Pompeii: The House of Menander

House of Menander

The house of Menander is located fairly close to the central crossroads. The house of Menander is exceptionally large and is one of the most luxurious in Pompeii. The owner was able to afford a major renovation program which was underway In AD 79.

The plan of the house is asymmetrical due to the irregular dimensions. There is an impressive visual axis to anyone entering the house as it goes through the atrium, the tablinum and the peristyle. This is designed to make the house seem large and impressive, this is emphasised further by the far columns being closer together than the front columns. There is another axis for those in the triclinium. The columns in the peristyle are separated to allow an unbroken view. It also had very narrow corridors without any decoration, this was used for slaves.

One interesting painting is one of the Greek playwrights Menander, which is what the house is named after. There is…