<p>The *Esquiline grove of Libitina, a goddess associated with funerals and with Venus; the name is derived from <i>libido</i>, ‘desire’ (Coarelli, <i>LTUR</i> V; Wiseman 15). It included a <i>templum</i> to Venus-Libitina (Festus 322: <i>templa ... alterum in luco Libitinensi</i>). This grove was probably the headquarters of the <i>libitinarii</i>, professional undertakers (Bodel). An inscription found outside the *Porta Esquilina, which mentions a guild of flute-players, who also took part in funerals (<i>CIL</i> VI 32448), puts this grove in the *Campus Esquilinus just S of the *Macellum Liviae (Wiseman 13-15; Bodel; Coarelli); archaic architectural terracottas have been discovered in this area (Coarelli, <i>LTUR</i> III). The temple seems to have been an early Republican foundation (Ziolkowski) and its survival into the Imperial period is attested (<i>CIL</i> VI 33870, 9974). In the Augustan period this was also a commercial area. Late-Republican tombstones attest that two freedmen, a butcher and a clothes-dealer, had businesses here (<i>CIL</i> I2 1268, 1411; Wiseman 15 with n.13).</p>