92. HGW24 Pompeii. Villa of Diomedes or Villa di Diomede or Villa of Arrius Diomedes or Casa pseudurbana.

Excavated 1771 to 1774.

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Sources

(PAH, 1,1, addendum, p.156 - 9 Febbraio 1771. Commincia lo scoprimento della casa di campagna, detta di Arrio Diomede.)

(“Began the uncovering of the country house, said to be of Arrio Diomede.”)

See Fiorelli G., 1860. Pompeianarum antiquitatum historia, Vol. 1: 1748 - 1818, Naples, 1, addendum, p.156 – 9; Febbraio 1771.

Villa Diomedes Project = Le programme de recherche archéologique sur la villa de Diomède à Pompéi. Site Internet (FR)   Website (EN)   Sito Web (IT)

See Hélène Dessales et al, 2020. The Villa of Diomedes: The making of a Roman villa in Pompeii. Paris: Hermann.

Fontaine = T. H. M. Fontaine, 1991. Die Villa di Diomede in Pompeji. Baugeschichtliche, typologische und stilistische Untersuchungen, Université de Trier, 1991.

(The Villa di Diomede in Pompeii: A research on its architectural history, its typology and the style of its paintings).

See Opus Universitäts Bibliothek Trier - Villa Diomede by T.H.M. Fontaine including PDFs.

1.   La Vega = Fiorelli G., 1860. Pompeianarum antiquitatum historia, Vol. 1: 1748 - 1818, Naples, Tab. IV, V, VI, pp. 118-133, p. 156-160, p. 276-280.

On the 1985 villas plan by Kockel this is numbered 92.

See Kockel V. Funde und Forschungen in den Vesuvstädten 1: Archäologischer Anzeiger, Heft 3. 1985, p. 534 Abb. 23.

HGW24 Pompeii. Villa of Diomedes. October 2023.

Looking north along exterior façade towards entrance doorway on Via dei Sepolcri. Photo courtesy of Klaus Heese.

Via dei Sepolcri, west side, April 2019.

Looking north along the exterior façade of the Villa of Diomedes. Photo courtesy of Rick Bauer.

HGW24 Pompeii. April 2019. Looking west to entrance doorway. Photo courtesy of Rick Bauer.

HGW24 Pompeii. Villa of Diomedes. October 2023.

Looking towards entrance doorway. Photo courtesy of Klaus Heese.

HGW24 Pompeii. September 2021. Looking west to entrance doorway. Photo courtesy of Klaus Heese.

HGW24 Pompeii. September 2007. Entrance. Photo courtesy of Rick Bauer.

HGW24 Pompeii. Between 1812 and 1834. Entrance as depicted in Les Ruines de Pompeii by Mazois.

HGW24 Pompeii. December 2007. Entrance.

Note the extra steps at the bottom and the missing upper columns compared with the depiction by Mazois.

From PAH 1,1, p.279, 21^st October 1774: addendum p.132 and p.160 (see no.93 below, on the plan by La Vega).

Continuing the discovery of the said roadway in front of the same dwelling, near to the noted skeleton, another three were found. The first with thin gold ring on the finger and close by seven small silver coins, three large bronze coins together with twelve medium sized bronze others; beside the second skeleton there were four small silver coins, three large bronze and one medium sized; near the third skeleton were two silver coins, four large of bronze and one of medium size; also a glass button/stud and certain pieces of burnt cloth.

From PAH, addendum, p.132 –

Relazione delle antichita, che si vanno ritrovando nella masseria del sig. D. Giovanni Milano parsonaro, che si era principiata al di 14 Febbraro 1771. (Report of Antiquities found .....)

 “No. 93: A di 20 ottobre 1774. Si e trovato uno scheletro tra il rivegine, immediato al rapillo, senza cosa alcuna.”

From PAH addendum, p.160 - 21 Ottobre 1774 – Scheletro nella strada avanti la stessa abitazione; no. 93 pianta di La Vega.

