• Home
• Europe
• Italy
• Pompeii

House of the Ara Maxima, Pompeii

Address: Insula 16
Area: 187 square meters
Rooms: 8

The House of the Ara Maxima, also known as Casa dell'Ara Massima, House of Pinarius Cerialis, or House of Narcissus (VI.16.15-17), is a compact, multi-level ancient Roman domus (residence) in the archaeological site of Pompeii, Italy. Situated in Regio VI, Insula 16, along the east side of Via del Vesuvio (a major north-south thoroughfare leading from the Vesuvius Gate toward the Forum), this house exemplifies middle-class Pompeian domestic architecture from the late Republican to early Imperial periods, adapted to the city's sloping terrain and urban density. Measuring approximately 200–300 square meters across its ground floor, it features a non-canonical atrium-centered layout without a traditional garden or full peristyle, instead incorporating a pseudo-peristyle arrangement of rooms around a central courtyard-like space. The structure includes an upper floor (partially preserved) for additional living quarters, reflecting adaptations for family and possibly professional use. Buried under volcanic ash and pumice during the 79 AD eruption of Mount Vesuvius, it was excavated in the early 20th century and has since provided insights into Pompeian daily life, craftsmanship, and religious practices. The house's name derives from its prominent lararium fresco, interpreted as depicting Hercules near the Ara Maxima (Great Altar) in Rome, though alternative identifications include a scene with Admetus and Alcestis. Owned by a gem engraver in its final phase, it highlights the integration of work and worship in urban homes. As of 2025, it is accessible to visitors in the Pompeii Archaeological Park, with ongoing conservation under the Great Pompeii Project addressing fresco fading, structural instability from seismic activity, and visitor wear, though upper levels remain restricted for safety.

Historical Background

The House of the Ara Maxima likely originated in the 3rd century BC during Pompeii's Samnite period, as evidenced by foundational elements like Sarno stone pillars, which may predate the main structure. It underwent expansions in the late Republican era (2nd–1st century BC) following Roman colonization in 80 BC, aligning with the city's shift toward more elaborate domestic spaces. By the early Imperial period (1st century AD), it had evolved into a residence-workshop hybrid, reflecting the economic vibrancy of Pompeii as a commercial hub. The house survived the 62 AD earthquake with repairs, including modifications to doorways and reinforcements, but shows signs of ongoing renovations interrupted by the 79 AD eruption—such as unfinished plasterwork and scattered materials.
Ownership in the final phase is attributed to Pinarius Cerialis, a gem engraver (caelator) and possible priest of the Hercules cult, based on inscriptions like "Cerialis Pinarius" scratched near the entrance and electoral notices such as "Cerialis rog(at)" (Cerialis asks [for your vote]). His wife, Cassia, is mentioned in one graffito: "Cerialis Acratopinon cum Cassia rog(at)." The family's ties to Hercules worship are suggested by artifacts linked to the god, including a sacrificial knife and a skyphos (cup) for libations, indicating the house served both residential and ritual purposes. Excavations occurred between 1903 and 1904 under Italian archaeologists, as documented in Notizie degli Scavi di Antichità (1908, pp. 63–84), revealing the structure largely intact due to its burial depth. Post-excavation, it suffered minor damage from World War II bombings in 1943, but restorations in the 1970s and 2010s rebuilt elements like the compluvium (roof opening) using modern materials. Recent studies, including 3D modeling, have clarified its phased development, emphasizing its role in understanding Pompeian artisanship and domestic religion.

