Holconii
The Holconii family were a prominent family in Pompeii belonging to the Equestrian Order and were possibly from Etruscan origin.
Prominent members included Marcus Holconious Rufus and Marcus Holconius Celer and showed their benefaction by proving funds for the building of the Threatre in Pompeii. Rufus earned his fortune by operating a clay pit and brickworks along with a nationwide wine empire outside Pompeii and took his wine, into the Rome
In an inscription which names him as patron for the renovation of the exterior wall of the temple of Apollo, Rufus is a three-time duumvir which was just the fourth time this highest municipal office washeld. At the end of his career he seems this office, according to the inscription was such that he was awarded a statue in his honor at the Stabian spas. His fourth term of office was dated for the period 3 or 2 BC. He was also the first priest of the new imperial cult (sacerdos Augusti), probably in the temple of the Genius Augusti in the forum between the Macellum and Eumachia . He was also twice urban censor . The high point in the career of Rufus was being appointed as an honorary citizen of the city (patronus coloniae). Only one of the founders of the Roman colony of Pompeii, Marcus Porcius , was given a similar reverence.
However, according to Alex Butterworth and Ray Laurence [1] their closeness to Emperor Caligua would lead to their ostracism after Caligula's fall and they would not hold office for the next forty years. Nonetheless Rufus has an large arch built to his dedication at the major crossroads of Via dell’Abbondanza and Via Stabiana. According to Liselotte Eschebach this was a Tetrapylon. [2]
The marble statue of Marcus Holconius Rufus iis n Naples Archaeological Museum. Inventory number 6233. According to Cooley, even though Marcus Holconius Rufus was of equestrian rank, his statue appropriated status symbols more correctly belonging to others. He was in military dress even though he did not actually serve in the army in his role. He was depicted wearing the sandals of a senator. Colouring was visible when the statue was first found in 1853. His tunic was white edged with yellow, his cloak red and his shoes black. The tree trunk supporting the statue was green. His hair, eyes and eyebrows were also coloured. [3]
