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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 of Lucius Caecilius Jucundus (Casa di L. Cecilio Giocondo, V.1.26) is located in the northeastern part of Pompeii—specifically in Regio V, Insula 1, at entrance 26. Its façade faces Via del Vesuvio, near the decorated Via Stabiana. The neighborhood combined the homes of wealthy families with shops and offered proximity to the amphitheater and commercial districts. This location reflects the owner's status: Jucundus, a banker and auctioneer, conducted business directly from his home, serving the municipal treasury and his private clientele.
The house originated in the 2nd century BC as a typical Samnite atrium house, featuring a monumental façade of tuff blocks laid in *opus quadratum* and traces of First Style decoration. During the Imperial period, it was merged with the neighboring house (V.1.23) to form a spacious residence with a double atrium. The southern section served as the formal area, comprising the atrium, *tablinum*, and a peristyle with a garden and fountain. The northern section housed the service areas: the kitchen, latrine, and stables. Following the earthquakes of February 5, 62 AD, the house was remodeled and redecorated, first in the Third Style and later in the Fourth Style.
Lucius Caecilius Jucundus (born c. 9 AD) worked as an *argentarius* (banker/auctioneer); he acted as an intermediary at auctions, provided short-term loans to buyers, and collected taxes for the colony. His archive, consisting of 153 wax tablets, was discovered in 1875 inside a wooden chest located above the northern side of the peristyle. The two earliest tablets (dating to 15 and 27 AD) are unique and likely belonged to his father, Lucius Caecilius Felix. The remaining records cover the period roughly from AD 52 to January 62: 16 contracts with the city of Pompeii and 137 auction receipts (for land, slaves, livestock, textiles, and real estate). The total value reached 38,079 sesterces. The records break off just days before the earthquakes of AD 62, and Jucundus’s name does not appear in inscriptions from the 70s. He most likely perished then or shortly thereafter. His sons, Quintus and Sextus, kept the family name alive for a time; electoral graffiti supporting the candidate Ceius Secundus remained visible on the house's façade.
In the atrium, near the entrance, lies a mosaic featuring a pair of dogs (*cave canem*). To the left stands a *lararium* decorated with marble reliefs depicting the earthquakes of AD 62: the swaying Temple of Jupiter in the Forum and the destruction of the Vesuvius Gate along with the *Castellum Aquae* (water tower). These panels were likely votive offerings—either in gratitude or as an act of atonement—to the gods. Two herms stood before the table; one featured a bronze portrait of "our Lucius," dedicated by the freedman Felix to the *genius* of the family founder. The *tablinum* was renowned for its Third Style mythological frescoes (depicting a satyr and maenad, Iphigenia in Tauris, the body of Hector, and Theseus and Ariadne). Most of these frescoes are now housed in the National Archaeological Museum of Naples. Marble fountains and fragments of erotic wall paintings have survived in the peristyle. Water was initially supplied to the garden via a system that was later discontinued following the arrival of the municipal aqueduct.
Excavations were conducted in 1844 and 1875. Since the early 2000s, the Swedish "Pompeii Project" (involving Lund University and Stockholm University) has documented the entire Insula V.1, conducted stratigraphic studies of the peristyle, and created 3D models of the house. The finds—charred tablets, a functioning fountain, and abandoned equipment—capture a moment of sudden disruption just prior to the eruption of 79 AD.
The House of Jucundus offers a rare glimpse into the Roman urban economy: how mid-level banking operations combined private business with services for the colony, and how the family utilized mythology, the collective memory of the disaster of 62 AD, and ancestral portraits to shape their own identity. As part of the Pompeii archaeological park, the site is a UNESCO World Heritage location and remains a key source of insight into the everyday financial life of a thriving provincial Roman city.

Architecture and Layout

The house occupies a plot of approximately 400–500 square meters and follows a rectangular layout inspired by the classic Italic atrium house. The space is organized along a strict axis: from the street, a visitor enters a narrow corridor—the *fauces*—leading east into a Tuscan atrium, then into the *tablinum*, and finally into a peristyle garden surrounded by porticoes. This sequence reflects the Roman division of life into *negotium* (public business) and *otium* (leisure): the front of the house served to receive clients and display status, while the rear was reserved for family relaxation.
The façade is faced with tuff blocks, while the interior walls utilize *opus incertum*—an irregular stone masonry technique set in lime mortar. Following the earthquake of 62 AD, the floors in several rooms were raised, new decorative finishes were added, and—judging by the remains of staircases and beams—an upper story with additional rooms was constructed. The house features a small private bath complex (typically comprising an *apodyterium*, *tepidarium*, and *caldarium*) and a cellar used for retrieving amphorae of wine and oil.
The owner received guests and conducted business in the atrium and *tablinum*. The *tablinum* often remained open toward the atrium, allowing the eye to travel immediately to the *impluvium*, the *lararium*, and beyond—through a wide opening—to the greenery of the peristyle. A marble step leads from the *tablinum* to the western portico; this is not merely a passageway but a visual and symbolic threshold between the public and private zones. A monumental *triclinium* for dinner parties was located in the peristyle. The garden was adorned with a fountain, flowerbeds, and likely small statues. The system of drains and cisterns indicates that the house had access to the municipal water supply, although earlier layers suggest a reliance on rainwater prior to the arrival of the aqueduct.
A 3D reconstruction allows us to see the house as it appeared in August 79 AD: with vibrant Third and Fourth Style frescoes on the walls, wooden furniture, curtains in the doorways, plants in the peristyle, and the play of light streaming through the *compluvium*. The reconstruction also reveals the building's construction phases—from the original atrium-centered core to later modifications made after 62 AD—and helps visualize how the Pompeian elite combined practicality, hydraulic engineering, and theatricality in their daily lives.

