Regio IX
Central Baths
The Central Baths occupy the whole block (insula) at the crossing between Via di Nola and Via di Stabia. They were built within the framework of urban renewal carried out in the city after the earthquake of 62 A.D..
For this reason the baths reflect more modern architectual concepts. They are completely made of brick and have a single thermal facility which is not divided into men's and women's sectors. The distribution of the halls shows a broader sense of space and organic unity. The entrance leads first to the gymnasium, then to the dressing-room (apodyterium) with the circular cold-water bathing pool, subsequently to the lukewarm room (tepidarium) and finally to the hot-room (calidarium). A new element is represented by the sauna, a circular room with four niches (laconicum). Light entered into the rooms through large glass windows. The construction of the facility was still in progress when the volcano erupted.
The Central Baths occupy the whole block (insula) at the crossing between Via di Nola and Via di Stabia. They were built within the framework of urban renewal carried out in the city after the earthquake of 62 A.D..
For this reason the baths reflect more modern architectual concepts. They are completely made of brick and have a single thermal facility which is not divided into men's and women's sectors. The distribution of the halls shows a broader sense of space and organic unity. The entrance leads first to the gymnasium, then to the dressing-room (apodyterium) with the circular cold-water bathing pool, subsequently to the lukewarm room (tepidarium) and finally to the hot-room (calidarium). A new element is represented by the sauna, a circular room with four niches (laconicum). Light entered into the rooms through large glass windows. The construction of the facility was still in progress when the volcano erupted.
House of Marcus Lucretius
The owner of this beautiful house was a priest of Mars and a decurion of the city. There is no traces of an impluvium in the atrium, and to the right of this area is the lararium. Behind the tablinium there is a small, prettty garden, where, in the small niche of the fountain, there are marble statues and hermæ: Satyrs, Cupids on dolphins and other animals. In the rooms to the side of the atrium there are many small pictures showing mythological subjects, gods and Cupids; to the right of the tablinium there is a large picture showing the Triumph of Bacchus, the god is holding a weapon and he’s followed by a satyr and a Victory.
The owner of this beautiful house was a priest of Mars and a decurion of the city. There is no traces of an impluvium in the atrium, and to the right of this area is the lararium. Behind the tablinium there is a small, prettty garden, where, in the small niche of the fountain, there are marble statues and hermæ: Satyrs, Cupids on dolphins and other animals. In the rooms to the side of the atrium there are many small pictures showing mythological subjects, gods and Cupids; to the right of the tablinium there is a large picture showing the Triumph of Bacchus, the god is holding a weapon and he’s followed by a satyr and a Victory.
House of M. Epidio Rufo
It has an Corinthian atrium with 16 columns, wonderful example of a polystyle atrium, with a private votive chapel (lararium) with an inscription of two slaves devoted owner of the house: Genio Marci Nostri et Laribus, duo Diadumeni liberti. In the entry, a cubiculum preserves the decoration of a small window of Samnite period.
It has an Corinthian atrium with 16 columns, wonderful example of a polystyle atrium, with a private votive chapel (lararium) with an inscription of two slaves devoted owner of the house: Genio Marci Nostri et Laribus, duo Diadumeni liberti. In the entry, a cubiculum preserves the decoration of a small window of Samnite period.
Workshop of Verecundus
All that remains of the workshop of M. Vecilius Verecundus is its beautiful façade on Via dell'Abbondanza. It portrays the god Mercury, protector of merchants, coming out of a temple with his bag full of money. Venus, patroness of the city, is portrayed with cupids and lares while four elephants pompously carry her.
At the bottom, as a sign of the workshop, are potrayed some of the operations carried out inside the factory: weaving and boiling done by wool and felt (coactiliarii) workers and retail sales at the counter. The busts of Apollo, Jupiter, Mercury and Diana are painted on the architrave of one of the entrances, while Venus, some cupids and a procession of people carrying a divinity on a sedan chair (ferculum) are portrayed on the sides of the entrance. Some of the paintings had already been covered in ancient times with electoral propaganda. At one of the entrances there is a bronze cauldron with a winged phallus in relief inside a little temple.
All that remains of the workshop of M. Vecilius Verecundus is its beautiful façade on Via dell'Abbondanza. It portrays the god Mercury, protector of merchants, coming out of a temple with his bag full of money. Venus, patroness of the city, is portrayed with cupids and lares while four elephants pompously carry her.
At the bottom, as a sign of the workshop, are potrayed some of the operations carried out inside the factory: weaving and boiling done by wool and felt (coactiliarii) workers and retail sales at the counter. The busts of Apollo, Jupiter, Mercury and Diana are painted on the architrave of one of the entrances, while Venus, some cupids and a procession of people carrying a divinity on a sedan chair (ferculum) are portrayed on the sides of the entrance. Some of the paintings had already been covered in ancient times with electoral propaganda. At one of the entrances there is a bronze cauldron with a winged phallus in relief inside a little temple.