PAH 1,1, p.279, 29^th October 1774: addendum p.132-3 and p.160 (see no.94 below, on the plan by La Vega)

The words in PAH,1,1 p.279 for this date are duplicated as from 21^st October (above).

From PAH, addendum, p.132-133 –

Relazione delle antichita, che si vanno ritrovando nella masseria del sig. D. Giovanni Milano parsonaro, che si era principiata al di 14 Febbraro 1771. (Report of Antiquities found .....)

 “No.94: A di 27 ottobre 1774. Si sono trovati tre scheletri; col primo si sono trovate 7 monete di bronzo, tra le quali ve n’e una che pare di argento, e questa e di diam.min.4, le altre tre di diam.min.8, una di min 6, e due di min.4; e mi pare che vi resta altra moneta di argento, legata con ruggine con una delle grosse monete di bronzo, ed e molto sottile, di diam.min.4. Sul secondo scheletro si sono trovate 22 monete, tra le quali ve ne sono 7 di diam.min.4, quattro di esse si conoscono essere di argento, e le altre tre restano in dubbio, per essere coperte di ruggine. Le altre 15 sono di bronzo, una diam.min.8, ed altre min.6. E in un dito della mano di detto scheletro si e trovato un piccolo anello di oro, ma sottilissimo. Presso al terzo scheletro si sono trovate 7 monete di bronzo, quattro di diam.min.8, una di min.6, e due di min.4. Un corallo di vetro, e certi pezzetti forse di panneggio.”

From PAH addendum, p.160 - 29 Ottobre 1774 – Altri tre scheletri con anelli di oro e monete di argento e di bronzo; no. 94 pianta di La Vega.

PAH 1,1, p.279, 5^th November 1774: addendum p.133 and p.160 (see no.95 below, on the plan by La Vega).

We continue to lift earth from the mentioned roadway, where near to the human skeletons of the past week, we have found another skeleton with an iron key in hand, and with seven bronze rings of various sizes, as were the bronze coins found, which were twenty-two medium sized and four large.

From PAH, addendum, p.133 –

Relazione delle antichita, che si vanno ritrovando nella masseria del sig. D. Giovanni Milano parsonaro, che si era principiata al di 14 Febbraro 1771. (Report of Antiquities found .....)

 “No.95. A di 3 novembre 1774. Si e trovato un scheletro, che seco portava 26 monete di bronzo, ed una chiave di ferro; le dette monete per la ruggine non si distinguono, di diam. quasi uguali di min.7”.

From PAH addendum, p.160 - 5 Novembre 1774 – Altro scheletro con chiave, anelli, e monete nella strada suddetta; no. 95 pianta di La Vega.

HGW24 Pompeii. Villa of Diomedes. October 2023. Detail of entrance steps. Photo courtesy of Klaus Heese.

HGW24 Pompeii. Villa of Diomedes. October 2023. Looking east through entrance doorway. Photo courtesy of Klaus Heese.

HGW24 Pompeii. Villa of Diomedes. March 2024. Information card. Photo courtesy of Giuseppe Ciaramella.

HGW24 Pompeii. Villa of Diomedes. October 2023. Looking west across peristyle from entrance doorway. Photo courtesy of Klaus Heese.

HGW24 Pompeii. Villa of Diomedes. October 2023.

Looking west across north portico. Photo courtesy of Klaus Heese.

HGW24 Pompeii. Villa of Diomedes. October 2023.

Looking towards south-west corner of peristyle, behind bush. Photo courtesy of Klaus Heese.

HGW24 Pompeii. April 2019.

Looking south-west across peristyle from entrance doorway. Photo courtesy of Rick Bauer.

HGW24 Pompeii. September 2007. Looking south-west across peristyle from entrance doorway. Photo courtesy of Rick Bauer.

HGW24 Pompeii. December 2006. Looking towards south-west corner of peristyle.

(Villa Diomedes Project- area 2 and 3).

HGW24 Pompeii. Villa of Diomedes. October 2023.

