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House of Cornelius Rufus, Pompeii

Address: Regio VIII, Insula 4
Area: 868 square meters
Rooms: 18

The House of Cornelius Rufus, also known as Domus Cornelia or the House of the Cornelii, is a well-preserved ancient Roman residence in Pompeii, exemplifying a typical elite domus from the Imperial period. Located in Regio VIII, Insula 4, at entrance 15 (VIII.4.15), it opens onto Via dell’Abbondanza, directly across from the Stabian Baths and near Via Stabiana. The house spans a regular layout typical of Pompeian homes, with an estimated area adapted from aggregating smaller structures over time. It was buried during the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD and excavated in multiple phases: initially in 1766, then more extensively between 1855-1856, 1861-1863, and finally in 1893. The name derives from a marble herm (portrait bust) of the owner, inscribed "C. Cornelio Rufo" (Caius Cornelius Rufus), discovered in the tablinum area, suggesting he was a prominent local figure, possibly involved in politics or trade, given the house's location on a major thoroughfare. Electoral inscriptions found nearby in 1853, painted in red and black on pilasters, endorse candidates like Marcus Holconius Priscus for duumvir and Lucius Ceius Secundus for aedile, indicating the house's role in local civic life. The residence reflects middle-class affluence, enriched post-aqueduct introduction (around the Augustan era), with features like a fountain, and it served as a notable landmark in the 19th century for its sculptural ornaments.

Architecture and Layout

The house follows a standard Roman domus plan but with adaptations for its urban setting. The entrance (fauces) on Via dell’Abbondanza is modest, with remains of plaster on the east wall and a decorated floor featuring a white marble door fitting. It leads into a central atrium (Room 1), a square open space with a marble impluvium (rainwater basin) at its center, designed to collect water from the compluvium (roof opening). The impluvium, edged with a mosaic surround (visible in pre-20th-century photos but now partially lost), included a fountain activated by a bronze key, a luxury feature post-aqueduct. Flanking the atrium are smaller rooms: on the west side, Rooms 8, 9, and 10 (likely cubicula or storage); Room 7, a small cupboard-like space; and Room 18, a cubiculum with an intricate opus sectile floor of interlocking colored marble pieces forming geometric patterns.
South of the atrium lies the tablinum (Room 6), a reception area with views toward the peristyle, serving as the owner's study or meeting space. The rear features a peristylium (colonnaded garden courtyard) with Doric columns, providing an open-air extension for leisure. The layout emphasizes axial views from the entrance through the atrium and tablinum to the garden, enhancing the sense of depth and grandeur. The house's design integrates functionality with aesthetics, including elevated table supports in the atrium for display or dining.

Decorations and Frescoes

Decorations in the House of Cornelius Rufus blend functionality with artistic expression, though many have faded or been removed to museums. The atrium featured ornate marble table supports (trapezophoroi) with carved griffins and feline-paw feet, one of which was intricately detailed with animal motifs; these are now in the Naples Archaeological Museum, known only from 19th-century paintings and photos. The tablinum's east and west walls once held large frescoes in the Third Pompeian Style, depicting local myths: one showed the river god Sarnus with nymphs, a woman with a rudder beside a hydria (water jar), another female figure, and a brown male with an ivy crown; the background included faint images of three women. These paintings, nearly vanished by excavation, were documented in 1868 copies by Helbig.
The cubiculum (Room 18) stands out for its opus sectile floor, a rare mosaic technique using shaped marble inlays for rosettes and geometric designs. Plaster remnants in the entrance fauces and atrium walls suggest original vibrant colors, though much has deteriorated. The peristyle garden likely included planted areas, contributing to a serene atmosphere. Overall, the decorations reflect eclectic Roman tastes, with influences from Greek sculpture and local Campanian themes.

Artifacts and Notable Features

Key artifacts include the marble herm of Caius Cornelius Rufus, originally placed at the tablinum's entrance for ancestral veneration, now in the Antiquarium of Pompeii. This bust, inscribed with his name, provides direct evidence of ownership. The atrium's table supports, now in Naples, were among the most comprehensive sculptural ornaments known at the time, later moved to the Forum Granary for display. A bronze key for the impluvium fountain highlights hydraulic innovations. Historical documentation includes watercolors by Luigi Bazzani (1913), paintings by G. Gigante (pre-1862) and Alfred-Nicolas Normand (c.1849), and photos from Giorgio Sommer (c.1870), capturing the house's state post-excavation. Graffiti and inscriptions, including those from the Ancient Graffiti Project, add to the site's epigraphic richness.

Significance

As one of Pompeii's notable residences, the House of Cornelius Rufus offers insights into middle-class Roman life, urban planning, and post-aqueduct luxuries. Its preservation allows study of domestic architecture, mythology in art, and social status through artifacts like the owner's bust. Today, it attracts visitors for its intact layout and historical documentation, contributing to UNESCO-listed Pompeii's narrative of daily life before 79 AD. The house's excavations influenced 19th-century archaeology, with its features documented in albums and postcards, preserving a visual record of erosion over time.