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House of M. Obellius Firmus

Address: Regio IX, Insula 14
Area: 1950 square meters
Rooms: +35

House of M. Obellius Firmus stands on the south side of the Via di Nola road, also known as the House of the Count of Turin. The house was first excavated in 1910. It derives its name from election labels found on the walls of the building and inside the house itself. The grave of the owner is most likely located not far from the Nola Gate in the Necropolis. The house has two main entrances: (a) and (f) in the accompanying plan. Two additional entrances led to a side street to the west. Like many other houses in Pompeii, the House of M. Obellius Firmus consists of two houses that were joined into one. Thus everything is duplicated in the overall layout.

The larger of the entrances (a) opens into a four-sided atrium (b) (living room) with central pool. This large atrium has a cubic shape. In the atrium there was a marble table, a drawer, a fountain with satire, and in its northwestern corner a temple larium (d), small house altar dedicated to the spirit- guardians of the house.

The area of ​​the atrium suffered significant damage, but two rooms on the east side retained part of their interior. Both rooms are equally decorated, but the central room (s) is better preserved. The decoration consists of white panels framed in red on a white background above the bottom red frieze. Top of the walls are covered by hanging garlands and medallions in the central panel of the east wall.

Three staircases, one from each atrium and one in the peristyle (garden), led to the upper floor. This second floor covered almost the entire area of ​​the first floor and had a number of windows facing the garden.

Roman Iron chest. He was pretty damaged, of course, but the beauty of the decoration is still impressive to this day.

The peristal or inner garden also belonged to two separate buildings and were joined together by the new owner, who bought both houses.