Herculaneum VII.2. Casa di Galba or House of Galba. Excavated 1873-74.
Guidobaldi wrote that originally the dwelling occupied a larger site than seen today, and the main entrance probably opened onto Cardo II, not yet excavated into the open air, whilst the actual entrance doorway to the dwelling today which opens at no. 2 on Cardo III, was originally the rear entrance near the peristyle area.
See Pesando, F.
and Guidobaldi, M.P. (2006). Pompei,
Oplontis, Ercolano, Stabiae. Editori Laterza, (p.371-2)
See Guidobaldi, M.P, 2009: Ercolano, guida agli scavi. Naples, Electa Napoli, (p.115).
VII.2 Herculaneum. Silver bust of the Emperor Galba found in street outside.
According to Maiuri, this house was named after a bust of the Emperor Galba, but this was found in the street in front of the house.
Now in Naples Archaeological Museum. Inventory number 110127.
According to Wallace-Hadrill, this was perhaps from the so called Basilica.
See Wallace-Hadrill, A., 2011. Herculaneum Past and Future. London: Frances Lincoln, p. 184.
This was a dwelling of the patrician type, which may have perhaps extended across the whole insula from one cardo to the other.
In the interior, there opens down one side of the peristyle a series of little rooms innocent of all decoration and on the other side a large exedra, that still preserved part of its decoration in the IV architectural style. The Republican peristyle is of particular interest, with its late Doric tufa columns; these were later faced with coloured stucco and, at the same time, the intercolumnar spaces were closed by a podium. In the centre there is a cruciform basin faced with marble. The other columns now set in the walls of the south side cubicula suggest a colonnade formed by a double order of columns, a unique example in the private architecture of Pompeii and Herculaneum.
See Maiuri, Amedeo, (1977). Herculaneum. 7th English ed, of Guidebooks to the Museums Galleries and Monuments of Italy, No.53 (p.25).
See Waldstein, C. & Shoobridge, L. (1908). Herculaneum, past, present and future. London, Macmillan & Co. Ltd., (p.77).
According to Pagano and Prisciandaro – on the pavement of the street, heading westward from the crossroads with that of the Marina.
“Still continuing the excavation in the indicated soil, we discovered
a short stretch of the road that towards the western side formed the crossroads
with that of the Marina (Table 12, number 53): And there on the paved roadway
was gathered: perhaps a fragment of breast-plate with a small head of Medusa in
low relief, 0.35 m. long and 0.27 m. wide, together with forty-one other
fragments both large and small. A
piece of a masculine mask, 0.15m. high.” (NAP inv. no: 110127, Ruesch 963;
busto di Galba (Not.no.29 del 15 Settembre 1874).
See Pagano, M.
and Prisciandaro, R., 2006. Studio sulle
provenienze degli oggetti rinvenuti negli scavi borbonici del regno di
Napoli. Naples: Nicola Longobardi.
(p.230).
VII.1, VII, 2, centre right, and VII.3, on right, March 2008.
Looking south along west side of Cardo III, described by Waldstein as “sea street”. Photo courtesy of Sera Baker.
VII, 2, on left, VII.3, in centre, VII.4, on right, Herculaneum. October 2014. Entrance doorways. Photo courtesy of Michael Binns.
VII.2 Herculaneum. May 2010. Entrance doorway identification sign.
VII.2 Herculaneum. May 2010. Looking west from entrance doorway along entrance fauces/corridor.
VII.2 Herculaneum. May 2010. Looking along south wall from entrance doorway.
VII.2 Herculaneum. September 2021.
Looking
west across flooring in entrance corridor. Photo courtesy of Klaus Heese.
VII.2 Herculaneum, September 2019.
Looking west along entrance corridor and towards north wall with doorway to small room.
Photo
courtesy of Klaus Heese.
VII.2 Herculaneum, September 2015. Looking towards north wall of entrance corridor.
VII.2 Herculaneum. May 2010. Doorway to small room (4) (cella ostiaria) in north wall of entrance fauces, or corridor.
VII.2 Herculaneum. May 2010. Room 4, small room on north side of entrance corridor.
VII.2, Herculaneum, September 2015.
Room 4, looking towards north-east corner of small room on north side of entrance corridor.
Photo courtesy of Michael Binns.
VII.2 Herculaneum. May 2010. Room 4, remains of wall plaster.
VII.2 Herculaneum. May 2010. Doorway to kitchen (2) and latrine (3).
VII.2 Herculaneum. May 2010. Room 2, looking east in kitchen area.
VII.2 Herculaneum. May 2010. Room 3, latrine, looking south from kitchen.
VII.2 Herculaneum. May 2010. Looking east across kitchen and latrine.
VII.2 Herculaneum. August 2013. Rooms 2 and 3, east side of kitchen and latrine. Photo courtesy of Buzz Ferebee.
VII.2 Herculaneum. May 2010. North wall of kitchen, with window into room 5.
VII.2 Herculaneum. May 2010. Doorway to room 5.
VII.2 Herculaneum. May 2010. Room 5, east wall with window to kitchen/latrine.
VII.2 Herculaneum. May 2010. Room 5, looking south.
VII.2 Herculaneum. May 2010. Room 5, looking towards remains of west wall.
VII.2 Herculaneum. May 2010. Room 5, looking towards north wall.
VII.2 Herculaneum. May 2010. Doorways on south side of peristyle area.
VII.2 Herculaneum. May 2010. Doorways on south side of peristyle area.
VII.2 Herculaneum. May 2010. Looking west along south wall of peristyle area.
VII.2 Herculaneum. May 2010. Doorway to room 6.
VII.2 Herculaneum. May 2010. Room 6, looking south.
VII.2 Herculaneum. May 2010. Room 6, looking north to doorway, and two columns embedded into the wall.
VII.2 Herculaneum. May 2010. Room 6, structure against the west wall.
VII.2 Herculaneum. May 2010. Room 6, upper west wall in north-west corner near doorway.
VII.2 Herculaneum. May 2010. Room 6, north wall with two columns embedded into the wall.
VII.2 Herculaneum. August 2013. Peristyle 10, looking west from near doorway to room 6. Photo courtesy of Buzz Ferebee.