Fig. 178.—Capital of pilaster at the entrance of the house of the Sculptured Capitals.
The plan ([Fig. 179]) is of interest on account of its regularity. It well illustrates the extent to which, at Pompeii, rooms not required for household purposes were utilized as shops and small separate dwellings, which were rented to tenants, and doubtless formed an important source of income.
The vestibule and fauces have been mentioned previously ([p. 249]). The living rooms are grouped about a single atrium (2) and a large peristyle (9). A colonnade at the rear of the house faces the garden, which, as indicated by the appearance of the ground at the time of excavation, was used for vegetables. Opening on the colonnade is the gardener's room (a).
In the front were shops, one of which (35) was connected with the house and served as the proprietor's place of business; another (33) was used as a salesroom for the bakery, which occupied the rooms numbered 28-34. On the same side of the house were three small two-story dwellings, one of which (22-23) contained windows opening into an adjoining room (12) of the house and into the peristyle; it was doubtless occupied by some one connected with the household. The dwellings on the other street (A, B, C) were larger. Fiorelli thought that this Insula belonged to Alleius Nigidius Maius ([p. 489]); the name of Pansa was given to it from an election notice painted on the front.
Fig. 179.—Plan of the house of Pansa.
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- 1. Fauces.
- 2. Atrium.
- 4, 4. Alae.
- 5. Tablinum.
- 6. Andron.
- 9. Peristyle.
- 10. Passage leading to posticum.
- 13. Dining room.
- 15. Oecus.
- 19. Kitchen.
- 20. Room for a wagon.
- 21. Colonnade opening on the garden.
- 22-23. Small dwelling with second story, connected with the house.
- 24-25, 26-27. Two small separate dwellings.
- 28-34. Bakery. (29. Mill room, 30. Oven.)
- 35, 37-40. Shops.
- 41. Shop with back rooms.
- 42. Room with bake oven.
- A, B, C. Separate dwellings.
There is a remarkable group of houses near the north end of Mercury Street. The first in importance is the house of Castor and Pollux (VI. ix. 6), which is so named from the figures of the Dioscuri, holding their horses by the bridle, painted on the walls of the principal fauces. Between the two atriums, one of which is of the Corinthian type, lies a large peristyle; and behind the Corinthian atrium is a garden with a colonnade in front. The decoration of the house is especially effective; that of the larger tablinum was by one of the best artists who worked at Pompeii. The paintings in the two central panels of this room are often mentioned; on the right wall, the recognition of Achilles among the daughters of Lycomedes; on the left, the quarrel between Achilles and Agamemnon. The representation of Venus Pompeiana shown in [Fig. 4] is from the peristyle.