Architecture and Layout

The house deviates from the standard Pompeian atrium-peristyle model due to spatial constraints, forming a pseudo-peristyle with rooms clustered around the atrium on the north and east sides. The main entrance (VI.16.15) features a travertine threshold with pivot holes for doors, a bench for waiting clients, and a lava step, leading into the fauces (entrance corridor, labeled A). This opens to the central atrium (B), approximately 6–8 meters square, with an impluvium (rainwater basin) lined in cocciopesto (crushed tile mortar) and a terracotta puteal (wellhead) for access to a cistern below. The atrium's roof includes a reconstructed compluvium for light and ventilation.
West of the atrium are rooms C (narrow, possibly with stairs to the upper floor), D (a small tablinum-like reception room), and E (a cubiculum or bedroom). The north side features a lararium niche between doorways to rooms I (a simple chamber with lava threshold and rough plaster) and K–M (rustic service areas). Room H, in the southeast corner, serves as an exedra or oecus (parlor), divided by a pilaster into a larger vaulted southern section and a smaller flat-ceilinged northern part, with a cocciopesto floor. Eastward, rooms K (rustic, with masonry puteal and Sarno stone pillar) and L (rustic, with latrine and vertical terracotta drain pipe for upper-floor facilities) function as storage or kitchen spaces, connected via modified doorways (one walled up post-62 AD). Room N (VI.16.16), accessed separately, is a rustic annex with white plaster and a small window. A back entrance (VI.16.17) provides additional access. The upper floor, partially excavated, likely included bedrooms and workspaces, supported by wooden beams. Construction materials include opus incertum (irregular stone) for early walls, with later brick and tuff reinforcements for seismic resilience.

Decorations and Frescoes

Decorations primarily reflect the Fourth Pompeian Style (post-62 AD), with vivid colors and mythological motifs emphasizing illusionism and domestic piety. The atrium walls feature painted pilasters with masks or faces at their bases, creating architectural illusions. The standout lararium on the north wall is a large white stucco panel bordered in red, depicting the family Genius (toga-clad figure) in a niche, flanked by garlands and two Lares (one surviving on the left). Below, a cylindrical altar holds offerings like eggs, a pine cone, and fruit, guarded by two yellow serpents (one crested and bearded) amid fruit-bearing plants—interpreted as a reference to Hercules at the Ara Maxima or a protective scene. Side walls show red flowers with green leaves.
Room D's west wall bears a central fresco of Narcissus gazing at his reflection, giving the house one of its alternate names. Room H's walls are zoned into yellow central panels, red sides, a white frieze, and black dado, adorned with avian motifs: a bird and peacock on the west wall's central panel, another bird at the north end, and a swan in flight on the return wall. The oecus (possibly room H) features scenographic frescoes of Iphigenia in Tauris, evoking theatrical stage facades. Rustic rooms like K and L have simple white or red plaster dados, while graffiti includes electoral pleas and names. Floors are predominantly cocciopesto, with scattered marble fragments in Room H suggesting unfinished mosaic work.

Artifacts and Discoveries

Excavations uncovered artifacts illuminating the owner's profession and household. A cache of 114 semi-precious stones (hard gems like agate and carnelian), including 28 engraved intaglios and cameos with exquisite designs, was found, alongside three ivory-handled engraving knives and burins—confirming Pinarius Cerialis's role as a caelator. Bronze items include a circular brazier, two lamps (one with a horse-head handle, another leaf-shaped), a bone sword handle depicting Bacchus and a Satyr, a sacrificial knife with perforated handle (linked to Hercules rituals), and a terracotta skyphos ornamented with ivy (an acratophoron for wine libations in Hercules worship, glazed in glass). Other finds: 120 fishing hooks, bronze tools, a fusorium (melting pot) in Room L, and marble slabs/triangular fragments in Room H. Inscriptions and graffiti, such as "Arruntio feliciter" near the entrance, provide social context. Many artifacts are displayed at the National Archaeological Museum of Naples, including a rare table supported by a bronze Egyptian sphinx.
In summary, the House of the Ara Maxima encapsulates Pompeii's blend of artistry, religion, and everyday craftsmanship, offering a window into a skilled artisan's life amid the city's final years. Its compact design and rich decorations underscore adaptive urban living, while artifacts highlight specialized trades. Visitors today can explore the atrium and lararium via guided tours, with digital reconstructions aiding interpretation.