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Regio I in Pompeii consists of several buildings and
occupies a southeastern position in the city. Most of
this quarter has been dug up and explored by
archaeologists. However, only 8 buildings on street Via
del 'Abbondanza are open to tourists.
Among the
most interesting finds here is a group of corpses, which
belong to several families in the Garden of Fugitives.
The first body belonged to a servant of a peasant
family. On his shoulders, he carried a bag of
provisions. He was followed by the peasant family
itself. The second was the family with their skinny
daughter. Judging by the state of the bones, they too
were peasants. The last group was the family of a
wealthy merchant. Their bones speak of a healthy diet
for the ancient Roman Empire. The head of the family
carried a lot of coins. Apparently the family was
prepared to leave Pompeii for good. They all died trying
to escape from the city, but did not make it on time. A
pyroclastic wave caught up with them at the very gates
of the city of Pompeii in the so-called Garden of
Fugitives.
House of Citharist - one of the most
luxurious residences in Pompeii. The quality of frescoes
and interior decoration speaks of a wealthy family. The
house was named after the statue of Apollo Citharist,
found in the lower peristyle, the inner garden. Today a
copy stand on its place, and the original is kept in the
National Archaeological Museum of Naples.
The
archaeologist Della Corte believed that the owner of
Menander’s house was Quintus Popius Sabin because of the
inscription in the hallway of the house where a certain
“Quintus” was mentioned. Other graffiti in the house
with reference to Sabina. Menander’s house may have
belonged to a local magistrate. Warm Mediterranean
climate of Pompeii attracted many Romans who invested in
country villas around the city. It is possible that the
owner during the eruption of Vesuvius in 79 AD was a
rich tourist, not a local resident. About a dozen bodies
were found in the House of Menander. Judging by the fact
that pickaxes and shovels were found in many bodies,
these citizens were not engaged in working in the
fields. Most likely these were poor citizens who tried
to find the treasures of wealthy citizens after they
left their mansions.
Garden of Fugitives (Insula 21)
Insula 2
House with Etruscan Column (Entrance 3) - It is so called because in the vestibule it has an Etruscan column, probably taken from some other structure, it was excavated in 1872: following the bombing of 1943 the atrium and three cubicles that contained different paintings like that of Polyphemus and Agatea were destroyed. Arianna abandoned by Theseus and several medallions framed in garlands of leaves.
House of the Actors (6) - Also called Casa dei Mimi, it was explored in 1872 and slightly damaged by a bombing in 1943: inside it were found several well-preserved frescoes, later detached and taken to the National Archaeological Museum of Naples, such as the Rat of Palladio as well as a bronze sistrum, found in the peristyle.
House of L. and M. Volusii Fausti (10) - It was excavated in 1873: originally it had two floors, of which only the staircase remains and has an impluvium decorated in the center with a half column that served as a fountain; inside, as well as decorations like a Venus made of opus sectile, there are also numerous finds including a statue of Fortune, found in the triclinium and bronze vases, jugs and pots.
Tetrastyle Hall House (28) - Also called Casa della Grata Metallica, it has the peculiarity of having kept the area of the impluvium almost intact, with the characteristic that the area of the compluvium was closed by an iron grate to prevent thieves from accessing the house from above; inside, some plaster remains are scattered among the various rooms: among the best-preserved frescoes is that of Cassandra which foresees the fall of Troy.
Insula 3
House of Epidius Fortunatus (3) - It was
excavated in 1860 and is so called because on an
amphora, which contained honey, the name of Epidius
Fortunatus was found; in addition to traces of stucco,
there are also remains of the ancient pavement,
especially in the tablinum, made of marble. The kitchen
area with fireplace and sink is well preserved.
House
without a name and Vulcan's house (8) - It was excavated in
1869, has a well-preserved peristyle with some columns
surmounted by arches, while in some rooms, as in
cubicles or in the triclinium, traces of red and gray
colored plaster can still be seen; a statue of Venus in
a niche and a bronze statue of Fortune was also found.
House of Anicetus (23) - It was explored in 1868 and
presented several electoral inscriptions near the
entrance: inside it was also found a fresco, preserved
in the archaeological museum of
Naples, depicting the
struggle between Pompeians and Nocerini inside the
amphitheater.
