House of Sallustio, Pompei

The House of Sallustio is situated in the western quarter of Pompei, close to the Porta Ercolano gate. It is believed to be one of Pompei’s oldest surviving buildings, dating back to the 3rd century BC. Like many large houses in the city, it features a number of small rooms built around a central atrium. Behind the tablinum, there is a small covered portico and garden. Within the garden there is an unusual room, which appears to be a form of summer dining area, complete with stone couches. Many of the house’s rooms face onto the streets outside, and were converted into shops, bakeries and even a bar.

Like many wealthy landowners in Pompei, it appears that the owner of this property may have used portions of it as a boarding house for travelers arriving through the Porta Ercolano. Many of the rooms have small, segregated garden areas, with a large restaurant area nearby. Whilst an inscription has led the house to be attributed to Sallustio, it is now believed to have been owned by Cossius Libanus. The building, damaged by bombing in 1943, houses a number of artworks, including a fresco of the god Actaeon, and a bronze statue of a faun.