House of the Moralist (Pompeii)

Location: Regio III, Insula 4

Area: 695 square meters
Rooms: 19

House of the Moralist stands on Via delle Abbondanza. Formerly, the House of the Moralist belonged to two wine merchants. One was T. Arry Polite, and the other was M. Epidius Gimenus. The houses of the moralist, like many other buildings of the city of Pompeii, were connected from two older houses. The former entrance to the second house is still visible, but the door was turned into a window.

The name of the house comes from the graffiti that was found on the walls of the triclinium, that is, the office of the owner of the House of Moralist. The inscriptions are written on black panels. Unfortunately, the back wall of the triclinia was damaged by bombing during World War II and one or more of the sayings were lost. The inscriptions were written in white and read:
1. Keep your feet clean and do not stain your laundry and bed
2. Respect women and avoid obscene speeches.
3. Refrain from anger and fights
4. Otherwise, go back to your home.

To the east of the atrium of the House of the Moralist is a small central courtyard (h), which is covered with porticoes on both sides. The columns of the portico have brickwork. Only a few fragments of the courtyard frescoes have survived today, and there is not enough evidence from the remains of the gypsum to say positively that these decorations were here in antiquity. On the eastern side of the courtyard, the doorway gives access to the aisle (c) and, consequently, to the eastern part of the mansion, and on the north side - the room-oculus (i), which retains most of its original decoration. The room is decorated with frescoes in the third style with black panels, separated by columns and garlands on a black background, over a black frieze. Panels contain figures and small scenes.

At the back of the atrium is a small garden area (k), in which the triclinium (l) is located. Trikiny is decorated with frescoes in the third style with black panels on a red background above the bottom red frieze. The upper zone consists of simple geometric motifs on a black background. On the west side of the atrium is an ocher (m). The room is decorated with frescoes in the third style with a black lower frieze and a rather simple central panel on a yellow background. Immediately to the south of the room okus is a flight of stairs leading to the upper floor. The second floor of the House of the Moralist is only partially preserved, but the entrance here is closed for tourists.