Thermopolium of the Asellinæ
This is the most complete inn (thermopolium) ever discovered in Pompeii. Its furniture partly made of terra-cotta and partly of bronze was found here. Even the bronze kettle was still hermetically sealed and apparently it contained water when it was first unearthed. There is a lararium (domestic shrine) made of stucco which portrays the god of trade Mercury and the god of wine Bacchus. The jars encased in the counter were used to keep beverages and food hot. The daily take were found in one of them: 638 sesterces, just over the price of a mule that cost 520 sesterces.
An inner staircase lead to the upper floor. The sign painted on the outside shows three jugs and a funnel. Above it there is an electoral inscription in red stating that the “Asellinæ” Maria (Jewish), Egle (Greek) and Smiryna (Asiatic) were supporting the election of Lollius Fuscus. Asellina was probably the name of the owner of the inn.
This is the most complete inn (thermopolium) ever discovered in Pompeii. Its furniture partly made of terra-cotta and partly of bronze was found here. Even the bronze kettle was still hermetically sealed and apparently it contained water when it was first unearthed. There is a lararium (domestic shrine) made of stucco which portrays the god of trade Mercury and the god of wine Bacchus. The jars encased in the counter were used to keep beverages and food hot. The daily take were found in one of them: 638 sesterces, just over the price of a mule that cost 520 sesterces.
An inner staircase lead to the upper floor. The sign painted on the outside shows three jugs and a funnel. Above it there is an electoral inscription in red stating that the “Asellinæ” Maria (Jewish), Egle (Greek) and Smiryna (Asiatic) were supporting the election of Lollius Fuscus. Asellina was probably the name of the owner of the inn.
House of Gaius Julius Polybius
The House of Gauis Julius Polybius has two atria. The first is completely covered, while the second has a compluvium and no columns (tuscanico).
Particularly elegant is the decoration of the black hall at the end of the garden which portrays Dirce's punishment. The house was being restored because of the damages caused by the earthquake. This explains the presence of a quantity of lime in the first atrium. One of the rooms was used to keep a collection of bronzes, among which a statue of the Ephebe lamp-holder (lampadophoros) similar to the Apollo of Piombino and a laconic crater bearing a Greek inscription on its edge.
The House of Gauis Julius Polybius has two atria. The first is completely covered, while the second has a compluvium and no columns (tuscanico).
Particularly elegant is the decoration of the black hall at the end of the garden which portrays Dirce's punishment. The house was being restored because of the damages caused by the earthquake. This explains the presence of a quantity of lime in the first atrium. One of the rooms was used to keep a collection of bronzes, among which a statue of the Ephebe lamp-holder (lampadophoros) similar to the Apollo of Piombino and a laconic crater bearing a Greek inscription on its edge.
House of Obellius Firmus
The limestone masonry and grey tufa columns of this house dates it back to the Samnite period.
There are two atria: a main atrium with Corinthian columns (tetrastyle) and a service atrium without columns (tuscanic). A case containing the family's treasures is exhibited in the main atrium. Next to the garden is a hall with beautiful paintings. Restorations were in progress when the eruption occurred.
The limestone masonry and grey tufa columns of this house dates it back to the Samnite period.
There are two atria: a main atrium with Corinthian columns (tetrastyle) and a service atrium without columns (tuscanic). A case containing the family's treasures is exhibited in the main atrium. Next to the garden is a hall with beautiful paintings. Restorations were in progress when the eruption occurred.
House of the Centenary
It’s so call because it was dug in the 18th centenary of the eruption (1879). It’s a very complex building, the property of Aulus Rustius Verus, probably resultant by the fusion of three independent residences. It has two atria that formed the front part of the house; beyond it lie a tablinium and a peristyle, the front wing of it forms a loggia. In the garden was found the celebrated statuette of a Satyr with wine-skin (National Archaeological Museum of Naples), a fountain and a marble statue of Hermaphrodite. Notable is the white background of the room (oecus) opening under the portico of the peristyle and the decoration of the adjcent room, on a black background.
It’s so call because it was dug in the 18th centenary of the eruption (1879). It’s a very complex building, the property of Aulus Rustius Verus, probably resultant by the fusion of three independent residences. It has two atria that formed the front part of the house; beyond it lie a tablinium and a peristyle, the front wing of it forms a loggia. In the garden was found the celebrated statuette of a Satyr with wine-skin (National Archaeological Museum of Naples), a fountain and a marble statue of Hermaphrodite. Notable is the white background of the room (oecus) opening under the portico of the peristyle and the decoration of the adjcent room, on a black background.