Looking south along east portico of peristyle. Photo courtesy of Klaus Heese.

HGW24 Pompeii. Villa of Diomedes. October 2023. Description card. Photo courtesy of Klaus Heese.

HGW24 Pompeii. Villa of Diomedes. May 2024.

Looking south along east side of peristyle, and towards south-east corner. Photo courtesy of Klaus Heese.

(Villa Diomedes Project- area 2).

HGW24 Pompeii. December 2006. Looking south along east side of peristyle, and towards south-east corner.

(Villa Diomedes Project- area 2).

HGW24 Pompeii. La Vega drawing of wall decoration of peristyle wall as described in PAH,1, p.264 (1772).

In the panel on the left, a griffin with the lyre of Apollo is shown.

Now in Naples Archaeological Museum. Inventory number ADS 1133.

(Villa Diomedes Project- area 2).

Photo © ICCD. https://www.catalogo.beniculturali.it

Utilizzabili alle condizioni della licenza Attribuzione - Non commerciale - Condividi allo stesso modo 2.5 Italia (CC BY-NC-SA 2.5 IT)

HGW24 Pompeii. Peristyle/atrium on upper floor, portion of long wall. Design by Francesco Morelli.

Now in Naples Archaeological Museum. Inventory number ADS 1131.

(Villa Diomedes Project- area 2).

(Fontaine, Room 2d, peristyle, east wall. south of the door to courtyard 3. The sheet shows slight variations compared to ADS 1130 but corresponds exactly to the executed engraving in the "Gli Ornati" and would have been used as the template for the engraver.)

Photo © ICCD. https://www.catalogo.beniculturali.it

Utilizzabili alle condizioni della licenza Attribuzione - Non commerciale - Condividi allo stesso modo 2.5 Italia (CC BY-NC-SA 2.5 IT)

HGW24 Pompeii. Decoration of a portion of the long wall of the peristyle, by Francesco Morelli.

See Gli Ornati delle Pareti ed I Pavimenti delle Stanze dell’Antica Pompei, 1838, (No.22)

(Villa Diomedes Project- area 2).

HGW24 Pompeii. Peristyle on upper floor, portion of long (east) wall, with slight differences to above drawings.

Design by Francesco Morelli. Now in Naples Archaeological Museum. Inventory number ADS 1130.

(Villa Diomedes Project- area 2).

(Fontaine, room 2d, peristyle: East wall. south of the door to courtyard 3. It seems to have been a preliminary study on the engraving of the "Gli Ornati", to which it shows slight variants that are based on the poor legibility of the painting when found on excavation.)

Photo © ICCD. https://www.catalogo.beniculturali.it

Utilizzabili alle condizioni della licenza Attribuzione - Non commerciale - Condividi allo stesso modo 2.5 Italia (CC BY-NC-SA 2.5 IT)

HGW24 Pompeii. Villa of Diomedes. October 2023.

Doorway to baths complex in east wall of peristyle. Photo courtesy of Klaus Heese.

HGW24 Pompeii. December 2006. Doorway to baths complex in east wall of peristyle.

(Villa Diomedes Project- area 2, leading to area 5).

HGW24 Pompeii. Villa of Diomedes. October 2023.

Looking north along west side towards small hearth. Photo courtesy of Klaus Heese.

HGW24 Pompeii. Villa of Diomedes. October 2023.

Looking north along west side of small triangular courtyard, part of baths complex. Photo courtesy of Klaus Heese.

(Villa Diomedes Project- area 5, looking towards pool in area 4).

(Fontaine, room 3, courtyard of baths’ area)

HGW24 Pompeii. December 2006. Looking north along west side of small triangular courtyard, part of baths complex.

(Villa Diomedes Project- area 5, looking towards pool in area 4).

(Fontaine, room 3, courtyard of baths’ area)

From PAH 1,1, p.262-3, 8^th February 1772, addendum p, 126 and 158: (see no.32 below, on the plan by La Vega).

