Private Buildings

In Pompeii and Herculaneum, there were no exclusively residential areas; houses, shops, workshops, bakeries, and baths were intermingled. From the outside, houses appeared plain and uninviting, with blank walls, heavy doors, and occasional high, narrow windows. These houses were designed to ensure maximum security, privacy, and protection from the noise of the city. As a result, they were oriented inward toward an inner courtyard or garden rather than outward to the street.

Villas

Villas were built in the countryside outside the towns and along the coast and cliffs near Herculaneum. Wealthy owners did not seem to live in these villas year-round, perhaps using them as summer or holiday retreats.

The Villa of the Mysteries in Pompeii is famous for its beautiful murals depicting the mythic cult of Bacchus. Excavations began in 1909.
The Villa of the Papyri, near the western end of Herculaneum, was discovered in 1750 by Karl Weber. It yielded the greatest collection of ancient bronzes ever found, including statues such as the Sleeping Faun, the Drunken Faun, the Resting Hermes, the Boy Wrestlers, and various busts. The most precious find here was the library of papyri.

Other Forms of Houses

Many small family houses had modest second-story rooms or apartments, accessed only by external staircases, with cramped living quarters above workshops and shops. At the time of the eruption, some larger houses in both Pompeii and Herculaneum had been divided into several smaller flats. Small merchants or tradesmen generally combined their workshops or shops with their homes. Artisans tended to live in cramped areas behind or above their workshops.

Middle-class owners often imitated the elegant decorations of the upper classes. Garden walls were sometimes painted with landscape murals to create the illusion of extended space and light.

Houses for the Wealthy

These houses belonged to successful merchants, businessmen, and bankers in the city. Many of the following features have been identified in wealthy homes:

A door from the street opened into a narrow hallway.
A large, skylit entrance hall (atrium) containing the household shrine.
The impluvium: a rectangular pool or basin in the atrium floor designed to collect rainwater from the roof through the compluvium (an opening in the roof).
Small rooms on the opposite side of the atrium that held images of family ancestors.
A reception room or tablinium accessible from the atrium, where the head of household received clients and visitors.
An inner courtyard or peristyle.
One or two dining rooms; some houses had a summer dining room opening onto the courtyard garden.
Bedrooms were typically small and windowless.
A family room.
A small kitchen with just enough space for an oven, a workbench, and a sink.

Links and Videos

✍️Past HSC question on Private Buildings (2019)

📷Link: PompeiiinPictures Villas

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