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The entrance to the building of Eumachia from the Forum is surrounded by
this incredibly ornate marble. It was in the courtyard of this building
where the statue of Eumachia was found. She was a priestess who paid for
the construction of the building which served as a
corporate headquarters for dyers and launderers. The building was dedicated
to Concordia Augusta, better known as Livia, the wife of Augustus Caesar.
Eumachia's statue was commissioned by the guild of cloth-makers, dyers, and
launderers.
One might make a loose comparison of Eumachia with Lydia, a seller of purple cloth from Thyatira, who was baptized by Paul at Philippi. (See Acts 16:14-15.) Both women had business dealings with the rich and powerful. History has tended to overlook that there were smart and influential women during the first century. |