Lifting the soil from the building already said, we have detected the mentioned courtyard with a bath, surrounded on two sides by a portico with octagonal columns. The floor of this portico was of white and black mosaic, partitioned in various bands; the walls were decorated with the usual grotesque paintings; only above the bath there were fishes shown on a background coloured like water, and some four-legged animals in the frieze of the exposed part of the courtyard. In one corner of the courtyard we have detected a hearth, and nearby we found the following utensils: Bronze, Terracotta, Iron, (see page 262 for detailed list). Also found amongst the earth of this courtyard were - A sheet of lead for use in a channel. A latch/door-bolt, a small ring, a nail and 4 small pieces of bronze.

According to Pagano & Prisciandaro, NAP 9973 and 9934 were from here.

See Pagano, M. and Prisciandaro, R., 2006. Studio sulle provenienze degli oggetti rinvenuti negli scavi borbonici del regno di Napoli.  Naples: Nicola Longobardi. (p.72)

From PAH, addendum, p.126 –

Relazione delle antichita, che si vanno ritrovando nella masseria del sig. D. Giovanni Milano parsonaro, che si era principiata al di 14 Febbraro 1771. (Report of Antiquities found .....)

 “No.32. A di 6 febbraio 1772. In questo ridotto le mura del colonnato sono dipinte di tonica gialla con alcuni riquadri di certe lenze rosse, tra le quali vi sono alcuni grifi marini, ed altro animale; il zoccolo rosso, ed il fregio bianco. Il pavimento di musaico nero con una fascia bianca accompagna il muro, e certi quadrilunghi formati da fasce bianche accompagnano il colonnato; il pavimento tra il colonnato ed il bagno e di lastrico semplice. Nel lato del bagno quel muro viene dipinto da tre riquadri, quello che corrisponde nel mezzo rappresenta vari pesci in acqua, e nelli due laterali a questo v’e un albero per ciascheduno di frutti, uccellami, sopra tonica gialla; il zoccolo rappresenta una cannizzata. Vicino al focolare, si e trovato come in una tavola in alto due vasi a due manichi a figura di tiella, ……..ecc.)”.

From PAH addendum, p.158 - 8 Febbraio 1772 – No.32 pianta di La Vega. Cortiletto con bagno, circondato per due lati da colonne, con pavimento di musaico e pitture sulle pareti. Caminetto ossia focolare con utensili nel suddetto cortiletto.

(Courtyard with bath, surrounded on two sides by columns with mosaic floor and paintings on the walls. Fireplace or stove with utensils in this courtyard.)

HGW24 Pompeii. Fresco with head of Medusa and four cornucopias found in small triangular courtyard, part of baths complex.

Now in Naples Archaeological Museum. Inventory number 9973.

HGW24 Pompeii. Villa of Diomedes. October 2023.

Looking east along south side of small triangular courtyard in baths complex. Photo courtesy of Klaus Heese.

HGW24 Pompeii. December 2006. Looking east along south side of small triangular courtyard in baths complex.

This triangular courtyard was surrounded on two sides by a portico held up by six octagonal columns.

On the third side was a pool for bathing.

(Villa Diomedes Project- area 5, looking towards pool in area 4).

HGW24 Pompeii. Pre December 1858.

Painting by Zahn of decoration of a portion of the short west or south walls of the small courtyard of the baths.

See Zahn, W., 1852-59. Die schönsten Ornamente und merkwürdigsten Gemälde aus Pompeji, Herkulanum und Stabiae: III. Berlin: Reimer, taf. 89.

(Villa Diomedes Project- area 5)

(Fontaine, Baths 3, this is showing the decoration from the south and west wall.

HGW24 Pompeii. Decoration of a portion of the short west or south walls of the small courtyard of the baths.

Drawing by Francesco Morelli. Now in Naples Archaeological Museum. Inventory number ADS 1145.

See Gli Ornati delle Pareti ed I Pavimenti delle Stanze dell’Antica Pompei, 1838, (No.46).

