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House of L. Caecilius Jucundus, Pompeii

The House of Lucius Caecilius Iucundus, also known as Casa di L. Cecilio Giocondo or House of Caecilius Jucundus, is a prominent example of a wealthy Roman banker's residence in ancient Pompeii, reflecting the economic and cultural life of the city's elite during the 1st century CE. Located at V.1.26, the house belonged to Lucius Caecilius Iucundus (c. AD 9–62), a freedman's son who became a successful argentarius (banker) involved in auctions, loans, and property transactions. The domus features a classic Pompeian layout with an atrium, tablinum, peristyle garden, and private quarters, adorned with Third Style frescoes and notable for its archive of wax tablets documenting business dealings. Originally built in the 2nd century BCE with tuff portals and opus incertum walls, it was renovated after the AD 62 earthquake, incorporating fine decorations before being buried by the AD 79 eruption of Vesuvius. Excavated in 1844 and 1875–1876, the house has been the subject of modern studies, including a 3D reconstruction by Lund University in 2016, which recreated its pre-eruption appearance, including floor surfaces and water features. This site provides invaluable insights into Pompeian social hierarchy, commerce, and domestic religion, with artifacts like financial records highlighting the owner's prosperity.

Location and Historical Context

The house is situated in Regio V, Insula 1, entrance 26, along the ancient Via Stabia (modern Via dell’Abbondanza extension) in Pompeii's southeastern quarter, a bustling area near commercial zones and the amphitheater. This location underscores the owner's integration into Pompeii's economic fabric, as bankers like Iucundus often operated from home, facilitating auctions and financial services for the local elite. Built around the 2nd century BCE, the structure reflects early Samnite influences with later Roman adaptations, including post-62 CE earthquake repairs that enhanced its decorations. Iucundus, active from at least AD 27, likely perished in the 62 CE quake, as his records cease shortly before, and his name vanishes from later inscriptions. His sons, Quintus and Sextus, may have continued the family legacy briefly. The house's excavation revealed a snapshot of pre-eruption life, with charred tablets and a running garden fountain indicating sudden abandonment. Modern research, including the Swedish Pompeii Project's documentation of Insula V.1 and 3D modeling, has illuminated its evolution, showing dependencies on neighboring water systems before the aqueduct's arrival. The site's UNESCO status as part of Pompeii highlights its role in understanding Roman urban economy and resilience.

Architecture and Layout

The house spans approximately 400–500 square meters on a rectangular plot, following a traditional axial Roman domus plan with public-to-private progression: fauces (entrance corridor) leading eastward to a Tuscan-style atrium, then the tablinum, and finally a peristyle garden with surrounding porticoes. Constructed with tuff blocks for the facade and opus incertum (irregular stone and mortar) for internal walls, it includes a small thermal bath suite and a basement cellar. Post-62 CE renovations raised floors and added decorative elements, with evidence of an upper story for additional rooms. The layout emphasizes social display in the atrium and tablinum (negotium areas) and leisure in the peristyle (otium space), with a monumental triclinium for private banquets. A marble step connects the tablinum to the west portico, and drainage systems, including a fountain, highlight hydraulic sophistication tied to elite water access. The 3D reconstruction reveals historical layers, such as pre-aqueduct water dependencies, and recreates lost features like vibrant colors and furnishings, providing a credible visualization of its AD 79 state.

Rooms and Notable Features

The house comprises about 15–20 rooms, organized around the atrium and peristyle for light, ventilation, and social flow:

Fauces: Narrow entrance from Via Stabia, leading to the atrium with electoral graffiti on exterior walls.
Atrium: Central hall with impluvium for rainwater, black-and-white mosaic floor featuring a reclining dog (cave canem motif), and a lararium shrine with earthquake reliefs. A marble pillar bears the inscription "GENIO L NOSTRI FELIX L" (dedicated by freedman Felix to Iucundus's genius).
Tablinum: Reception/study room with views to the peristyle, featuring Third Style frescoes (detailed below) and a marble herm pillar. It served as a business space for Iucundus's dealings.
Peristyle Garden: Colonnaded courtyard with porticoes, garden beds, and a fountain active during the eruption, evoking leisure and status.
Triclinium: Monumental dining room for private gatherings, emphasizing otium with erotic-themed decorations.
Thermal Bath Suite: Small private baths below ground level, a luxury for urban homes.
Basement/Cellar: Storage area where silverware (118 pieces) was found in a box.

Notable features include the lararium's earthquake bas-relief and water systems revealing social interdependencies.

Decorations and Art

Decorations primarily postdate the 62 CE earthquake, blending Third Style (architectural illusions) with mythological narratives to convey identity. The program contrasts public (atrium/tablinum: virtus, piety) and private (peristyle/triclinium: beauty, eros) spheres, drawing on Trojan War, Greek drama, and Roman literature.

Atrium: Black-and-white mosaic with dog; walls with frescoes now faded or removed.
Tablinum: Exquisite Third Style frescoes: North wall depicts Satyr and Nymph (west), Iphigenia in Tauris (central, MN 111439), Satyr embracing Maenad (east, MN 110590); south wall shows Satyr and Maenad (ends), possible Return of Hector's Corpse (central). Curtain motifs in panels evoke theater, symbolizing cultural sophistication.
Lararium: Marble reliefs of 62 CE earthquake damaging Pompeii's structures, including Temple of Jupiter (one stolen 1975, recovered 2023).
Peristyle: Garden scenes and erotic motifs reinforcing private happiness.

Artworks, now in Naples Museum, use costly pigments and themes to project status and memory.

Artifacts and Inscriptions

Key finds illuminate Iucundus's life:
Wax Tablets: 154 charred tablets (AD 52–62) from upper floor box, detailing auctions (e.g., Umbricia Ianuaria's 625 sestertii sale), rents, and commissions (1–4%), with witness lists revealing social order.
Bronze Bust: Portrait of Iucundus in atrium, dedicated by Felix.
Silverware: 118 pieces from cellar, now in Naples.
Amphora: Gift from Sextus to Quintus.
Inscriptions/Graffiti: "May those who love prosper..." (love theme); Quintus supporting Ceius Secundus for duumvir; electoral notices on facade.