Rooms and Notable Features

The House of Lucius Caecilius Jucundus (Casa di Lucio Cecilio Giocondo; Region V, Insula 1, Entrance 26) occupies a prominent position on Via del Vesuvio (often referred to as Via Stabia). It is a typical yet lavishly remodeled Roman house featuring two distinct axes: the public and the private. Originally, it was a large atrium-style house dating back to the 2nd century BC, constructed using the *opus quadratum* technique with Sarno limestone and decorative tuff elements. In the early 1st century AD, after passing to the family of the freedman Caecilius, the house underwent significant expansion and redesign through the incorporation of the adjacent house to the north (V.1.23). The result was a complex comprising approximately 15–20 rooms arranged around an atrium and a peristyle, designed to ensure light, ventilation, and clear social zoning—ranging from the ceremonial entrance for clients to secluded relaxation areas for the family and select guests.
Fauces (entrance corridor). A narrow passageway leads directly from Via Stabia into the atrium. Election graffiti have survived on the exterior pilasters and façade, including a message from Jucundus’s sons—Quintus and Sextus—supporting the *duumvir* candidate Ceius Secundus. The floor of the *fauces* is decorated with a black-and-white mosaic depicting a reclining dog. This is not the aggressive "cave canem" motif, but rather a dog stretched out calmly—a gentle, almost domestic image that sets the tone for the entire house.
Atrium. A central hall of the Tuscan type, featuring a rectangular *impluvium* for collecting rainwater. The floor surrounding the pool is paved with a geometric black-and-white mosaic, while the rest of the surface consists of *cocciopesto* inlaid with colored marble. In the northwest corner stands a marble *lararium* (household shrine), installed after the earthquake of 62 AD. Its upper section was adorned with two bas-reliefs depicting the destruction: one showed the damaged Temple of Jupiter in the Forum and the sacrifice of a bull, while the other depicted the collapse of the Porta Vesuvio and the *castellum aquae* (water tower). One relief was stolen in 1975; it was recovered in 2023 from a private home in Belgium and is being prepared for return. Between the *cubicula* (bedrooms) on the north side of the atrium, the base of a money chest (*arca*) remains—direct evidence of the owner’s profession as a banker. *Hermae* (busts on pillars) stood on either side of the entrance to the *tablinum*. One featured a bronze portrait of Lucius Caecilius, showing a distinctive wart on his cheek and the inscription "GENIO L(uci) NOSTRI FELIX L(ibertus)"—"To the Genius of our Lucius; Felix, the freedman." The portrait is now in the Naples Archaeological Museum.
The *Tablinum*. This served as the banker’s reception room and study, offering a direct view through the peristyle to the exedra at the far end. The floor features a mosaic with a central geometric emblem. The walls are decorated in the Third Style: originally, bright cinnabar panels set against an ochre background with floral ornamentation. The central paintings (many of which have been removed and are now in Naples) depict a satyr with a maenad, Iphigenia in Tauris, Eros with a maenad, and a scene featuring the body of Hector. This space served both as a business office and a display of status: through it, clients could see the owner framed against the backdrop of the garden and the distant *lararium*.
The Peristyle Garden. A colonnade (featuring Corinthian tuff columns) surrounds an inner garden complete with flowerbeds, a marble fountain basin, and water features that—judging by archaeological finds—were still operational at the time of the eruption. The southern wall bore a hunting scene and garden landscapes; erotic frescoes and depictions of large animals were also found here. The peristyle connected the public and private zones, embodying the concept of *otium*—the leisure enjoyed by a wealthy Roman.
Triclinium. A monumental dining room on the north side of the peristyle, designed for exclusive banquets. Surviving elements include medallions featuring female faces, a scene depicting the Judgment of Paris, and a painting of "Theseus Abandoning Ariadne" (now housed in the Naples Museum). The decor here shifts from themes of public *virtus* (virtue) to those of love, Venus, and Dionysus.
Cubicula, alae, and service rooms. Bedrooms and storerooms featuring mosaic floors and frescoes (some now lost, including a scene of Odysseus and Penelope) are arranged around the atrium. An enfilade of rooms, complete with a separate vestibule and columns, is situated on the east side of the peristyle. Supplies were kept in the basement and cellar; it was there, inside a chest, that a silver service set comprising 118 pieces was discovered. Small private baths on the lower level—a rare luxury for an urban home—completed the picture of comfort.
The house is notable not only for its layout but also for the way it intertwines family memory, civic history, and business life. A lararium commemorating the earthquake of 62 AD, herms depicting a freedman ancestor, an archive of 154 wax tablets (documenting transactions from 15–62 AD), and the water supply system all demonstrate how closely the banker’s private life was linked to the life of Pompeii as a whole.

