House of the Tragic Poet, Pompei

The House of the Tragic Poet is also known as the Homeric or Iliadic House. It is a fairly typical Roman-era residential building, built in the 2nd century BC. It is famous for a series of elaborate mosaics and frescoes depicting scenes from Greek mythology. It has attracted interest from writers and academics ever since it was unearthed in November 1824. The artworks discovered there are among the finest ever found in Pompeii. This is unusual, given that the house itself is unremarkable in size compared to some of the city’s larger villas. Little is known about the family that owned the house, except that they were most likely killed in the 79 AD eruption of Vesuvius.

There are frescoes and mosaics throughout the House of the Tragic Poet, so it's natural they are the highlights worth seeing. As soon as you step foot into the entrance hall, look down to observe a masterfully crafted black-and-white tile mosaic. The figure is depicted as a snarling, chained guard dog with the Latin words ‘Beware of the dog’ written underneath.

If you want to explore how the family gathered inside, step past this entrance vestibule directly into the center of the main hall to examine the large rectangular impluvium. This central, sunken stone water basin sits directly beneath an open ceiling layout, positioned perfectly to collect fresh rainwater falling into the heart of the home.

The house’s atrium and peristyle feature frescoes depicting several Greek Gods, including Zeus, Aphrodite, Achilles and Poseidon, amongst others. The atrium section, in particular, contains a few partially preserved frescoes. The moment you enter it from the vestibule, look at the wall to your left, the western wall. Here, you can find the Abduction of Amphitrite, which depicts Poseidon's myth but is largely destroyed, showing only an intact bottom half where Eros rides a dolphin and carries a trident. Right beside it sits the Wrath of Achilles, another heavily damaged scene where almost nothing survives except for visible feet and drapery matching historical depictions of Achilles being restrained by Athena.

This mysterious building has captivated many literary figures across generations, famously serving as the home of Glaucus in Edward Bulwer-Lytton's 1834 novel The Last Days of Pompeii, and later inspiring modern authors such as Czech poet Vladimír Janovic, who penned an epic poem centred on the building’s mythological art.