Pompei in Città Metropolitana di Napoli, Campania, Italy — Southern Italy (Tyrrhenian Coast)
Casa del Menandro (ricostruzione del carro) / House of Menander
Didascalie
Restituzione grafica del carro a due ruote (cisium birotus) ritrovato nel braccio meridionale del portico del quartiere servile in corso di scavo (disegno R. Oliva)
In 1931, in the servant's quarter of the house, the remains of a small wheeled cart were discovered, known in ancient sources as a cisium birotus, a two-seated vehicle pulled by two mules or horses that was used for short journeys or for carrying light loads. The wooden components, the originals of which had been lost due to the perishable nature of the material, were reconstructed and reassembled along with the original metal parts, such as the iron wheel rims with a diameter of around 140cm, which retain traces of the original twelve wooden spokes. The iron wheel hubs were also recovered, while only a few elements have been preserved of the main body of the cart, which consisted of a wooden framework held together by metal bands, with two side panels decorated on the outside with bronze studs. The drawbar featured a bronze end piece in the form of a decorative thumb.
Captions
Graphical rendering of the two-wheeled chartiot (cisium birotus) found in the southern wing of the portico of the slaves' quarters under excavation (drawing R. Oliva)
Erected by Pompeii Archaeological Park.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Anthropology & Archaeology • Roads & Vehicles. A significant historical year for this entry is 1931.
Location. 40° 44.982′ N, 14° 29.416′ E. Marker is in Pompei, Campania, in Città Metropolitana di Napoli. Marker is at the intersection of Viale delle Ginestre and Via villa dei Misteri on Viale delle Ginestre. The marker is located in the main building for the House of Menander. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Pompei, Campania 80045, Italy. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Casa del Menandro / House of Menander (within shouting distance of this marker); a different marker also named Casa del Menandro / House of Menander (within shouting distance of this marker); Terme Stabiane / Stabian Baths (about 210 meters away, measured in a direct line); Teatro Grande e Quadriportico/ (approx. 0.3 kilometers away); Foro / Forum (approx. 0.4 kilometers away); Santuario di Apollo / Sanctuary of Apollo (approx. half a kilometer away); Pompei Giubileo [Pompeii Jubilee] 2000 (approx. half a kilometer away); Santuario di Venere / Sanctuary of Venus (approx. 0.6 kilometers away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Pompei.
More about this marker. The marker is located in the Pompeii Archaeological Park.
Also see . . . House of the Menander. Archaeological Park of Pompeii
The construction of the house was part of a complicated series of events, and is a typical example of a home of a high-ranking family.The atrium has frescoes with scenes from the Iliad and the Odyssey. The peristyle is rhodium-shaped, with the north side higher. The house owes its name to a picture of Menander, an Athenian playwriter, placed in the portico. The house has a small thermal area below which there is a basement, perhaps a cellar, where a box was found with 118 pieces of silverware, now on display at the National Archaeological Museum of Naples.(Submitted on July 18, 2023, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas.)
Credits. This page was last revised on July 18, 2023. It was originally submitted on July 17, 2023, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas. This page has been viewed 57 times since then and 19 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on July 18, 2023, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas.