• Home
• Europe
• Italy
• Pompeii

House of the Epigrams, Pompeii

The House of the Greek Epigrams, archaeologically designated as V.1.18 (Regio V, Insula 1, Entrance 18), is a well-preserved ancient Roman domus in Pompeii, Italy, exemplifying the evolution of urban residential architecture from Samnite origins to Roman imperial refinements. Located on the east side of Via del Vesuvio—a busy street in the city's northern sector—this mid-sized house derives its name from a series of Greek epigrams (short poems) inscribed beneath mythological frescoes in a small exedra (recessed room) overlooking the garden peristyle. Alternative names include Casa degli Epigrammi Greci or House of the Epigrams, reflecting its standout poetic and artistic features. The residence belonged to a prosperous family, possibly involved in local commerce given its proximity to workshops and inns, and was buried under volcanic ash during the 79 AD eruption of Mount Vesuvius, preserving much of its structure and decorations. It forms part of the UNESCO-listed Pompeii Archaeological Park and is notable for its Second, Third, and Fourth Style wall paintings, which blend Hellenistic influences with Roman domestic ideals. Though not always open to the public due to conservation efforts, the house has been the subject of recent studies on lighting, roofing, and visual experience, enhancing our understanding of ancient daily life.

Historical Context and Excavation

The house's origins trace to the Samnite period (second half of the 2nd century BCE), when Pompeii was an Oscan-speaking Italic settlement. It resulted from merging at least two earlier dwellings around the third quarter of the 1st century BCE, post-Roman colonization in 80 BCE. Significant renovations occurred in the second half of the 1st century CE, including redecorations in the Claudian/Neronian era (ca. 40–60 AD), aligning with broader urban developments like aqueduct expansions and elite displays of wealth. These changes reflect Pompeii's cultural shift toward Romanization, with the house emphasizing prestige through art and architecture amid political transformations.
Excavation began in April 1748 during early Bourbon digs, uncovering initial rooms. Major work resumed in 1875–1876, revealing the full layout and decorations, followed by supplementary digs in 1908. The site endured damage from Allied bombings in 1943 (affecting adjacent workshops) and the 1980 Irpinia earthquake, necessitating repairs. Modern interventions include paleo-botanical excavations in the peristyle (2004–2006) by the Swedish Pompeii Project with Oxford University, structural analyses in room x (a work area), and extensive restorations in 2010–2011. Recent studies (2022–2024) have employed 3D modeling, VR simulations, and eye-tracking to explore lighting and visitor experiences, addressing gaps in traditional archaeology.

Architecture and Layout

The house adheres to the classic Roman domus plan, with an axial fauces-atrium-tablinum-peristyle arrangement spanning 26 rooms on the ground floor, covering a modest urban plot adapted from earlier structures. Constructed with tufa, opus incertum (irregular stonework), and later brick, it features a wide main entrance (18) flanked by shops, leading to a vestibule and a rectangular atrium with an offset impluvium (rainwater basin) of tuff, connected to a cistern via terracotta pipes. The atrium, likely fully roofed in an atrium tuscanicum style (supported by main beams, possibly requiring neighbor agreements), served as a multifunctional hub for reception, storage, and rituals. Studies suggest this roofing evolved from an open courtyard to a covered space around 40–30 BCE, enhancing year-round usability and prestige display.
Off the atrium: a small undecorated cubiculum (b) for the doorkeeper; a Third Style bedroom (c); an ala (d) with curtain separation; a plain bedroom (e); and the tablinum (f), curtained and overlooking the peristyle. A corridor (g) accesses sitting rooms (h, i). The rear includes service areas like a pantry (v), kitchen (z) with stove and oven, and undecorated slave quarters with secondary entrances (11, 12). An upper floor, accessed by staircases (remains in rooms like the atrium and service areas), likely housed rental apartments. To the left of the peristyle, later additions include an antechamber (k), triclinium (l), sitting room (m) with geometric mosaic floor, oecus (o, p) in Second Style, and the exedra (q, r) famed for its epigrams. Room x, possibly a workshop, and y (the epigram room) complete the layout, emphasizing privacy gradients from public atrium to intimate garden spaces.

Gardens and Outdoor Features

The peristyle garden (viridarium) at the rear is a serene oasis, colonnaded in red and white with a central fountain featuring peacocks and flora motifs. Paleo-botanical digs revealed plantings suited to shade and water features, with a rear wall mural of a bull attacked by a tiger amid lush vegetation. A water valve controlled four taps, supporting horticulture and leisure. This space, integrated with the tablinum for views, exemplified Roman ideals of blending nature and architecture for relaxation, dining, and display, with light from the open sky enhancing its allure.

Decorations and Frescoes

Decorations span Pompeian styles, showcasing artistic evolution. The atrium features Second Style (ca. 80–20 BCE) red and black panels with candelabra, garlands, vases, crowns, and medallions depicting busts of seven gods (e.g., Jupiter, Apollo). The ala (d) and bedroom (c) are in Third Style (ca. 15 BCE–50 CE), with red/yellow fields, floating vessels, and animal scenes like a he-goat chasing a hare. The tablinum (f) has red/yellow/black zones with a central Venus and Adonis fresco, including Eros and a greyhound. The oecus (o, p) retains Second Style panels, while the exedra (q, r) boasts Second Style with mythological scenes.
The namesake epigrams, in Greek verse inscribed below frescoes in room y (a small exedra), include poetic commentaries on myths like Apollo and Daphne, enhancing intellectual appeal. Fourth Style elements appear in later additions, with illusionistic architecture and vibrant colors. Light played a key role: simulations show how compluvium openings directed gazes to highlights, creating dramatic shadows that animated scenes, especially in the tablinum and peristyle. VR studies reveal visitors focused on central motifs during movement, with decorations designed for partial visibility from afar to draw closer inspection, manipulating perception for social effect.

Artifacts

Finds include a lock plate, necklace, and statuettes from the atrium, suggesting domestic and ritual use. The kitchen yielded everyday pottery and tools, while the peristyle excavations uncovered botanical remains. No major treasures like those in grander houses were reported, but the epigrams and frescoes themselves are key "artifacts," with 19th-century lithographs documenting now-faded details.

Significance

This domus illustrates Pompeii's social dynamics, where mid-elite families used art and space to assert status amid urban commerce. Its epigrams highlight Hellenistic cultural influences, blending poetry with visuals for educated guests. Modern research underscores experiential archaeology: roofing studies reveal adaptive functionality, while VR analyses show how light and movement shaped interactions, from patron-client rituals in the atrium to private leisure in the peristyle. As a case study in digital humanities, it advances understandings of Roman sensory worlds, contributing to broader narratives of domestic life in antiquity.