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House of Fortuna, Pompeii

Address: Regio IX, Insula 7
Area: 555 square meters. meters
Rooms: +18

The House of Fortuna, also known as Casa della Fortuna, Casa degli Archi (House of the Arches), or House of the Fortunata, is a modest yet elegantly appointed Roman domus in Pompeii, reflecting the domestic life of a mid-tier family possibly involved in local commerce. Located at IX.7.20, it features a distinctive arched portico and a peristyle garden, with decorations emphasizing household cults, including veneration of Fortuna (the goddess of fortune). The house's name derives from graffiti and artifacts linking it to a resident named Fortunata and the cult of Fortuna, symbolized by statuettes and inscriptions. Excavated in 1879, it was preserved by the 79 CE eruption of Vesuvius, offering insights into Pompeian architecture, religion, and epigraphy. Though not as grand as elite villas, its lararium paintings and bronze finds highlight personal piety and daily routines in the late Imperial period.

Location and Historical Context

Situated in Regio IX, Insula 7, entrance 20, the House of Fortuna fronts onto Vicolo di Tesmo, a narrow alley in Pompeii's eastern residential quarter, away from the bustling Forum but connected to the city's grid. This location placed it in a mixed neighborhood of homes and small businesses, typical for Pompeii's urban middle class. The structure dates to the late Republican or early Imperial era, with renovations likely after the 62 CE earthquake, as evidenced by its Fourth Style elements in some decorations. Excavated in 1879 under Italian archaeologists, the house yielded epigraphic evidence tying it to D. Caprasius Felix (or Felici) and his consort Fortunata, based on a wine amphora addressed to him (CIL IV 5650 a and b) and a graffito saluting them (Successus Felici salutem et Fortunatae, CIL IV 5373). A nearby graffito invoking Fortuna (CIL IV 5371) near the lararium suggests the household's devotion to the goddess, fitting for a "Fortunata" (fortunate one), possibly indicating prosperity from trade like wine. The house's history reflects broader Pompeian trends: adaptation to seismic events and integration of personal cults into domestic spaces.

Architecture and Layout

The House of Fortuna follows a typical Pompeian domus plan on a compact scale, spanning about 200-300 square meters, with an emphasis on internal light and privacy. The entrance fauces (corridor) leads eastward to an atrium, which opens onto a peristyle garden enclosed by porticoes on the north, west, and east sides. A standout feature is the arched portico on the east side, supported by fifteen columns at the time of eruption, with two additional columns at the atrium's rear framing the entrance to the portico. Construction uses opus incertum (irregular stone) walls plastered for refinement, with a rectangular niche in the atrium featuring a stucco aedicula (shrine-like) facade. Exterior walls along Vicolo di Tesmo include niches at various levels, one at pavement height, enhancing street-facing aesthetics. The layout prioritizes flow from public (atrium) to private (peristyle rooms), with upper-floor evidence suggested by beam holes, though not excavated. Drainage and puteals (well covers) indicate practical water management, aligning with urban necessities.

Rooms and Notable Features

The house comprises about 8-10 rooms, blending functional and representational spaces around the atrium and peristyle:

Fauces (Entrance Corridor): Narrow passage from the street, leading east to the atrium, with views southward into adjacent rooms.
Atrium: Central hall with a rectangular niche on the north wall housing the lararium, complete with stucco facade. It provides access to the peristyle and features a puteal under the north portico for water access.
Peristyle Garden: Enclosed green space with porticoes, offering ventilation and a serene focal point. The east portico's arches add architectural interest.
Room K: A southern room visible from the atrium, possibly a cubiculum (bedroom) or service area, with limited preserved details.

Notable features include the exterior lararium on Vicolo di Tesmo, opposite nearby doorways, serving as a public-facing shrine, and embedded masks in shared walls with neighboring houses (e.g., IX.7.21), possibly for decorative or apotropaic purposes.

Decorations and Art

Decorations mix Third and Fourth Pompeian Styles, with vivid lararium paintings emphasizing religious themes:

Exterior Lararium (on Vicolo di Tesmo): A large fresco (1.47m upper, 4.12m lower) in fresh colors: Upper section depicts two Lares flanking a Genius with cornucopia and patera over a flaming altar, accompanied by a tibicen (flute player), garlands, and busts of Luna (moon) and Sol (sun). Lower section shows a tall altar with three Medusa heads and two serpents approaching offerings, symbolizing protection and abundance.
Atrium Niche: Stucco aedicula facade, housing bronze statuettes (see Artifacts).
Exterior Walls: Painted plaster remnants with niches, including upper and lower ones along the vicolo, adding to the facade's visual appeal.

These artworks blend illusionism with symbolism, focusing on household gods and fortune, typical of Pompeian piety.

Artifacts and Inscriptions

Excavations uncovered items linking the house to commerce and cult:

Bronze Statuettes: Three small figures in the atrium lararium: Fortuna flanked by two Lares, underscoring the fortune cult.
Bronze Fountain Figure: Cupid holding a dolphin (0.56m high, inventory 111701), found near the atrium and peristyle northwest corner; now at Naples Archaeological Museum.
Bronze Lamp: Shaped like a human foot in elegant silver-decorated shoes, hung above the lararium.
Amphora: Wine vessel addressed to D. Caprasius Felix (CIL IV 5650 a and b), indicating ownership or trade.
Graffiti: Salute to Felix and Fortunata (CIL IV 5373); invocation of Fortuna near lararium (CIL IV 5371), reinforcing the house's thematic name.

These finds highlight the residents' status and religious focus.

Conclusion

The House of Fortuna exemplifies Pompeian domesticity for a prosperous yet unpretentious family, with its arched architecture, vibrant lararia, and fortune-themed artifacts providing a snapshot of personal devotion amid urban life. Its preservation enriches our understanding of Roman household cults and social ties, as documented in epigraphic and archaeological records.

The staircase that led to the servants' rooms, where the kitchen was located (to the right)

A white marble bust (pictured right) was found in the atrium. The bust, possibly Io (priestess of the goddess Hera), initially stood in the peristal-inner garden, but a volcanic wave carried it off.