55. Oplontis. Villa di Poppea or Villa of Poppea or Villa Poppaea or Oplontis Villa A.
Parts of the villa were discovered in the digging of the Sarno Canal (1593–1600), the tunnel excavations of Francesco La Vega (April 1785), and Michele Rusca (April 1839 - November 1840).
Excavated 1964 to 1984. Oplontis Project excavations from 2005.
Garden excavation by Wilhelmina Jashemski 1974 to 1978 and 1983 to 1984.
Quick Outline
This Quickie page has been created to give an appreciation of only the main rooms and areas of the beautiful Villa di Poppea without the need to navigate the many detailed pages of photographs.
Detail
If you are interested to see the house in more detail, the rooms are shown in greater detail in the subsequent parts.
Oplontis Villa of Poppea, January 2023.
Looking south across north garden towards Villa, with steps from entrance, on right. Photo courtesy of Miriam Colomer.
Oplontis Villa of Poppea, October 2020.
Room 4, looking north-west towards courtyard
garden, room 20. Photo courtesy of Klaus
Heese.
Oplontis Villa of Poppea, January 2023. Room 5, looking south across atrium. Photo courtesy of Miriam Colomer.
Oplontis Villa of Poppea, September 2017. Room 5, looking south-east across atrium towards
east wall.
Foto Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.
Oplontis Villa of Poppea, January 2023. Room 5, looking south along west wall of atrium. Photo courtesy of Miriam Colomer.
Oplontis Villa of Poppea, January 2023. Room 7, looking north across kitchen. Photo courtesy of Miriam Colomer.
Oplontis Villa of Poppea, October 2022. Room 8, looking towards north wall and north-east corner. Photo courtesy of Klaus Heese.
Oplontis Villa of Poppea, May 2011.
Room 11, cubiculum, west wall with
plaster-cast of window-shutters. Photo courtesy of Michael Binns.
Oplontis Villa of Poppea, May 2011.
Room 11, looking north in cubiculum
with two alcoves. Photo courtesy of Michael Binns.
Oplontis Villa of Poppea, January 2023. Room 14, looking north. Photo courtesy of Miriam Colomer.
Oplontis Villa of Poppea, October 2020.
Room 15, looking north along east wall,
with doorway to room 16 in north wall, on left, and doorway into room 14, on
right.
Photo courtesy of Klaus Heese.
Oplontis Villa of Poppea, October 2020.
Room 15, looking south towards plaster-cast
of closed window shutters. Photo courtesy of Klaus Heese.
Oplontis Villa of Poppea, January 2023. Room 16, looking north across fountain in tetrastyle atrium. Photo courtesy of Miriam Colomer.
Oplontis Villa of Poppea, October 2022.
Room 18, looking towards north wall and north-east corner in tepidarium of baths’ complex. Photo courtesy of Klaus Heese.
Oplontis Villa of Poppea, January 2023.
Room 20, looking north across courtyard garden with large window into large room 21. Photo courtesy of Miriam Colomer.
Oplontis Villa of Poppea, March 2019. Room 21, looking south-east from north garden.
Foto Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.
Oplontis Villa of Poppea, March 2014.
Room 23, south wall at west end, with small doorway in south corridor, on left.
Foto Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.
Oplontis Villa of Poppea, March 2014. Room 23, looking towards north wall from small
doorway in south corridor.
Foto Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.
Oplontis Villa of Poppea, March 2014. Room 23, looking towards west wall from larger doorway onto Portico 24.
Foto Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.
Oplontis Villa
of Poppea, March 2014. Portico 24, looking east from west end.
Foto Annette
Haug, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.
Oplontis Villa of Poppea, September 2017.
Portico 24, looking west through doorway at east end, connecting with Portico 40 and Peristyle 59.
Foto Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.
Oplontis Villa
of Poppea, September 2021.
Room 25,
looking towards west and north wall from doorway. Photo courtesy of Klaus
Heese.
Oplontis Villa of Poppea, September 2017.
East
portico 34, looking south through window into room 30, in south wall of
portico.
Foto
Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.
Oplontis Villa of Poppea, October 2022.
Room 31,
looking towards north wall of probable frigidarium in baths’ complex.
Photo courtesy of Klaus Heese.
Oplontis Villa of Poppea, January 2023.
The enclosed peristyle 32, previously known as the rustic courtyard, looking east across fountain. Photo courtesy of Miriam Colomer.
Oplontis Villa of Poppea, March 2014. Looking south-west across north garden towards west portico (33).
Foto Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.
Oplontis Villa of Poppea, March 2014. Looking south-east across north garden towards east portico (34).
Foto Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.
Oplontis Villa
of Poppea, September 2017.
Corridor 37,
looking north along corridor 37 towards internal peristyle 32, from portico 24.
