Piecing Together the Life of Gaius Alius Nigidius Maius in Pompeii

Gaius Alius Nigidius Maius is a man from Pompeii whose life has been pieced together over 200 years from various sources. The discovery of his house revealed his name and occupation as a property owner. Later, painted notices on the wall indicated that he organized amphitheatre games. It is believed that during the ban of Nero, he organized games without gladiators, leading to a riot. Finally, a tomb with a long inscription suggests that he was the organizer of the games during the ban and hosted a banquet for nearly 7,000 people. Despite being an important figure in Pompeii, the process of piecing together his life has been slow and fragmentary.