This sumptuous villa was built just outside the Porta Ercolano gate in sight of the town walls. An entrance on Via dei Sepolcri led straight into the 14-column Peristyle around which the various rooms and living quarters of the house were situated.
The house's bath area was situated in a triangular space between the road and the Peristyle while the Triclinium/living room opposite commanded a view over the Gulf of Naples and the large garden below. In the centre of the garden was an open-air Triclinium and a swimming pool surrounded by a covered gallery (Cryptoporticus).
Here the master of the house, with his "treasure" of 1356 sesterces, and 18 other people, mainly heavily bejeweled women, met their death as they tried to flee during the eruption. Their remains were found when the villa was excavated between 1771 and 1774.
Gallery 3
