Pompeii's Mosaics: Hidden Stories of Wealth, Warning, and Daily Life
TheCollector showcases five remarkable mosaics from Pompeii, preserved due to the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in AD 79, which provide a glimpse into the lives of the ancient Roman elite. Among these, the Alexander Mosaic located in the House of the Faun illustrates the Battle of Issus, while a memento mori mosaic can be found in the House of the Vestals. Additional highlights include the 'Cave Canem' warning from the House of the Tragic Poet, a marine-themed mosaic from the House of the Geometric Mosaics, and an advertisement for Aulus Umbricius Scaurus's garum factory. Measuring 272 by 513 cm, the Alexander Mosaic is composed of approximately 1.5 million tesserae, and the marine mosaic showcases 21 different sea species, reflecting the affluence and culture of Pompeii's inhabitants.
Key facts
- The Alexander Mosaic is located in the House of the Faun (VI.12.2) in Pompeii.
- The mosaic depicts the Battle of Issus (333 BC) between Alexander the Great and Darius III.
- It measures 272 cm by 513 cm and comprises about 1.5 million tesserae.
- The mosaic was discovered in the 1830s by the German Archaeological Institute.
- A memento mori mosaic with a skeleton holding wine jugs was found in the House of the Faun.
- Another memento mori mosaic, showing a skull on the Wheel of Fortune, was found in the House of the Vestals (VI.1.7).
- The 'Cave Canem' mosaic is in the House of the Tragic Poet (VI.8.5).
- A mosaic from the House of Aulus Umbricius Scaurus (VII.16.15) advertises garum, reading 'G.F. SCOM[bri] SCAURI EX OFFI[ci]NA SCAURI'.
Entities
Artists
- Alexander the Great
- Darius III
- Philoxenus of Eretria
- Pliny the Elder
- Petronius
- Aulus Umbricius Scaurus
Institutions
- TheCollector
- German Archaeological Institute
- House of the Faun
- House of the Vestals
- House of the Tragic Poet
- House of the Geometric Mosaics
- House of Aulus Umbricius Scaurus
- House of Orion
- Naples National Archaeological Museum
- Museo Archeologico Nazionale di Napoli
Locations
- Pompeii
- Italy
- Vesuvius
- Boscoreale
- Naples