I.2.18 Pompeii. Caupona and lupanare of Demetrius and Helpis Afra.

Linked to I.2.19. Excavated 1869.

I.2.18 Pompeii. October 2013. Looking south across unnamed vicolo towards entrance doorway. Photo courtesy of Paula Lock.

I.2.18 Pompeii. 8^th June 2024. Looking across counter towards east wall and rear of bar at I.2.19. Photo courtesy of Giuseppe Ciaramella.

Historical reconstruction entitled L’altra Pompei prende vita (The other Pompeii comes to life).

I.2.18 Pompeii. 8^th June 2024.

Looking south across counter with actors playing part of customers. Photo courtesy of Giuseppe Ciaramella.

Historical reconstruction entitled L’altra Pompei prende vita (The other Pompeii comes to life).

I.2.18 Pompeii. 8^th June 2024. Happy customers and serving girl invite customers into bar. Photo courtesy of Giuseppe Ciaramella.

Historical reconstruction entitled L’altra Pompei prende vita (The other Pompeii comes to life).

I.2.18 Pompeii. September 2018. Looking across podium towards east wall. Photo courtesy of Aude Durand.

I.2.18 Pompeii. September 2010.

Looking south towards entrance doorway and remains of north side of podium with dolia. Photo courtesy of Drew Baker.

I.2.18 Pompeii. September 2005. Looking south, from outside of 1.3.29.

I.2.18 Pompeii. September 2015. Looking south towards collapsed wall and rear room in bar.

I.2.18 Pompeii. September 2005. Entrance.

According to Della Corte, the bar was held by a Greek named, Demetrios.

Painted graffiti was found on the left side of the entrance of number 18, underneath a big phallus leaning from the external wall:

L(ucium)  C(eium)  S(ecundum)  II vir(um)  o(ro)  v(os)  f(aciatis)

Demetrius rog.     [CIL IV 2993z].     

Demetrius (rogat)     [CIL IV 2993z, a]

On the right side of the entrance, a painted graffito was found with the name of his companion.

She was named Helpis, also Greek, but possibly of African descent or brown in colour, as she was described by the name of Afra. 

L(ucium)  Ceium  Secundum  II vir(um)  o(ro)  v(os)  f(aciatis)

Helpis Afra rog(at)      [CIL IV 2993z, c]

See Della Corte, M., 1965.  Case ed Abitanti di Pompei. Napoli: Fausto Fiorentino. (p. 272)

I.2.18 Pompeii. September 2005. Counter with urns.

Fiorelli described this as having a podium of marble, containing 6 big terracotta urns of varying sizes, one of which was covered and fastened by a bolt of iron.

See Pappalardo, U., 2001. La Descrizione di Pompei per Giuseppe Fiorelli (1875). Napoli: Massa Editore. (p.36)

According to Warscher –

I.2.18/19 “Il termopolio all’angolo del vico di Tesmo e della via secunda. Ha il podio rivestito superiormente di marmo, contenente sei urne di terracotta di diversa grandezza, una delle quali chiudevasi con coperchio di tavole fermato da spranga di ferro. Erano poggiate alle pareti due scansie di legno, e vi stava pure incavata in piccola nicchia dei Penati; mentre dall’opposto lato esisteva una cella rustica, con ammezzato di sopra, al quale accedevasi mercè di scala portatile”.

See Warscher T., 1935. Codex Topographicus Pompeianus: Regio I.2. Rome: DAIR, whose copyright it remains.

(Translation: I. 2.18/19 “Thermopolium on the corner of Vico di Tesmo and Via Secunda. It had the podium covered by a marble counter-top, containing six terracotta urns of different sizes, one of which was closed with a lid which was closed with an iron bolt. Two wooden shelves were leaning against the wall, and there was a small niche of the Penates embedded in the wall, while on the opposite side there was a rustic cell with a mezzanine level above, to which one gained access by a portable stairs”.)

I.2.18 Pompeii. May 2003. Counter with urns. Photo courtesy of Nicolas Monteix.

I.2.18 Pompeii. September 2010. East wall of bar. Photo courtesy of Drew Baker.

I.2.18 Pompeii. May 2003. East wall of bar. Photo courtesy of Nicolas Monteix.

I.2.18-19 Pompeii. 1935 photo taken by Tatiana Warscher. Looking across counter towards east wall with recess.

See Warscher T., 1935. Codex Topographicus Pompeianus: Regio I.2. (no.34), Rome: DAIR, whose copyright it remains.

I.2.18 Pompeii. March 2009. Counter with urns and hearth, taken from doorway into I.2.17. Looking east.

I.2.18 Pompeii. March 2009. Recess in east wall.

According to Boyce, this was a rectangular niche with interior walls painted red, found on east wall of taberna.

See Boyce G. K., 1937. Corpus of the Lararia of Pompeii. Rome: MAAR 14. (p.22, number 11A)

I.2.18 Pompeii. September 2010.

Looking west from bar towards small room and doorway to peristyle of I.2.17. Photo courtesy of Drew Baker.

I.2.18 Pompeii. September 2010.

