House With Exquisite Erotic Frescoes in Honour of Mythological Queen of Athens Unearthed in Pompeii

Archaeologists have unearthed a tiny house in Pompeii filled with exquisite and sometimes erotic frescoes. The dwelling was named the House of Phaedra after the mythological queen of Athens depicted in one of the wall paintings, shedding light on the change in architectural styles in the first century AD, the Pompeii Archaeological Park said in a statement, Ekathimerini reports.

The discovery demonstrates how sophisticated the Romans were in decorating their homes, CNN reports. The excavated house is located in the central area of the ancient city. It is smaller than most houses in Pompeii and does not have an open central courtyard, typical for Roman architecture, such as an atrium, Reuters notes.

According to the Pompeii Archaeological Park, the reason for these features may be a change in trends in Roman society during the first century AD.

In 79 AD, Pompeii was destroyed by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius - buildings and thousands of residents were buried under layers of ash and pumice. This coating has perfectly preserved the city for thousands of years, making it one of the most important archaeological sites in the world.

Source: Archaeological Park of Pompeii

And the discovery of this house demonstrates how exquisitely rich Romans decorated their homes. For example, several of the frescoes on the walls depict mythical scenes, while others contain motifs of plants and animals on a white background.

One of the paintings on the walls depicts sexual intercourse between a satyr and a nymph, while another shows the son of the mythical Greek king Theseus, Hippolytus, and his stepmother Phaedra, who was in love with him and committed suicide because of his rejection.

Another fresco, damaged during previous excavations, probably depicts the trial of Paris, and another shows Venus, the goddess of love, and Adonis, her lover.

Similar erotic and complex frescoes have been discovered in Pompeii before. 

Earlier, in the Greek city of Eretria, archaeologists discovered a mosaic depicting naked satyrs from ancient Greek mythology. It could have survived for about 2,500 years.

Another house covered with erotic frescoes was shown to the public in January 2023. Another fresco depicting an erotic scene from the Greek myth Leda and the Swan was discovered in 2018.