Capella's house (24) - On either side of the
entrance there were two frescoes depicting Mercury and
Hercules, of which however no trace remains, as happened
for the lararium, of which only a description remains,
where a Genius with a cornucopia on his shoulders was
present, while pouring libations on an altar, to its
right, was a panther and in the lower part a red and
yellow snake.
House of the Warriors (25) - It was
excavated in 1869: on the pillars of the peristyle,
being restored during the eruption of 79 , there were
some frescoes such as Isis with a cornucopia and a naked
female figure holding a laurel wreath ; well preserved
is the wall decoration instead of ' oecus depicting the
dispute on the beauty of Aphrodite and Eosforo with
Apollo as a judge: the whole scene is framed with stucco
in plaster.
Innulus House (29) - It was excavated in 1869, it was on two levels, as shown by the remains of a staircase and in its interior there are few traces of wall decorations; characteristic was, along the perimeter wall that overlooked Via del Citarista, the representation of the tutelary deity of the road, that is, a snake with a black crest wrapped around a tree, completely lost.
Insula 4
The House of the Citharist (25)
House of Terracotta Pressor (22) - It was explored between
1858 and 1862, consists of eleven rooms with a large
atrium with puteal and a table both in marble and has no
particular decoration, since it is thought that at the
time of the eruption it was under renovation; part of
the walls of the house collapsed due to the Irpinia
earthquake of 1980.
House of Q. Octavius Romulus
(28) -
It was investigated in 1853 and has the peculiarity of
having an area dedicated to housing a stable: one can
still note the stone water trough and a dormitory for
employees; the rest of the house develops around the
atrium.
Insula 5
House of the Etruscan Capitals (1) - It was excavated between 1873 and 1874 and heavily damaged in the night between 14 and 15 September 1943 by a bomb that destroyed part of the entrance, then restored; inside it does not present particular elements of relief.
Insula 6
House of the Cryptoporticus (2)
House of the Ceii (15)
House of P. Casca Longus.
Casa dei Quadretti Teatrali (11) - Also called Casa di Casca
Longus has the atrium completely restored, with
impluvium covered in colored marble and compluvium with
finely decorated rainwater collection nozzles; in the
same room is also a marble table base decorated with a
lion's head and legs. The frescoes in the house are
largely in the third style and are characteristic of
those in the atrium depicting theatrical scenes.
House of Stallius Eros (13) - It was excavated between 1926
and 1927: it shows the typical pattern of Roman houses
with atrium, garden, where the remains of a lararium can
be seen, interspersed with a tablinum; the remains of
the pictorial decorations of the house are in the fourth
style and inside there were found some weights in white
limestone and black basalt.
Insula 7
House of the Fabius Amandus (3)
House of the Priest Amandus (7)
House of the Ephebus (11)
Casa di Filippo (5) - It has been explored several times as in 1868, 1912 and 1923 and it is still in doubt whether it was really a house or a large shop : the entire structure is small, the entrance directly faces the atrium and the left side is the tablinum with remains of decorations in red and floor mosaics.
Insula 8
Thermopolium of Vetutius Placidus (8)
Stephanus house (2) - It was excavated between 1912 and 1926
and severely damaged by the bombing of 1943 : this event
led to the collapse of all the columns of the peristyle;
it is a not very big house, with an atrium, a garden
with peristyle and four rooms, in two of which
fourth-style pictorial decorations have been found.
House of the Indian Statuette (5) - It is so called because,
during the exploration, an ivory statue was found in a
wooden box, today preserved in the National
Archaeological Museum of Naples, depicting Lakshmi ; the
house has the classic scheme of Roman dwellings, with
still a few walls plastered in red: in addition to the
statue, a couple of rigged dice were also found.
House of Epidius Primus (14) - It was explored between 1938
and 1943 : several electoral inscriptions were found on
its facade, while inside it consists of ten rooms, with
remnants of wall decorations, except in one where most
of the frescoes have been preserved almost entirely; in
a wooden box, several silverware items were also found,
such as pots and double-handle cups, as well as some
bronze medical instruments.
