BIBLE HISTORY DAILY

New Paintings Found at Pompeii

Scenes reflect changes in ancient home decor

Scene of Phaedra (left) and Hippolytus (far right) discovered during new excavations in Pompeii. Credit: Archaeological Park of Pompeii.

Archaeologists working in Pompeii have uncovered yet another house filled with magnificent wall paintings. Nicknamed the House of Phaedra, which like the rest of the city was buried under volcanic ash during the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius in 79 CE, it preserves several beautiful wall paintings. The best preserved depicts a scene from Euripides’s tragedy Hippolytus, where a barely dressed Phaedra reclines before a nude Hippolytus, with an unidentified man between them (see above). In the play, Phaedra is married to the Athenian king Theseus, but falls in love with her stepson, Hippolytus, who has taken a vow of chastity. When he rejects her advances, she accuses him of rape and commits suicide, leading Theseus to exile his son in anger. Another painting (see below) shows a satyr (half-man, half-goat) and a nymph in an intimate embrace, and a third but more damaged scene may be a rendering of the Judgement of Paris. Overall, the paintings share the themes of love, lust, and the power of the gods—each results in tragedy for the characters, as the cost for the love they experience.

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The House of Phaedra is unique not just for its art but also its construction and style. Most wealthy Pompeian homes at the time had an atrium—a central unroofed room with a basin—which functioned as a place to display family heirlooms. However, by the end of the first century, it became more common to display wealth through clothing and jewelry, and atriums transitioned into being an aesthetic choice instead of a sign of wealth. This house may have been an early example of that trend. The building itself is quite small, but the wall paintings are similar to those that adorned the homes of Pompeii’s wealthiest citizens. As such, the building’s small size yet opulent décor make it difficult to determine the family’s wealth and status.

Newly discovered painting depicting a satyr and nymph. Credit: Archaeological Park of Pompeii.

Pompeii was covered in volcanic ash after the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius in 79 CE. This tragic event perfectly preserved Roman life and society during the first century. Since work first began at Pompeii in the mid-18th century, archaeologists have uncovered about two-thirds of the site. The final third of Pompeii, despite being a work in progress, remains open to the public. Gabriel Zuchtriegel, Director of the Pompeii Archaeological Park, believes in keeping the site open as a way to provide transparency about the work and to educate anyone who is interested.

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The Destruction of Pompeii—God’s Revenge?

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