Šempeter, Mausoleum of the Spectatii

Šempeter: modern name of an ancient village along the Roman road from Emona (modern Ljubljana) to Poetovio (modern Ptuj), with several funerary monuments.

Mausoleum of the Spectatii

The three deceased

Of the four funerary monuments reconstructed at Šempeter, the Mausoleum of the Spectatii, father and son, both duumviri (mayors) in the nearby town Celeia at the same time, is perhaps the most spectacular. It can be dated to the second or early third century CE. About eight meters high, it is dedicated to Gaus Spectatius Finitus, Gaius Spectatius Priscianus, and a third man, who cannot be identified becase the inscription is partly destroyed.

There are many reliefs of mythological scenes, including Iphigenia. Castor and Pollux can be distinguished as well. There are also satyrs and griffins. The original foundation of this tomb is a couple of meters west of the place where the monument has been reconstructed.