Decorations and Art

The House of Lucius Caecilius Jucundus (V.1.26) in Pompeii. Decoration dating from after the earthquake of 62 AD.
The primary decorative scheme of the banker Lucius Caecilius Jucundus’s house was established after the earthquake of 62 AD. The walls combine the mature Third Style—featuring delicate architectural illusions, candelabra, garlands, and "carpet-like" panels—with mythological scenes. The owner deliberately contrasted the public and private zones of the house. The atrium and *tablinum* spoke of *virtus* (manly excellence), piety, and cultural sophistication, while the peristyle and *triclinium* evoked beauty, *Eros*, and domestic happiness. The imagery draws upon the Trojan cycle, the tragedies of Euripides, and the Roman literary tradition.

Atrium
The atrium floor features a black-and-white geometric mosaic pattern, with an *impluvium* at its center. Two *hermae* (busts on pillars) stood on either side of the entrance to the *tablinum*. A bronze head—likely depicting the owner's father or uncle—survives on the left, bearing a dedication from the freedman Felix: *GENIO LUCI NOSTRI FELIX LIBERTUS* ("To the *Genius* of our Lucius, from the freedman Felix"). The atrium's wall paintings have either faded significantly or were removed; originally, they complemented the formal atmosphere of the space through which the banker's clients passed to reach their host.

Tablinum
The *tablinum* is the room richest in paintings. The floor retains a geometric mosaic with a central *emblema* (central panel). The walls are executed in the Third Style, featuring an ochre background, once-vibrant cinnabar tones, and panels resembling drapery and theatrical curtains. The curtain motif underscored the theatricality and cultural aspirations of the owner.

North wall (to the right when entering from the atrium):
west panel – satyr and nymph; Central scene – "Iphigenia in Tauris" (Naples, MAN 111439): Iphigenia, in the role of a priestess of Artemis, meets Orestes and Pylades outside the temple. Euripides’ narrative linked the house to the cult of Artemis, Sparta, and the aftermath of the Trojan War;
Eastern panel – a satyr embracing a maenad (MAN 110590). The scene is softened by the classicizing style of the Third Style: eroticism is present, yet devoid of raw Bacchic frenzy.

South wall:
At the edges – a satyr and maenad appear again;
In the center – a poorly preserved composition, usually interpreted as the return of Hector’s body or a scene featuring Hecuba before the walls of Troy.

Small side panels depicting Bacchic couples framed the main mythological paintings, creating a rhythm familiar to theater-goers.

Lararium
The atrium housed a lararium featuring two marble reliefs that depict the earthquake of 62 AD. Visible on the slabs are the collapsing city gates, the water tower, and the Temple of Jupiter in the Forum. These are among the very few depictions of the catastrophe created contemporaneously with the event itself. One relief was stolen on July 14, 1975, and spent nearly half a century in a private home in Herzele, Belgium; it was identified and repatriated in 2023. The second relief remained in situ. Together, they served both as a votive monument and as a reminder that the house had survived the disaster and undergone redecoration.

Peristyle and private rooms
The peristyle—featuring a colonnade, a marble fountain basin, and a garden—continued the theme of domestic well-being. Garden motifs, erotic scenes, and imagery associated with Dionysus predominated here. The triclinium retained medallions featuring female faces, the Judgment of Paris, and a composition depicting Theseus abandoning Ariadne. These themes emphasized beauty, love, and drama—elements suited not for business clients, but for family and close guests.

Significance of the Decorative Program
The use of expensive pigments, precise copies of famous paintings, and a carefully orchestrated transition from public to private space served to bolster the banker’s status. A guest would first encounter displays of piety, *virtus*, and classical learning, followed by the promise of beauty and pleasure. Many panels were removed and are now housed in the National Archaeological Museum of Naples. Empty rectangular outlines and faded fragments remain on the walls, yet they still reveal the owner’s vision: to transform his home into a small theater of memory where Roman daily life met Greek myth.

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.