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House of the Vettii, Pompeii

Location: Regio VI

Insula 15

Area: 1167 square meters

Rooms: 18

The House of the Vettii, known in Latin as Casa dei Vettii or Domus Vettiorum, is one of the most opulent and well-preserved Roman townhouses (domus) in the ancient city of Pompeii, Italy. Located in Regio VI, Insula 15, entrance 1, it spans approximately 1,100 square meters (about 12,000 square feet) and occupies the entire southern section of its urban block, making it one of the largest homes in the city. Buried under volcanic ash and pumice during the catastrophic eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 CE, the house was remarkably preserved, offering invaluable insights into Roman domestic life, art, and social dynamics on the eve of the disaster. Its excavations from late 1894 to early 1896 revealed nearly intact wall frescoes, sculptures, and architectural features, all dating primarily to the period after the earthquake of 62 CE, when much of Pompeii was rebuilt in the elaborate Fourth Style of Roman painting.

The house's name derives from its last owners, Aulus Vettius Restitutus and Aulus Vettius Conviva, two brothers who were formerly enslaved but rose to wealth as successful wine merchants—a testament to social mobility in the Roman world. Their freedman status is inferred from seal rings found in the atrium bearing their names, as well as electoral graffiti outside the house supporting Conviva's candidacy for a local magistracy (augur). This backstory adds a layer of narrative to the site: the Vettii brothers used their home as a bold display of newfound prosperity, blending traditional Roman elements with flamboyant, sometimes risqué decorations that some historians interpret as reflecting their "low-brow" tastes compared to elite-born Romans. The absence of a traditional tablinum (a reception room for business and clients) is notable, possibly because freedmen like the Vettii didn't require such a space for patron-client rituals, allowing for a more open and luxurious layout focused on leisure and display.
Architecturally, the House of the Vettii follows the classic Roman domus plan but with distinctive adaptations. Visitors enter through the fauces, a narrow vestibule flanked by shops (tabernae) that the owners likely rented out for income—one on each side of the entrance. This leads directly into the spacious atrium, the central hall open to the sky via a compluvium (roof opening) that collected rainwater into an impluvium basin below. The atrium served as the house's social hub, adorned with frescoes and housing lararia (household shrines) for the family's protective deities. Branching off are cubicula (small bedrooms or private rooms) with simple yet elegant decorations, and alae (open alcoves) that provided additional space for storage or display. Beyond the atrium lies the grand peristyle, a colonnaded garden courtyard that forms the heart of the home, surrounded by reception rooms like triclinia (dining rooms) for banquets and oeci (larger reception halls) for entertaining guests. A secondary service area, including a kitchen, latrine, and servants' quarters, is tucked away to the east, complete with its own smaller atrium and peristyle, highlighting the separation of public opulence from domestic functionality.
The frescoes are among the house's most celebrated features, executed in the Pompeiian Fourth Style, which emphasizes illusionistic architecture, intricate borders, and fantastical motifs on vibrant red, black, and yellow backgrounds. In the atrium, a striking fresco of Priapus, the fertility god, depicts him weighing his enormous phallus on a scale against a sack of coins—a bold, erotic symbol of prosperity and protection against the evil eye, placed prominently to greet visitors. The triclinia feature mythological panels: one room shows scenes like the infant Hercules strangling serpents and Pentheus torn apart by maenads, while another depicts Cyparissus transforming into a cypress tree and Dirce's punishment. Playful friezes of Cupids (erotes) engaged in various trades—like winemaking, perfumery, and chariot racing—adorn multiple rooms, possibly alluding to the owners' commercial interests and adding a whimsical touch. These artworks not only showcase high artistic skill but also reflect themes of wealth, fertility, and social aspiration, with some scholars noting their "gaudy" or theatrical quality as a freedman's exuberant expression of success.

The peristyle garden exemplifies Roman horticultural luxury, symmetrically designed with marble basins, bronze and marble statues, and originally 12 fountains spurting water from sculpted figures like satyrs and cherubs. This verdant space, replanted during restorations with period-appropriate flora like roses and ivy, provided a serene oasis for relaxation and dining al fresco. Sculptures, including herms (pillar-like busts) and fountain spouts, were strategically placed to enhance the visual symmetry and auditory ambiance of trickling water.
After suffering from structural issues, rainwater damage, and fading frescoes, the House of the Vettii underwent a comprehensive 20-year restoration, reopening to the public in January 2023. This effort stabilized the building, conserved artworks, and recreated elements like the garden fountains, allowing modern visitors to experience its full splendor. Today, it stands as a microcosm of Roman society, blending art, architecture, and history to illustrate the lives of ambitious freedmen in a bustling ancient city.

The frescoes in the House of the Vettii are one of the greatest examples of Roman art of the first century.

In December 2016, after 12 years of renovation, House of the Vettii was finally open to the public.