(Villa Diomedes Project- area 5)

(Fontaine, Baths 3, this is showing the decoration from the south and west wall.

Photo © ICCD. https://www.catalogo.beniculturali.it

Utilizzabili alle condizioni della licenza Attribuzione - Non commerciale - Condividi allo stesso modo 2.5 Italia (CC BY-NC-SA 2.5 IT)

HGW24 Pompeii. Mai 1823? Sketch by Chenavard of wall decoration on a black background, of the small courtyard of the baths.

See Chenavard, Antoine-Marie (1787-1883) et al. Voyage d'Italie, croquis Tome 3, pl. 92.

INHA Identifiant numérique : NUM MS 703 (3). See Book on INHA

Document placé sous « Licence Ouverte / Open Licence » Etalab   

(Villa Diomedes Project- area 5)

(Fontaine, Baths 3).

HGW24 Pompeii. Villa of Diomedes. October 2023. Looking north-east towards pool in baths’ complex. Photo courtesy of Klaus Heese.

(Fontaine, room 3, courtyard of baths’ area).

HGW24 Pompeii. December 2006. Pool in baths complex.

(Villa Diomedes Project- area 4).

HGW24 Pompeii. 1817. Drawing of baths complex.

On the original print is written - “Drawn by Major Cockburn and engraved by W. B. Cooke, on July 1, 1826.”

Cockburn visited Pompeii in 1816, 1817 and 1818.

Delineations of the City of Pompeii; Engraved by W. B. Cooke from accurate drawings made in the year 1817 by Major Cockburn of the Royal Artillery was published in 1818.

A second edition “Pompeii illustrated” was produced in 1827.

See Cooke, Cockburn and Donaldson, 1827. Pompeii Illustrated: Vol. II. London: Cooke. (pl. 45).

Photo courtesy of Rick Bauer.

(Villa Diomedes Project- area 5, looking towards pool in area 4).

According to Jashemski, above the pool for cool baths was a painting of blue water filled with sea animals.

On each side of the painting there was a painting of a window looking into a garden.

Jashemski quoted Dyer as saying that the circular broken space in the middle of the wall would have been where a mask was attached.

Through the mask, the water would have gushed into the pool below.

Both the courtyard and portico floor were paved with black and white mosaic.

See Jashemski, W. F., 1993. The Gardens of Pompeii, Volume II: Appendices. New York: Caratzas. (p.280)

See Dyer, T., 1868. Pompeii: its history. Buildings and antiquities. London: Bell & Dandy.  (p.486).

HGW24 Pompeii. 1822-1824 drawing of baths complex by Paul Fumagalli, Sale triangulaire et bain dans la Ville Suburbana à Pompeja.

Photo courtesy of Thorvaldsens Museum, Copenhagen. Inventory number E550,30. www.thorvaldsensmuseum.dk Use CC0 Public Domain

HGW24 Pompeii. 1826 painting of baths wall

“with the paintings on the walls when first discovered accurately coloured from memoranda, taken on the spot in the year 1818”.

See Cooke, Cockburn and Donaldson, 1827. Pompeii Illustrated: Vol. II. London: Cooke. (pl. 46).  Photo courtesy of Rick Bauer.

HGW24 Pompeii. Painting by Francesco Morelli of garden painting with fishes on wall in baths area 3 over the frigidarium pool.

Now in Naples Archaeological Museum. Inventory number ADS 1144.

Photo © ICCD. https://www.catalogo.beniculturali.it

Utilizzabili alle condizioni della licenza Attribuzione - Non commerciale - Condividi allo stesso modo 2.5 Italia (CC BY-NC-SA 2.5 IT)

HGW24 Pompeii. Decoration of the courtyard preceding the baths by F. Morelli. It was known under the name of “Wall of the Fishes”

See Gli Ornati delle Pareti ed I Pavimenti delle Stanze dell’Antica Pompei, 1838, (No.9)

Now in Naples Archaeological Museum. Inventory number ADS 1143.

