Address: Insula 2
Area: 711 square meters
Rooms: 19
The House of Gavius Rufus (Casa di M. Gavius Rufus or Casa di Gavio Rufo), also widely known as the Casa di Teseo (House of Theseus) and the Casa dei Sette Scheletri (House of the Seven Skeletons), is a well-documented ancient Roman domus at Pompeii’s Regio VII, Insula 2, no. 16 (VII.2.16). It sits on the narrow Vicolo del Panettiere (Baker’s Alley), linking Vicolo Storto and Via Stabiana in a densely built residential quarter. Spanning roughly 711 square meters with about 19 rooms, it represents a solid upper-middle-class urban residence from the late Roman Republic through the early Imperial period, with evidence of ongoing use and renovation right up to the catastrophic eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD.
Ownership and Political Context
The house takes its modern name
from two red-plastered inscriptions flanking the main entrance: “M.
GAVI. DOMVS” on the left and “RVFII VA(le)” (likely “Rufi vale” or
similar, CIL IV 2319f) on the right. Giuseppe Fiorelli, the pioneering
excavator and superintendent of Pompeii in the 1860s, interpreted these
as clear proof that the property belonged to Marcus (or M.) Gavius
Rufus, a local duumvir (one of the two chief magistrates who
administered justice and city affairs). Supporting electoral graffiti
elsewhere in Pompeii show a Caius/Gaius Gavius Rufus as a candidate for
duumvir iure dicundo (often paired with figures like Marcus Holconius
Priscus or others), indicating he was part of Pompeii’s political elite
in the decades before 79 AD. Additional graffiti on a column mention a
vestiarius (cloth-seller or tailor) named M. Vecilius Verecundus (CIL IV
3130), and some erotic or casual inscriptions appear on exterior
walls—typical of Pompeian street life.
Scholar Matteo Della Corte
later challenged Fiorelli’s attribution in his influential 1965 book
Case ed Abitanti di Pompei, arguing the doorway texts could be electoral
propaganda rather than definitive ownership markers and that the true
owner should remain anonymous. Despite this academic debate, the name
“House of Gavius Rufus” (or variants) persists in archaeological
literature, guidebooks, and museum labels. The gens Gavia was a locally
prominent family, and the house almost certainly belonged to a
politically active, wealthy citizen who participated in the competitive
civic life of a Roman colony.
Construction, Renovations, and
Architecture
The core structure dates to the late Republic or early
Imperial era (roughly late 2nd–1st century BC), with clear evidence of
Augustan-period restorations and later 1st-century AD updates.
Wall-painting styles (Second, Third, and Fourth Pompeian) confirm
multiple renovation phases. Like most Pompeian domus, it centers on an
atrium and peristyle (colonnaded garden courtyard) for both family
privacy and social display.
Key layout features include:
A
south-facing façade with a simple but elegant entrance framed by cubic
tufa capitals.
Narrow fauces (entrance corridor) leading to a modest
atrium with a marble impluvium (rainwater basin) and mosaic flooring
remnants.
Off the fauces: a porter’s room and adjacent stables for
servants and animals.
The peristyle garden as the true heart of the
house—an east-porticoed courtyard with light, air, and greenery. Most
living rooms open onto it rather than the atrium.
Rooms include
multiple cubicula (bedrooms), oeci (reception/dining halls), a kitchen
with a wall niche, storerooms, corridors, and a prominent semi-enclosed
exedra (large recessed alcove) on the south side of the peristyle—ideal
for entertaining or display.
Floors feature geometric mosaics,
cocciopesto pavements with white tesserae patterns, and occasional
central emblemata.
Service areas cluster in the southeast corner.
An upper floor once existed but collapsed during or after the eruption;
the ground floor survived relatively intact.
Artistic Decorations
and Finds
The house was richly decorated with frescoes in the Second
(illusionistic architecture), Third (elegant, delicate panels), and
Fourth (more theatrical and crowded) Pompeian Styles. Many were detached
after excavation and now reside in the National Archaeological Museum of
Naples (MANN). Mythological and garden themes dominate, reflecting the
owner’s cultural tastes.
Standout artworks (all from the exedra
unless noted):
The famous Fourth-Style panel of Theseus honored
by the Athenians after slaying the Minotaur (MANN inv. 9043): Theseus
stands triumphant while the dead monster lies at his feet and grateful
citizens surround him. This masterpiece gives the house its “Casa di
Teseo” nickname.
Wedding of Pirithous and Hippodamia (with centaurs
in attendance, foreshadowing the Lapith-Centaur battle; MANN inv. 9044).
Contest between Venus and Hesperus, judged by Apollo.
Depictions of
the Muses (Calliope/Clio painting a Satyr; Erato; Urania).
Other
rooms preserve scenes of Zeus and Danaë (golden rain), Lycurgus
persecuting Dionysus and a maenad, plus garden frescoes in open areas.
Bronze statuettes or lararium (household shrine) items of Apollo,
Minerva, and Fortuna (goddess of fortune) were recovered, underscoring
the owner’s wealth and piety. Some small finds like jewelry are also
noted in certain accounts.
