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House of Cornelius Rufus

Address: Insula 4
Area: 868 square meters
Rooms: 18

The House of Cornelius Rufus, also known as Domus Cornelia, is located on Via del Abbandance opposite Stabian Baths of Pompeii. The Cornelius Rufus House was first excavated in 1855 and again in 1861 and 1893. The property belonged to the genus or family of Cornelius, dating back to the time of Sulla. The first archaeologists found a bust of Cornelius Rufus in the atrium of a house near a small pool. Apparently the last owners of the house were the descendants of Cornelius or belonged to his family.

The House of Cornelius Rufus itself has a typical atrium (living room) layout - a tablin (master bedroom) - a peristal (a courtyard with a garden). The entrance opens from the south side of Via delle Abbondanza, near its intersection with Via Stabiana. The walls of the corridor (a) retain some remnants of plaster, but what remains is too dim to give a clear description of its decoration. The corridor leads directly to the central rectangular atrium-lounge (b) complete with a central imluvium-pool, in which there once was a small fountain. Cornelius Rufus' house is generally in poor condition with few remaining decorations. An early photograph on the left shows the atrium, as it looked around 1870. By comparing this photo to a later photo, you can get some idea of ​​the loss of the fresco decoration of this house. The erosion and destruction of Pompeii is generally a serious problem. In view of the fact that there is not enough money for the preservation of open buildings, further archaeological excavations have been stopped. It does not make sense to tear off new mansions if they start collapsing at once.

In the old photograph, on the left side of the bedroom table, stands the marble herm of Cornelius Rufus, but it was removed. In addition, on the opposite side of the implium are a pair of marble tables, carved in the form of a griffin legs. They are now on display at the National Archaeological Museum in Naples. In the northwestern corner of the atrium is a small room (c) with a staircase leading to the upper floor. The second floor was not preserved, but in antiquity there were the private quarters of the family owner. On the southern wall of the room there is an arched niche on the exposed wall. In the center of the south side of the atrium is a tablin (d) or bedroom. This room has lost all its fresco decorations, and the walls, especially the east wall, are in very poor condition. Tablin is open to the atrium across the width and has a wide doorway on its southern wall, opening to the north, to the peristyle (f) or to the inner courtyard with a garden.