This book is the result of an enlargement of my study for my inaugural address at the Radboud University at Nijmegen and a conference at the German Archaeological Institute at Rome, both of which took place in 2003. Other presentations were given in Austin, Texas; Berlin, London and Oxford. Some elements have been published in Dutch in Een goddelijk interieur. Geschilderde decoraties in heiligdommen in de Romeinse wereld (‘A Divine Interior. Painted Decorations in Sanctuaries in the Roman World,’ 2003). While preparing this paper, I discovered so much useful information that I became convinced that a collection of known and unknown facts and notions concerning painted temple decorations would not go amiss, thus resulting in this publication.

I would like to thank several friends and colleagues: Claudine Allag, Alix Barbet, Nicole Blanc, Sible de Blaauw, Frederick Brenk, Ton Derks, Lucinda Dirven, Hélène Eristov, Michał Galikowski, Rüdiger Gogräfe, Carmen Guiral y Pelegrín, Olaf Kaper, Roger Ling, Paul Meyboom, Stephan Mols, David Rijser, Leonard Rutgers, Filli Rossi, Benjamin Rous, Tesse Stek, Marie José Strazzulla, Volker Michael Strocka and Miguel-John Versluys for important information and suggestions after reading the whole or sections of this text. They and others offered additions and corrections as well as images. Thomas Fröhlich, Director of the Library of the German Institute at Rome, authorized the reproduction of antiquarian images from Mazois and Steinbüchel. The Superintendent of Pompeii, Pier Giovanni Guzzo, and the Superintendents of Ostia, Anna Gallina Zevi and Margherita Bedello Tata, kindly gave permission to study relevant monuments at Pompeii, Herculaneum and Ostia. Mrs Bedello Tata also provided photographic material. Vincent Hunink critically assessed and improved my translations from Greek and Latin as well as my observations about the literary testimonies. Heather van Tress kindly read the first draft and helped polish my English. John Clarke read one of the last versions and made suggestions for many improvements. Finally I thank Isabelle Vella Gregory who was my severe editor of the final version.