House of a Doric Atrium
(18) - Also called House of Balbo/ Casa di Balbo it was excavated in 1937 : it
has an atrium with the remains of impluvium, eight rooms
with frescoes mostly in the third style and some in
first style and the remains of the staircase that led to
the upper floor; at the time of the excavation, in the
kitchen, the still intact lararium was found, frescoed
around with deities and snakes.
Insula 9
House of the Beautiful Impluvium (1)
House of Ceres (13)
Successus house (3) - It is so called because in the fresco
boy with hands of ducks, found in a room near the lobby,
it was reported the written Successus: Painting remnants
remain scattered around the house and well preserved is
the garden, which at the time of excavation had a lost
white panel and a niche with floral elements; in the
same environment the statue of a child with a dove was
found.
House of Floral Cubicles (5) - Also called Casa
del Frutteto it was being renovated at the time of the
eruption and probably owned by a vintner, it has a
structure centered around the atrium: the style is
typical of the Egyptian culture, as there are frescoes
by Apis, Isiatian vases and snakes; it has two cubicles
frescoed with trees full of lemons, oranges and limes
and a triclinium with three large frescoes depicting
Icarus, Actaeon and a battle between warriors.
House
of Amarantus (12) - In addition to a small house, it was also
used as a caupona : the structure has no particular
decorative elements, since, at the time of the eruption,
most of the walls were plastered with white; however in
the triclinium traces of frescoes with different
decorations are visible: at the time of the excavation,
a large number of amphorae and the bones of a mule and a
dog were found in the atrium.
Insula 10
House of the Lovers (11)
House of the Cabinet Maker (10)
Casa del Fabbro (7) - It was dug several times between 1914
and 1933 : once past the entrance, one enters the atrium
where a marble table is preserved with legs decorated
like legs; the house has eight rooms in which it is
possible to observe along the walls remains of plaster,
while in the kitchen the hearth is well maintained: the
remains of two victims of the eruption were also found.
House of Minucius (8) - It was explored in 1929 and in 1934:
the remains of the impluvium can be seen, while in
different rooms there are traces of paintings in the
fourth style; characteristic of the niche in the garden
with a white background, on which a tree was painted.
House of Aufidius Primus (18) - It was explored in 1932 and
presented several electoral inscriptions on the main
façade: the upper floor was partially rebuilt with the
restoration; around the atrium there are no rooms, while
among the small decorations found, the most interesting
is a fresco of the kitchen depicting a Genius, a snake,
several kitchen items, a pig's head, and a spit eel.
Insula 11
House of Venus in a Bikini (6)
House of Lucius Habonius Primus (5) - It was initially
excavated in 1913 and then again in 1960 and is so
called because inside the atrium a seal was found that
carried this name: the house has an irregular plan, very
few pictorial decorations found, while the main finds
recovered I am a bottle of glass containing oil and
several bowls silver.
House of Euxinus (12) - It was
excavated from 1953 to 1964 : it has an irregular
layout, remains of frescoes in the fourth style and a
small garden, in which, along a wall, a niche opens up,
inside which a marble statue of Venus was found, while
in other nearby niches several faces carved in marble
were found.
House of Cherem (14) - It was excavated in
1960 : presents the remains of an impluvium , a oecus
where there are frescoes in the second style, with
squares depicting masks of tragedy, birds, and garlands;
in the garden you can see the bases of four columns, the
remains of a small peristyle and a staircase that led to
the upper floor.
Upper Floor House (15) - It is so named
because it is also possible to access a room on the
second floor: the entire house has an irregular layout
and has almost completely preserved its pictorial
decorations, such as those in a room near the garden and
a cubicle, in addition to a painted lararium, in which
two serpents are noted; a staircase leads to part of the
upper floor, where in the two recovered rooms there are
frescoes in the fourth style.
House of Saturninus
(16) -
It was partly used as a hospitium, as shown by a masonry
counter, present in an entrance area: the main surviving
decorations are inside the triclinium, with frescoes in
the fourth style, with a plinth in black similar to the
opus reticolatum and tables in masonry with an oval and
square shape.
Imperial House (17) - It was excavated
between 1954 and 1960, has an irregular plan, with an
atrium without impluvium and a few wall decorations: the
surviving ones are in fact preserved in the east area of
the atrium and in the triclinium, which also appears
to be the only reconstructed environments.