Photo © ICCD. https://www.catalogo.beniculturali.it

Utilizzabili alle condizioni della licenza Attribuzione - Non commerciale - Condividi allo stesso modo 2.5 Italia (CC BY-NC-SA 2.5 IT)

HGW24 Pompeii. December 2006. Pool with three steps in corner.

(Villa Diomedes Project- area 4).

HGW24 Pompeii. Pre 1796. Mosaic flooring in courtyard preceding the baths.

(Villa Diomedes Project- area 5).

(Fontaine room Baths 3)

See Gli ornati delle pareti ed i pavimenti delle stanze dell'antica Pompei incisi in rame: (pt.1. 1796).

See Gli ornati delle pareti ed i pavimenti delle stanze dell'antica Pompei incisi in rame: 1838.

HGW24 Pompeii. December 2006. Corridor in baths complex, leading to small kitchen area with furnace, to provide warm water for bathers.

(Fontaine, room 3,5, leading to room 3,6)

HGW24 Pompeii. December 2006. Small kitchen area in baths complex with furnace.

(Villa Diomedes Project- area 6).

(Fontaine, room 3,6 (and 3.8 for the cistern).

From PAH 1,1, p.278, 6^th August 1774: addendum p.132 and p.160

We have worked to make a new cut of earth, to be able to dig out some adjacent rooms to the stufa and the baths of the said house outside of the city.

From PAH 1,1, p.278, 10^th September 1774: addendum p.132 and p.160 (La Vega: sn and 88, - for 88 perhaps should read 90!!)

We have worked as in the past week to lift earth from above and around the said house, and have detected a room linked to the hot room of the baths, which had the double use of a hypocaust and a kitchen. In this room was the furnace to give the heat to the hot baths area, and to heat a vessel at the same time, of which one could see the vestige of it in part of the furnace which contained it; but this place was not found to have been searched in the past. So a very large hearth, a small oven and other utensils suitable for a kitchen could be seen in the same room; and also two pots of ordinary terracotta were found and left in-situ; we have begun to detect a water storeroom (cistern) near to this room, perhaps for the use of the baths. 

From PAH 1,1, p.278, 17^th September 1774:

We have continued to work in the said dwelling, freeing the cistern noted in the past report. This was found to have been searched by the ancients, who had lifted some water-pipes/conduits by breaking the walls, so that only found here was a bronze key somewhat missing from one side, approximately 0.11m long.

From PAH, addendum, p.132 –

Relazione delle antichita, che si vanno ritrovando nella masseria del sig. D. Giovanni Milano parsonaro, che si era principiata al di 14 Febbraro 1771. (Report of Antiquities found .....)

 “No. 90. A di 7 settembre 1774. Si e trovata una chiave di bronze fissata in un condotto di piombo; e alta con tutto il maschio on.6 scarse, lungo il cannuolo on.5, compresa la grossezza del maschio.”

From PAH, addendum, p.160 - 10 Settembre 1774 – Ipocausto e cucina dell’appartamento del bagno nella medesima casa suburbana; nella pianta di La Vega non vi era apposto numero.

Conserva di acqua per uso de’bagni; no.88 pianta di La Vega. (probably should be La Vega: 90)

HGW24 Pompeii. December 2006. Looking south in small kitchen area in baths complex, with furnace.

(Villa Diomedes Project- area 6).

(Fontaine, room 3.6).  According to Fontaine -

this shows the praefurnium of the hot baths with a support for the boiler that heated the bath water and with built-in stairs to operate the boiler and its fittings. On the right would be the oven and the big hearth of the kitchen, on the left are brick supports for the surface of a worktable.

HGW24 Pompeii. December 2006. Looking south along big hearth in the kitchen and baths complex.

(Villa Diomedes Project- area 6).

(Fontaine, room 3.6). 

HGW24 Pompeii. December 2006. Area of steps leading to upper floor in the kitchen and baths complex.

(Fontaine, room 3.7). 

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