Turns out a penthouse view has always been a status symbol. A new study suggests that some of Pompeii’s wealthiest citizens may have lived in homes crowned with towers, architectural features recognized as markers of power and prestige.
The hypothesis emerges from the first results of “Pompeii Reset,” an ongoing research project aimed at digitally reconstructing parts of the Ancient Roman city that have long been considered lost. The findings, in collaboration between the Archaeological Park of Pompeii and the Humboldt University of Berlin, were published this month in the online journal Scavi di Pompei.
The team of archeologists behind the study drew inspiration from a residence known as the House of Thiasus (“Casa del Tiaso”), located in Regio IX of the archaeological site. The house was named earlier this year after archaeologists unearthed a giant fresco depicting the procession of Dionysus, the ancient god of wine and festivities.
A staircase inside the home, which at first appeared to lead nowhere, prompted speculation that the feature once extended upward to a tower-like upper floor — possibly offering sweeping views of the surrounding city and the historic Bay of Naples.
A digital reconstruction of the House of Thiasus in Pompeii (photo via Scavi di Pompei)
A reconstruction depicts an approximately 39-foot (11.8-meter), tower-like structure with two levels connected by an internal staircase, linking what may have been a ground-floor service room to an upper dining chamber.
Using virtual simulation techniques and detailed digital scans, the researchers recreated the residence’s missing upper structure. The resulting model lent support to their latest theory of Pompeii, which was famously buried by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 CE and has long been the subject of fascination. To this day, the site draws millions of tourists each year.
In a press release, Park Director Gabriel Zuchtriegel described archaeological research at Pompeii as “extremely complex,” adding that their innovative digital reconstruction technology offers new ways to study what traditional excavation cannot reach. He emphasized that the upper floors of buildings provide essential insights into understanding the culture and lifestyle of ancient Pompeians.
“By putting together the data in the form of a 3D digital model, we can develop hypothetical reconstructions that help us to understand the experience, the spaces, and the society of the time,” continued Zuchtriegel in the statement.
