Situated next door to the House of Neptune and Amphitrite, the name of this caupona is lost. However, it is the best-preserved bar in antiquity and contains a wealth of information about the facilities, food and layout of an everyday Roman caupona. It also shows how commercial properties co-existed with well-to-do houses.

The Caupona and the House

Archaeologists have estimated that the caupona was built ten years before the destruction of Herculaneum. It was in front of the house of Neptune and Amphitrite, to the right of the house’s entrance, connected to the domestic area by an internal door. The same individual likely owned both the house and the commercial outlet. 

It is, however, unlikely that the owner of the house ran the caupona himself. Instead, he probably rented the space out to someone else — a common practice in the Roman world, where commercial properties often fronted high-status roman townhouses. That tenant probably lived “above the shop” in a small apartment, which is visible through the ceiling of the caupona.

The Remains of the Caupona

The property is exceptionally well persevered as the wooden furnishings and fittings were carbonised and preserved by the eruption of 79AD. In addition, the remains of three skeletons were found in situ near one of the stoves at the back of the shop.

The caupona was simple. The interior consisted of a basic cement floor with plastered walls, complete with frescos. One side of an L-shaped counter stretched across the street front, enabling the patron to serve customers straight off the street, while the other lay within the interior of the caupona, offering food to patrons seated in a small area on the right.

The serving area was divided from the storage and cookery area at the back of the shop by a small partition that limited the customers’ view of behind the scenes activities while allowing bar staff easy access. A series of wine racks were found fixed to the south wall in this back area, with wine amphorae still in place, while a balcony area on another wall provided extra storage space. In the southeast corner are the remains of an arched support for one of the caupona’s three stoves, which warmed food and drink to its patrons.

Typical Roman Bar Snacks

Some of the caupona’s bar snacks were preserved by the eruption. While they may have been cheap, they would have also been nutritious. Archaeologists discovered large storage dolia containing carbonised legumes such as chickpeas and fava beans, which were possibly served stewed in stock or olive oil. 

Resources

Pirozzi, Maria Emma Antoinetta. Herculaneum: The Excavations, Local History and Surroundings. Electra. Naples.

Roberts, Paul (2013) Life and Death in Pompeii and Herculaneum. The British Museum.