Foto Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.
Oplontis Villa of Poppea, September 2017. Room 38, north-west corner.
Foto Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.
Oplontis Villa
of Poppea, April 2018. Portico 40, looking south-east across peristyle 59,
from north-west corner.
Photo courtesy of Ian Lycett-King. Use is subject to Creative
Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License v.4 International.
Oplontis Villa of Poppea, May 2010.
Portico 40, looking south-east across peristyle 59, from north portico. Photo courtesy of Buzz Ferebee.
Oplontis Villa of Poppea, January 2023.
Room 41, looking north-west across cubiculum with two alcoves. Photo courtesy of Miriam Colomer.
Oplontis Villa
of Poppea, January 2023.
Room 44, looking east towards amphorae and niche in east wall. Photo courtesy of Miriam Colomer.
Oplontis Villa of Poppea, September 2011.
Doorway in
west portico 60, west to corridor 46, and south to corridor 76. Photo
courtesy of Michael Binns.
Oplontis Villa
of Poppea, September 2011. Corridor 76, looking south from corridor 46, on
right. Photo courtesy of Michael Binns.
Oplontis Villa of Poppea, January 2023.
Corridor 46, with display cases, looking west. Photo courtesy of Miriam Colomer.
Oplontis Villa of Poppea, January 2023. Ceiling in corridor 46, detail of decoration. Photo courtesy of Miriam Colomer.
Oplontis Villa
of Poppea, March 2014. Room 48, looking towards south wall with doorway to room
47, latrine for women.
Foto Annette
Haug, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.
Oplontis Villa
of Poppea, March 2019. Room 48, looking north across latrine for men.
Foto Annette
Haug, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.
Oplontis Villa
of Poppea, September 2015.
Corridor 52
with graffito, looking north through room 54 towards the north garden 56.
Oplontis Villa
of Poppea, 2012.
Corridor 52, graffiti on west wall. Graffito MNHΣΘHI BHPYΛΛOΣ (remember Beryllos). Photo courtesy of Aniello Langella.
Oplontis Villa of Poppea, October 2020.
Room 54, threshold of doorway from East Portico 34. Photo courtesy of Klaus Heese.
Oplontis Villa
of Poppea, October 2020.
Room 55,
looking towards south wall, south-west corner and west wall. Photo courtesy of
Klaus Heese.
Oplontis Villa
of Poppea, May 2011. Looking south-east across the replanted north garden 56.
In the upper
left of the photo is the doorway through to room 69.
In the centre
of the photo is the east portico of the north garden, room 34.
On the right,
just in the photo, is the entrance to the large salon, room 21, which would
have enjoyed fine views across the garden.
Photo courtesy
of Michael Binns.
Oplontis Villa of Poppea, February 2021.
Marble
herm with the head of a woman, according to description card conventionally
identified as Poppea Sabina,
found
on eastern side of the north garden, in Villa A, at Oplontis.
Photo courtesy of Fabien Bièvre-Perrin (CC BY-NC-SA).
Oplontis Villa of Poppea, January 2023.
Area 59, looking towards north-east corner of peristyle garden. Photo courtesy of Miriam Colomer.
Oplontis Villa of Poppea, January 2023. Area 59, looking towards east side of peristyle. Photo courtesy of Miriam Colomer.
Oplontis Villa
of Poppea, September 2015. Portico 60, looking north.
Oplontis Villa of Poppea, September 2017. Portico 60, looking south.
Foto Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.
Oplontis Villa
of Poppea, September 2018. Looking south-east from west portico 60 across swimming
pool 96.
Foto Anne Kleineberg, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.
Oplontis Villa
of Poppea, September 2011.
Room 61,
looking through window from room 65 towards south wall and south-west corner.
Photo courtesy of Michael Binns.
Oplontis Villa of Poppea, January 2023.
Corridor 63, looking west towards white marble statue of a young child with a goose, on display in corridor. Photo courtesy of Miriam Colomer.
Oplontis
Villa of Poppea, September 2017. Room 65, with window into room 61 in south wall, on left.
Room
64, area with niche, at rear of room 65, centre and right.
Foto
Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.
Oplontis Villa of Poppea, September
2015. Room 65, north wall, looking north-east towards window into room 68.
Oplontis
Villa of Poppea, March 2014.
Room
66, looking towards south wall with niche, and south-west corner.
Foto
Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.
Oplontis Villa of Poppea, January 2023.
Room 68, looking south from room 69, looking through window towards south wall with window into room 65.
Looking across room 65 to window into room 61, a raised courtyard. Photo courtesy of Miriam Colomer.
Oplontis Villa of Poppea, September
2015.