The 79 AD Eruption and Human Tragedy
During the Vesuvian eruption, at least seven people died inside the
house. On 12 March 1868, excavators found their skeletons clustered in a
room to the left of the atrium—possibly a storeroom where they had taken
shelter. Fiorelli’s plaster-casting technique captured one victim
(sometimes called the “Fifth Victim”) in dramatic detail: a man lying
face-down with arms raised, his facial expression conveying terror (the
skull and left leg were partially exposed by lapilli). The other six
left poorer impressions. While many Pompeians evidently fled in time,
these seven did not escape. The upper floor collapsed, but the
ground-floor layout and decorations were largely preserved under the
ash.
Excavation and Modern Legacy
The house was systematically
uncovered in 1867 during Fiorelli’s era of scientific excavation. Many
frescoes were removed for preservation, leaving recesses in the walls.
Today the site is open to visitors within the Pompeii Archaeological
Park, though it is less frequently highlighted than larger or more
lavishly restored houses. Its combination of political inscriptions,
high-quality mythological paintings, and poignant human remains makes it
an important case study of elite Pompeian domestic life, civic ambition,
and the sudden catastrophe of 79 AD.
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The house follows a classic Pompeian domus design, centered around an
atrium and peristyle (colonnaded garden courtyard), with rooms arranged
for both daily living and social display. The facade, facing south onto
Vicolo dei Panettieri, retains traces of red plaster and features a
simple yet elegant entrance (labeled as "a" in some plans). This
vestibule or hallway leads inward but has suffered weathering, losing
much of its original plaster decoration.
Entrance and Atrium
Area: A narrow door on the east side of the entrance hallway opens to a
porter's room (b) and adjacent stables (c), highlighting the house's
practical provisions for servants and animals. This connects to a small
atrium (d), the central living space, with a marble impluvium (basin) at
its core to collect rainwater. The atrium's walls show only faded
plaster fragments, and a small room (e) in the northwestern corner may
have served as a storage or utility space. Most rooms open onto the
internal garden rather than directly into the atrium, emphasizing the
peristyle's role as the house's focal point.
Peristyle and Garden:
Accessible via a wide southern doorway from the atrium, the peristyle is
a colonnaded courtyard garden that served as the heart of the home for
relaxation and entertaining. It features an east portico with access to
various cubicula (bedrooms) and other chambers. A small unroofed area
(room 15) on the south side has low walls with remaining stucco, and its
walls bear garden-themed paintings, evoking an outdoor ambiance. The
peristyle's design allowed for light, air, and greenery, typical of
affluent Pompeian homes.
Reception and Private Rooms: In the
northeastern corner of the peristyle lies a large room (h), better
preserved than the atrium, possibly an oecus (reception room) with
doorways connecting back to the atrium. Along the east portico are
several cubicula (rooms 5, 7) and an oecus (room 8), increasing in size
from north to south. Room 5 connects to a small space (room 6),
potentially a staircase to the lost upper floor, with remnants of wall
plaster. Cubiculum 7 features a floor mosaic near its doorway. Oecus 8,
spacious and elegant, includes a white mosaic floor with tesserae
remnants and connects to a biclinium (dining room, room 9). Another
oecus (room 10) has cocciopesto flooring patterned with white tesserae
and an emblema (central mosaic panel) in a bordered circle.
Service
Areas: The southeast corner houses service spaces, including a kitchen
(j) with a niche in the west wall, a corridor (room 12) leading to it,
and a storeroom (room 14). An adjacent roofless area (k) features
fragmentary garden frescoes. A vestibule corridor (room 11) connects
these to the main areas.
Exedra: Centrally located on the peristyle's
south side is a large semi-enclosed exedra (l), a recessed alcove for
gatherings or display. This rectangular space is one of the house's
highlights, with mythological scenes dominating each wall.
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The house's interiors showcase a mix of Pompeian wall-painting
styles, with many rooms in poor condition but retaining vivid
elements. Frescoes often depict mythological themes, illusions, and
gardens, while floors feature geometric mosaics.
Frescoes: In
oecus 8, the north wall portrays the myth of Lycurgus persecuting
Dionysus (Bacchus) and a maenad, with expressive figures and a
billowing cloak; the south wall shows Lycurgus with a bacchante.
Room h features alternating red and yellow panels on a white ground
above a black frieze. The exedra (l) is in the Third Style, with red
and yellow panels, architectural motifs, and central mythological
panels above a black frieze. A standout Fourth Style fresco from the
peristyle exedra depicts Theseus honored by Athenians after slaying
the Minotaur, with details of awestruck citizens; the original is
now in the Naples Archaeological Museum. Room 10's east wall has a
painted face mask, and room 15's walls show garden scenes. Eastern
rooms like (i) are in the Second Style, with illusory columns on a
dark red background.
Mosaics: Floors include white tesserae in
oecus 8, cocciopesto with patterns in room 10, and geometric designs
with white marble inlays in room (i). A mosaic pavement from an
unidentified cubiculum features detailed patterns.
Excavations uncovered bronze statues of Apollo, Minerva, and the goddess of fortune (Fortuna), underscoring the owner's wealth and cultural tastes. The seven skeletons, found clustered (possibly in a storeroom or blocked area), provide poignant evidence of the eruption's victims. No other major artifacts like silverware or jewelry are specifically noted, but the preserved frescoes and mosaics are key highlights, many now housed in museums. The house's survival offers insights into middle-to-upper-class Pompeian life, blending functionality with artistic sophistication.