Insula 12
Garum Workshop (8)
House of Medusa (15) - It has an area of about three
hundred and fifty square meters and was probably
excavated in 1962 : its name derives from the fact that
a well-preserved lararium was found in a room, with the
head of Medusa at the center of the niche and two deer
at its sides; the house has an irregular layout and in
the northern part has a large garden that was used as a
vegetable garden.
House of the Painted Labrum (16) - It
was explored in 1952 and is a modestly sized dwelling:
of irregular layout, composed of seven rooms, it has
pictorial residues in the atrium and in a cubicle,
especially in the classic Pompeian red, while in the
garden there is the lararium, in part still decorated
and a large labrum painted on the wall.
Insula 13
House of the Tiberii-Crassi (1) - It was
excavated in 1914 and then from 1951 to 1953 : it
featured two lost electoral inscriptions on the facade,
while inside there is a garden with a three-column
peristyle; in the house two bronze candlesticks were
found, with the feet decorated one with a lion's foot,
the other with leaves.
House of Sutoria Primigenia
(2) -
Also called Casa del Grande Triclinio it was initially
excavated in 1914 and later in 1953: of particular
importance is the outdoor summer triclinium, with a
masonry table and a small room on the east side that
probably served as a sacellum ; characteristic of a
painting present in the kitchen, near the lararium,
which represents the matron of the house intent on
making sacrifices with her entire family.
House of
Taedia Secunda (4) - It was explored in 1915 and 1919: it
has a narrow entrance and several rooms, while the
remains of pictorial decorations are scarce.
House of
Lesbianus and Numicia Primigenia (9) - It is presented on
two levels: on the facade, several graffiti and a fresco
depicting Venus on a boat have been found; inside the
house, there are pictorial decorations with red skirting
and a median area in yellow.
House with Larario
Isiaco (12) - It has an atrium with impluvium but the
triclinium is absent: in the same environment there is a
niche lararium, painted inside in white and with a
tympanum decorated with mosaic- like paintings ; in
various cubicles there are traces of plaster in red.
Insula 14
Casa del Larario Sarno (7) - It was excavated in 1954 : passing the entrance and the small atrium, through a narrow corridor, where the kitchen with a latrine also opens, you reach the garden that preserves the main attraction of the house, that is a well preserved lararium, painted in red, with the figure of the Genius in the niche and at the base the god of the river Sarno who pours water and watches over the port.
Insula 15
Insula 16
House of Cylindrical Columns (2) - It was
explored in 1955 and in 1974 when it was also partially
restored: after the narrow entrance one enters the
garden directly where there is a psudoperistilio with
well-preserved columns; around the house there are the
rooms of the house such as kitchen and triclinium, in
which there are no traces of decorations, while one of
the main objects found inside is a bronze statue of
Bacchus.
House of Petronia (5) - It was excavated in
1958: inside there are some frescoes, partly only the
black plinth, in others the central area; in addition to
the peristyle, the house also had a large garden.
Insula 17
Casa degli Archi (4) - It was excavated in 1954 and partly rebuilt: this made it possible to make the upper floor and above all the peristyle accessible with the columns joined together by means of arches, with some of these still having pictorial decorations; other frescoes are present in different environments, but most of the peristyle where you successfully maintained lararium: among the most important archeological finds stands a pickaxe in iron.
Insula 19
House of L. Satrius Rufus (3) - It was
partially explored between 1932 and 1934 and only the
remains of the entrance are visible: inside it was found
a bronze plaque bearing the name of Lucius Satrius
Rufus, an imperial secretary.
Earinus house (4) - It was
partly excavated in 1932 and only the part of the
entrance can be seen: along the façade various electoral
inscriptions were found, including one showing that a
certain Earinus was lived there.
House of Minio Carpo
(5)
- It is only partially excavated and only the main
façade is visible: two graffiti were found near the
pillars of the entrance door, both repeating the name
Minio Carpo.
Insula 22
Stabianus House (2) - It was explored several times between 1955 and 1974 and has the peculiarity of having a large garden, probably used as an orchard with a triclinium with a table decorated with polychrome marbles: according to some scholars the garden could be cultivated with vines, while according to others planted about three hundred fruit trees, as evidenced by the discovery of some large branches.