Columbarium of Pomponius Hylas

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The Columbarium of Pomponius Hylas is a completely-intact 1st century Roman columbarium, sited near the Porta Latina on the Via Appia on its way out of Rome. It was discovered in 1831.

Though its name derives from Pomponius Hylas, who lived in the Flavian period (69-96 AD), the building itself has been dated to between 14 and 54 AD due to inscriptions on two of its niches (one dedicated to a freedman of Tiberius and the other to a freedman of Claudia Octavia, daughter of Claudius and Messalina). It was later bought by Pomponius Hylas for himself and his wife, and he added the mosaic panel over the entrance steps, which is decorated with griffins and reads:

CN(aei) POMPONI HYLAE E(t) POMPONIAE CN(aei) L(ibertae) VITALINIS

(To Cnaeus Pomponius Hylas and Pomponia Cnaeus the freedwoman of Vitalinus)

The inscription also has a V (meaning vivit) over Pomponia's name, showing she was alive when the panel was added.