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House of Marcus Lucretius, Pompeii

The House of Marcus Lucretius (Italian: Casa di Marco Lucrezio), also known as the House of the Female Musicians (Casa delle Suonatrici), is a sprawling Roman residence in Pompeii located at Regio IX, Insula 3, with primary entrances at numbers 5 and 24 along Via Stabiana. Covering over 600 square meters and encompassing more than 30 rooms on the ground floor alone (with the second story not surviving the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 CE), it represents one of the larger and more opulent homes in the city, occupying about one-fourth of its insula. The house's irregular and uniquely structured layout results from the merger of two earlier, independent homes—one at IX.3.5 and the other at IX.3.24—creating a multi-level design with interconnected spaces for living, entertaining, and service functions. Archaeologists tentatively attribute ownership to Marcus Lucretius, possibly a priest of Mars and a member of Pompeii's city council, based on a still-life fresco depicting writing implements and a letter addressed to "M. Lucretio." Excavated primarily in 1846 and 1851, with additional work in the 19th and 20th centuries, the house was likely under repair at the time of the eruption, as evidenced by unfinished elements like the impluvium in the atrium. Its preservation provides a vivid snapshot of elite Roman domestic life, emphasizing themes of hospitality, moral caution (particularly regarding wine's influence), and aesthetic sophistication through art and architecture.

Architecture and Layout

The house's design deviates from the standard Pompeian domus due to its merger origins, resulting in two atria, multiple levels connected by stairs, and a blend of public, private, and service zones. Visitors entered through the main doorway at IX.3.5 on Via Stabiana, ascending two steps into the fauces (entrance corridor), a narrow passage with a mosaic floor that funneled guests eastward toward the heart of the home. To the north of the fauces lies a small room with stairs leading to the upper floor, which would have included additional bedrooms or storage.
The central atrium, a large open courtyard with a white mosaic pavement, served as the house's focal point for light, air, and rainwater collection via a roof opening that fed into the impluvium (a shallow basin). This space doubled as a waiting area for clients, a work zone, and a passageway to surrounding rooms, including several cubicula (bedrooms) flanking its sides for family privacy. At the atrium's rear, two ala (open wings or reception alcoves) frame the tablinum, the owner's study or formal reception room, which opens eastward to provide a dramatic view of the raised garden beyond.
South of the tablinum is a prominent triclinium (dining room), designed for entertaining with views into the garden through large windows. The house's service quarters, integrated from the merged IX.3.24 section, include a kitchen with a cooking counter, oven, water reservoir, and adjacent latrine; storage rooms; and a secondary atrium with its own bedrooms and corridors. This secondary entrance at IX.3.24, originally an independent smaller house, was repurposed for staff and possibly carriages, with a corridor linking it to the main garden area. Additional features include an exedra (semicircular recess), multiple corridors for circulation, and basement storage, highlighting the house's functional complexity.

Decorations and Paintings

The House of Marcus Lucretius is celebrated for its refined Fourth Style wall paintings, characterized by intricate architectural illusions, mythological scenes, and vibrant colors, many of which were detached and transferred to the Naples Archaeological Museum for preservation. In the fauces, the south wall features remnants of a fresco depicting female musicians—flute players and cymbalists—lending the house its alternate name, while the north wall shows Ceres, the goddess of agriculture, in a theatrical-style scene. The atrium's lower walls imitate multicolored marbles, with upper zones in blue adorned by grotesques (fantastical motifs) and surmounted by a gilt stucco frieze, fragments of which were found during excavation.
The triclinium boasts some of the most elaborate artwork, including a large central fresco on the east wall (approximately 203 cm high by 163 cm wide) portraying Hercules and Omphale: a drunken Hercules, crowned with grape leaves, swaps clothes with the Lydian queen amid a Bacchic feast, with erotes (cupid-like figures) and revelers emphasizing wine's transformative power—even over the mightiest hero. This scene, positioned to greet diners, subtly conveys the owner's values of gracious hosting tempered by warnings against excess. On the north wall, a smaller panel depicts a concert of psyches (winged female soul figures) at leisure, surrounded by festive erotes. Other notable paintings include a still-life with writing tools and the inscribed letter to M. Lucretio, cupids, imaginary architectural elements, and a large depiction of Bacchus. Bedrooms around the atrium contained high-quality frescoes, now in museums, with documentation from 19th-century artists like Giuseppe Abbate and Michele Mastracchio capturing their original vibrancy.

The Garden

One of the house's most enchanting features is its raised viridarium (garden), elevated above the main level and strategically aligned with the entrance, tablinum, and triclinium for a striking visual axis that impressed visitors upon entry. This lush space, accessible via steps, includes niches, fountains, and a central marble fountain where water cascaded from a statue of a silenus (a companion of Dionysus). The garden was adorned with statues—now mostly reproductions on-site—of Dionysus, satyrs, animals, and other figures, creating a serene, Bacchic-themed oasis that blended nature with art. Adjacent rooms, such as a private exedra or additional triclinium, opened onto the garden, allowing for outdoor dining or contemplation.

Historical Context and Significance

Built and modified in the 1st century CE, the house exemplifies how wealthy Pompeians expanded their properties by absorbing neighboring structures, adapting them into cohesive estates. The merger likely occurred before the eruption, with IX.3.24 transitioning from a standalone dwelling to a service wing, complete with evidence of carriages. Artifacts like gilt stucco fragments and detached paintings, documented in works by scholars such as Fiorelli (1862) and Helbig (1868), underscore its luxury. Thematically, the decorations project the owner's cultured persona—valuing literature (via the letter fresco), mythology, and moral lessons—while reflecting broader Roman ideals of otium (leisure) and negotium (business). Today, the site offers invaluable insights into Pompeian society, with ongoing digital reconstructions aiding in visualizing its original splendor.