Looking west from rear of bar counter, towards doorway to peristyle garden of I.2.17. Photo courtesy of Drew Baker.

I.2.18 Pompeii. September 2010.

Looking north from bar, towards Vicolo del Citarista, between I.3 and I.10. Photo courtesy of Drew Baker.

I.2.18 Pompeii. March 2009. Doorway to entrance at 1.2.19, and rear room in south-east corner.

I.2.18 Pompeii. September 2010.

Looking south from rear of bar, towards doorway of I.2.19 (on left) and doorway to room in south-east corner.

Photo courtesy of Drew Baker.

I.2.18 Pompeii. September 2010.

Looking south into small room in south-east corner. Latrine and kitchen? Photo courtesy of Drew Baker.

According to Fiorelli, the room with the latrine had a hollow in the wall for placing a lamp. 

See Pappalardo, U., 2001. La Descrizione di Pompei per Giuseppe Fiorelli (1875). Napoli: Massa Editore. (p.36)

According to Boyce, in the south-west corner of the kitchen, built in a peculiar manner, was an arched niche.

(height 0.30m, w.0.30m, d.0.25m, height above the floor 1.30m).

See Boyce G. K., 1937. Corpus of the Lararia of Pompeii. Rome: MAAR 14. (p.22, no.12).

I.2.18 Pompeii. September 2010.

Looking north from small room towards front of bar. Photo courtesy of Drew Baker.

I.2.18 Pompeii. September 2010.

Looking west across rear of bar from near room in south-east corner, towards doorway to rear room in south-west corner (centre left).

Photo courtesy of Drew Baker.

I.2.18 Pompeii. September 2010. Looking south through doorway into rear room in south-west corner. Photo courtesy of Drew Baker.

When this room was excavated, the wall was painted in the III style, with a central aedicula.

On its sides were a red panel and a yellow panel into the corner, separated from it by a narrow black compartment.

I.2.18 Pompeii. September 2010.

Looking north towards front of bar, from rear room in south-west corner. Photo courtesy of Drew Baker.

I.2.18 Pompeii. September 2005. Looking south to rear room in south-west corner, and doorway to I.2.17

I.2.18 Pompeii. September 2010. ID street number plate on corner of insula, looking south-west. Photo courtesy of Drew Baker.

In Codex Topographicus Pompeianus: Regio I.2, (the copy at DAIR), Warscher included Viola’s description of the insula, from

Gli scavi di Pompei dal 1873 al 1878, p.10 (Pompei e la regione sotterrata dal Vesuvio nell’anno 1879, Seconda parte.

This is included at the end in all parts of I.2 on the website.

“Nel dicembre del 1873 incomminciò lo scavo di questa isola – quale dovette essere abitata da moltissime persone. Infatti non si vede grande lusso di abitazioni, nè grandi locali, ove i ricchi pompeiani passavano la vita nell’ozio e nel piacere; si può invece osservare grand’economia di spazio, case piccole miste a botteghe e ad officine, onde non è difficile argomentare che quivi abitarono persone del ceto medio, le quali benchè agiate non godevano certamente della più splendide posizione.

E’ questa un’isola dove avennero frequentissime trasformazioni, per cui riesce difficillissimo intravvedere qual’era la sua forma primiera; non mancano però degli avanzi di costruzioni primitive, insieme ad altri di epoca posteriore, come si osserva in molti luoghi di Pompei.

La sua area è di mq.2948, ed è limitata da occidente dal cardo, a settentrione dalla via secunda, ad oriente dal vico parallelo al cardo e a mezzogiorno dalla via tertia che la separa dalle isole 1 e 5; il margine che la fiancheggia da tre lati escluso l’orientale e sulla via tertia di fronte al vano No.28 si vede un piccolo ponte, formato da massi posti a contrasto, il quale serve per unire i due margine (vedi la fotografia no.42c)”.

(Note: photo (no.42c) can be seen at I.5.1, I.2.28 and in the “streets” section under Vicolo del Conciapelle). 

See Warscher T., 1935. Codex Topographicus Pompeianus: Regio I.2. Rome: DAIR.

(translation: "In December of 1873 the excavation of this insula began – which would have been inhabited by many people. In fact you don't see great luxury homes, nor large rooms, where rich Pompeian passed life in idleness and pleasure; if you instead look at the great economy of space, small homes and shops mixed with workshops, it's not difficult to argue that here lived people in the middle class, which however well-to-do they certainly did not enjoy the most splendid position.

This was an insula where there were frequent transformations, for which it is difficult to glimpse what was the original form; it does not lack however, the remains of primitive constructions, alongside others of a later date, as can be seen in many places in Pompeii.

Its area was 2948 sq. m., and was bounded on the west by the “cardo”, on the north by via secunda, and east by a parallel vicolo to the “cardo” and in the south by the via tertia, that separated it from Insula’s 1 and 5:  the border that flanked it by three sides excluding the east and on via tertia opposite No. 28, you will see a small bridge, formed by a boulder placed to serve to unite the two edges, (see photo No. 42 c)."