Room
68, looking towards north wall with window to room 69, and across to window
into room 70, another small courtyard garden.
Oplontis Villa of Poppea, March 2014. Room 69, looking west through doorway from exedra into the north garden.
Foto Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269
DÉCOR.
Oplontis Villa of Poppea, September
2015.
Room 69, north wall of exedra with
doorway to corridor 71, window to room 70, and doorway to room 72.
Oplontis Villa of Poppea, October 2022.
Room 69, north wall with window into
room 70, and through to window into room 73/74. Photo courtesy of Klaus Heese.
Oplontis Villa of Poppea, October 2020.
Room 70, looking towards west wall, and
north-west corner. Photo courtesy of Klaus Heese.
Oplontis Villa of Poppea, January 2023. Room 70, north-west corner. Photo courtesy of Miriam Colomer.
Oplontis Villa of Poppea, September
2021.
Room 70, detail of peacock from north
wall in north-west corner. Photo courtesy of Klaus Heese.
Oplontis Villa of Poppea, September
2015.
Room 72, looking west to doorway in
west wall of Portico 60.
Oplontis Villa of Poppea, May 2011. Area 73 with niche/recess set into west wall, at rear of room 74.
Room 74, with window on south and north sides, into small courtyard gardens. Photo courtesy of Michael Binns.
Oplontis Villa
of Poppea, September 2017. Doorway to room 74, in the west portico wall of area
60.
Looking west
towards area at rear, room 73.
On the south
side, on left, is a window into room 70, and on the north side, on right, a
window into room 87.
Foto Annette
Haug, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.
Oplontis Villa of Poppea, September 2017.
Room 74, looking towards north wall,
with window to garden room 87.
Foto Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269
DÉCOR.
Oplontis Villa of Poppea, September 2017.
Corridor
77, looking north along east wall towards room 66 from room 79, on right.
Foto
Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.
Oplontis Villa of Poppea, March 2014. Room
81, looking towards east end.
Foto Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269
DÉCOR.
Oplontis Villa of Poppea, September
2015.
Room 81, looking north-east towards
area 85 through pilasters, at the south end of the swimming pool 96.
Oplontis
Villa of Poppea, March 2014. Looking north towards swimming pool 96.
Foto
Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.
Oplontis Villa of Poppea, September
2015. Room 87, south wall, with doorway to room 73.
Oplontis Villa of Poppea, May 2011. Room 87, looking towards window in south wall into room 74. Photo courtesy of Michael Binns.
Oplontis Villa of Poppea, May 2011.
Room 87, looking through semi-circular window in north wall, into room 89. Photo courtesy of Buzz Ferebee.
Oplontis Villa of Poppea, September
2015. Room 88, looking west through doorway.
Oplontis
Villa of Poppea, September 2017.
Room
90, looking towards doorway in west wall leading into room 89.
Foto Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.
Oplontis Villa
of Poppea, September 2011.
Room 89,
looking towards south wall with semi-circular window into room 87. Photo
courtesy of Michael Binns.
Oplontis Villa
of Poppea, September 2017. Room 90, doorway from Portico 60, looking west.
Foto Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.
Oplontis Villa
of Poppea, February 2009.
Room 92, the terrace at south end of swimming pool, looking north over the small impluvium like marble feature.
Photo courtesy of Drew Baker - from the King's College London, Villa of Oplontis Archive.
Oplontis Villa
of Poppea, September 2017.
Room 93,
looking through doorway from corridor 94, towards west wall with window onto
north garden.
Foto Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.
Oplontis Villa
of Poppea, September 2015.
Room 93,
doorway in north wall into room 95, only partly excavated.
Oplontis Villa
of Poppea, September 2015. Corridor 94, looking south from near room 97.
Oplontis Villa of Poppea, April 2018.
Looking south along east side (area 98) of swimming pool 96 towards area 92, the sculpture garden, on its south side.
Photo courtesy of Ian Lycett-King. Use is subject to Creative
Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License v.4 International.
Oplontis Villa
of Poppea, March 2014.
Corridor/room 97, looking west from doorway onto Portico 60,
towards plaster-cast of door/shutters against north (unexcavated) wall.
Foto Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.
Oplontis Villa of Poppea, May 2011.
Corridor/room 97, plaster-cast of door/shutters. The hinges and the door-closure are clearly visible. Photo courtesy of Buzz Ferebee.
Oplontis Villa of Poppea, March 2014. Area 60, the west portico of the
swimming pool.
This is the eastern doorway to room 97,
at the north end of the portico, looking through doorway into the unexcavated.
On the right is the window with the
decoration under it.
Foto Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269
DÉCOR.
Oplontis Villa
of Poppea, May 2010. Looking north-east towards painted garden scene under
window. Photo courtesy of Buzz Ferebee.