Tomb of Eurysaces the Baker Monument

Address: Near Via Praenestina / Porta Maggiore area, Rome, Italy

Admission: Free (visible from street)

The Tomb of Eurysaces the Baker is an ancient Roman funerary monument in Rome erected for a wealthy freedman baker named Eurysaces. It is noted for an uncommon architectural treatment that emphasizes baking-related motifs and a cylindrical, almost blocky exterior.

The tomb dates to the late Roman Republican or early Imperial period and was intended as the funerary monument of a private individual who had achieved wealth and visibility. Its design departs from typical Roman tomb forms, using banded cylindrical shapes and decorative reliefs that allude to the occupant’s profession.

Historians attribute the monument to the late 1st century BCE to early 1st century CE period based on style and epigraphic evidence, and it has long been of interest for what it reveals about social mobility and the commemorative practices of freedmen in Rome.

Located in the eastern part of Rome near ancient roadways, the tomb stands close to other Roman funerary monuments and is visible from the surrounding streets in that district.

• Distinctive form: Notable for its unusual exterior design featuring a series of large cylindrical elements forming the façade, visible from the adjacent road.

Walk from Rome’s Metro Line A (Manzoni or San Giovanni stations) or take bus routes that stop at Porta Maggiore. The monument is easily reached on foot from the Aurelian Walls and the Porta Maggiore junction.

• View the cornice-like roundels (modillions) and the unusual cylindrical motif from the pavement - there is no regular interior access.
• Combine this quick stop with a walk around the nearby Aurelian Walls and the Porta Maggiore area.
• Look for Latin inscriptions and the still-legible reliefs of baking vessels - they are the building's autobiographical flourishes.