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The Terrace of M. Nonius Balbus (Terrazza di M. Nonio Balbo), located in the southeastern suburban district of ancient Herculaneum (modern Ercolano, Italy), is a monumental public space dedicated to one of the town's most prominent benefactors, Marcus Nonius Balbus. Situated near the ancient waterfront (now inland due to bradyseism), it overlooks the Bay of Naples and forms part of an architectural complex adjacent to the Suburban Baths (Terme Suburbane) and the Sacred Area. Constructed posthumously in the late 1st century BCE or early 1st century CE, the terrace served as a commemorative square honoring Balbus's civic contributions, including public buildings, city walls, and gates. This elevated platform, accessible via a ramped vaulted passageway from the south end of Cardo V, functioned as a public forum for rituals, processions, and gatherings, embodying Roman ideals of patronage and euergetism (public benefaction). The terrace's layout integrates funerary elements with civic grandeur, reflecting Herculaneum's status as an elite seaside resort rather than a commercial hub like Pompeii.
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Marcus Nonius Balbus (ca. 60 BCE–ca. 10 BCE) was a Roman senator from Nuceria Alfaterna, rising to prominence as praetor, proconsul of Crete and Cyrene, and tribune of the plebs in 32 BCE. A staunch ally of Octavian (later Augustus) during the civil wars, Balbus earned the emperor's favor, receiving honors like the right to wear the laticlavium (senatorial stripe) in public. As Herculaneum's chief patron, he funded major infrastructure, including the city's walls, gates, basilica, and possibly the Suburban Baths, as inscribed on a dedication: "M(arcus) Nonius M(arci) f(ilius) Balbus, proco(n)s(ul), basilicam, portas, murum, pecunia sua" (Marcus Nonius Balbus, son of Marcus, proconsul, [built] the basilica, gates, and wall at his own expense). Upon his death, the Herculaneum town council (ordo decurionum), on the proposal of duumvir Marcus Opellius Celer, decreed extensive honors: at least 10 statues across the town, a reserved theater seat, annual processions, extended athletic games, and this terrace with its altar and statues. The terrace, built shortly after his death, immortalized Balbus as a quasi-divine patron, with his freed slave Marcus Nonius Volusianus erecting the primary statue. This reflects the Roman practice of euergetism, where benefactors received cult-like veneration, blending civic duty with personal legacy.
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The terrace forms a spacious rectangular square (ca. 30x20 meters) on an elevated platform, accessed via a ramped vaulted passageway from Cardo V, offering panoramic views toward the ancient beach and Vesuvius. The layout centers on the funerary altar as a focal point, facing seaward, with space for processions and gatherings; it integrates seamlessly with the Suburban Baths to the east and the Sacred Area (including a Temple of Venus and Shrine of the Four Gods) to the west. Architecturally, it employs opus reticulatum (net-patterned tuff masonry) for retaining walls and bases, with marble cladding for the altar and statue plinths, emphasizing durability against coastal erosion and earthquakes. The terrace's elevation (ca. 5–7 meters above the baths) created a dramatic vista, possibly for public orations or rituals, with steps or ramps facilitating access. Surrounding features include arched boathouses (fornici) below, now housing a boat exhibition, and the baths' atrium, frigidarium, and caldarium, suggesting the terrace doubled as a social prelude to bathing. Post-62 CE repairs likely reinforced the structure, as evidenced by integrated foundations.
Funerary Altar: The centerpiece is a marble-clad altar (ca. 2x2
meters) on a raised base, facing the sea, inscribed with the
senate's decree honoring Balbus. It details his titles (praetor,
proconsul) and honors: an equestrian statue in a prominent spot, the
altar at his ash burial site, annual processions, extended games,
and theater privileges. Topped by two ruined marble statues of
sleeping funeral genii (cupids) leaning on inverted torches (symbols
of extinguished life), originally painted (red-lead hair traces
remain), the altar's design evokes imperial mausolea, blending grief
with civic pride.
Honorific Statue of Balbus: Adjacent to the
altar, a marble statue (ca. 2.5m tall) depicts Balbus in lorica
segmentata (segmented armor), symbolizing military virtue and
imperial loyalty. Erected by his freedman Marcus Nonius Volusianus,
it stands on a marble plinth inscribed "To Marcus Nonius Balbus, son
of Marcus, praetor, proconsul...". The head (discovered by Maiuri in
the early 1900s) and body (found in 1981 on the beach below) were
restored, originally brightly painted but now plain; fragments
include the left foot. An equestrian statue of Balbus, rediscovered
in Bourbon digs, resides in Naples' museum.
Initial Bourbon explorations (18th century) uncovered fragments, but systematic work began in the early 20th century under Amedeo Maiuri, who found the statue head. The 1981 beach discovery of the body and fragments advanced reconstruction, led by the Soprintendenza Archeologica di Pompei. HCP (1996–1998) stabilized the site, integrating it with baths excavations; as of 2025, laser scanning aids monitoring against erosion.
Beyond the statue and altar, finds include inscription fragments detailing honors, and nearby equestrian statue (Naples, Inv. unknown). The genii statues, though ruined, retain paint traces, informing Roman polychromy studies.
The terrace epitomizes Roman euergetism, where patrons like Balbus received de facto cult status, influencing civic identity and Augustan propaganda. It highlights Herculaneum's infrastructure (e.g., baths linkage) and Balbus's legacy—over 10 statues town-wide—contrasting Pompeii's commercial focus. Archaeologically, it advances understanding of funerary practices and post-earthquake urbanism; for visitors, it's a serene overlook evoking ancient patronage.