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House of Octavius Quartio

Location: Regio II

Insula 2

House of Octavius Quarto is also known as the H. of Loreius Tiburtinus. It stands on Via dell'Abbondanza and was first excavated in 1916. The residence survived despite bombs dropped during World War II in the area that also hit Pompeii. Later, Octavia Quarto House was excavated in 1933-35 and finally in 1971. The mansion is well preserved substantial decorative frescoes and a long narrow back garden. The Octavia Quarto House is covered with colorful murals and paintings. Their author left his own autograph at the bottom of his creation in Latin letters "Lucius Pinxit" or "Lucius wrote it." Unfortunately, this fresco is lost.

The domus, before the earthquake of 62 AD, covered an entire insula and had two atriums and two entrances. After the earthquake, a part of the house (II 2, 4) was made independent and sold to another owner.

On the facade of the building, there are two cauponae, in which there was also access to the upper floor, whose rooms were probably rented. The house is located near the amphitheater and one of the city gates.

A garden of the house had a long canal that ran across it. In the antiquity it was filled with water with a fountain constructed somewhere half way. Archeologists discovered traces of plant roots that indicated that the owner like order and symmetry. Trees, shrubs and plants were planted in straight symmetrical line along a central pond.

The entrance, with its stone armchairs for the host’s guests, is surrounded by two shops (originally two rooms that belonged to the mansion). In the doorway - the remnants of the door. The doors were wooden, but rotted, remaining cavities. Filling the plaster there, archaeologists have received an exact copy of the door. Interestingly, they were open at the time of the eruption. Most likely the owner escaped at the very beginning of the eruption, and his neighbors decided to visit the House of Octavia Quarto and steal everything that could be carried away. The walls of the corridor (a) retain some fragments of plaster and frescoes, but they are in very poor condition, which makes it difficult to describe. A corridor leads to a large rectangular atrium - a living room (b) with a central imluvium, an internal pool surrounded by a reservoir for plants. Like the corridor, the atrium received significant damage due to natural erosion, as well as a bomb that accidentally fell during World War II.

The garden that belongs to the villa is cut by a long canal. In ancient times it was filled with water, and from the fountains there was water. In the very same pools swam fish.

During the excavations, archaeologists discovered traces of the roots of plants, which grew in perfect symmetry along an artificial pond. Apparently the owner-owner of the House Octavia Quarto loved order and symmetry.

The well-preserved frescoes of the House of Octavia Quarto. On the left is a legend about Narcissus, and on the right is Pyram's suicide.