754 depiction suggesting a southwest orientation). A visible side doorway on Cardo III Superiore (excavated 1960–1962) leads into a small service room, possibly a waiting area, with two doorways providing access. The eastern perimeter wall, brought to light in the 1960s, showcases the building's opus reticulatum construction and tunnel scars from Bourbon explorations. Adjacent structures, such as a possible macellum (market) to the west, suggest the basilica formed part of a larger civic complex, potentially Herculaneum's forum. Upper floors, inferred from beam holes and statuary placements, likely included galleries for additional displays or administrative spaces. The design reflects Roman engineering for public utility, with natural light from the open square and ventilation via porticoes, though much remains hypothetical due to incomplete excavation.

Room-by-Room Description

Given the basilica's public hall design rather than domestic rooms, descriptions focus on functional zones based on excavation reports and reconstructions:

Main Hall (Central Rectangular Space): The core area (ca. 60m x 30m interior estimate), a large open rectangle for assemblies, with surrounding porticoes on brick-plastered columns. Walls featured semi-circular niches for frescoes and statues, with double-order semi-columns (Ionic below, Corinthian above) for architectural emphasis. Bourbon tunnels pierced this space, removing much flooring and decorations.
Porticoes/Colonnades: Three-sided colonnades enclosing the central square, with upper-level galleries for viewing or storage. These sheltered walkways displayed statues (e.g., imperial bronzes at positions g and h) and inscriptions.
Side Entrance and Service Room: Excavated eastern doorway on Cardo III, leading to a small annex (ca. 3x4m) possibly for attendants or storage, with visible thresholds and walls in photos from 2015–2023.
Façade Colonnade: Fronting the Decumanus Maximus, a two-story porticus with columns, serving as the public interface; largely unexcavated but reconstructed via HCP studies.

Unexcavated western areas may include additional zones like a tribunal (raised platform for magistrates), inferred from similar basilicas.

Decorations, Artifacts, and Significance

Decorations blend Second and Fourth Pompeian Styles, with walls in red, white, and black grounds featuring mythological scenes in semi-circular niches: Theseus (likely slaying the Minotaur), Telephus (son of Hercules), Chiron teaching Achilles, Hercules battling lions or dolphins, and heroic motifs symbolizing virtue and imperial power. These "Basilica Frescoes" were removed in the 18th century and are now in the National Archaeological Museum of Naples (MANN), alongside stucco fragments and painted architectural elements.
Artifacts are extensive but dispersed: Over a dozen statues of the Nonius Balbus family, including white marble figures of Viciria (mother, inv. 6168), Marcus Nonius Balbus senior (father), and equestrian statues of Balbus himself (inv. 6167, 6246). Imperial statues include bronze Augustus and Tiberius, marble Claudius and Titus (inv. various, positions d–h). Inscriptions honor Balbus from communities like Cnossus (inv. 3732) and Gortyn (inv. 3736), displayed in MANN's "Campania Romana" gallery. The "Great Album" (marble name slabs, inv. 3728–3729) and a 2006 Amazon head with preserved paint (in Herculaneum Deposits) add to the finds.

Bronze statues of Emperor Augustus (reigned from January 16, 27 B.C. - August 19, 14) to the left and Emperor Tiberius (reigned September 18, 14- March 16, 27) to the right. Stood at g and h

Marble statues of Emperor Claudius on the left and Emperor Titus (ruled from June 23, 79 to September 13, 81) to the right. They stood at the positions e, d, f. By the way, it was Emperor Titus who ruled at the time of the eruption. But he personally visited area of Herculaneum and Pompeii and a number of settlements around the Gulf of Naples twice in 79 and 80 years. The young emperor was shocked by what he saw. He personally gave large amounts to refugees in order to cover their costs.