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Regio IV - Insula V - Caseggiato delle Taberne finestrate (IV,V,18)
(House of the Shops with Show-windows)

The House of the Shops with Show-windows was erected to the west of the Guild Seat of Trajan. It has traditionally been assigned to the reign of Trajan, but recent research suggests a date in the years 120-140 AD. It consists of rooms flanking an unpaved side-street of the western Decumanus, an alley that has been called Angiporto delle Taberne Finestrate. To the west is another unpaved side-street that became a dead-end street after a blocking at the rear (Vico Cieco).

Facing the Decumanus are three shops, behind which are back-rooms, a small latrine, and a staircase leading to apartments. The alley could be blocked by a beam, inserted in holes in travertine blocks.

Many shops flank the Angiporto. The central part of the alley is wider than the north and south end, and may be called a tiny square. The entrance and exit of the central part were marked by brick arches. The entrances of the shops were accompanied by large windows, which have been interpreted as show-windows. Many of these windows were, not much later, blocked with reticulate. In the north-west corner of the square is a basin, and there is another basin in the room to the east. An east-west passageway connected the Angiporto and the Vico Cieco. To the south of the passageway are a staircase and a large communal latrine.

In the southern part of the building the four eastern rooms faced eastward: they became part of the Guild Seat of Trajan to the east. That was probably the office of the Imperial Procurator Annonae (of the food-supply), and the rooms may then have been used by his clerks, for administrative purposes.

On the opposite side of the passageway, to the south-west, are two halls. Their function is unknown. A double row of large brick piers in the northern one suggests that here something heavy needed support. In these rooms many geometric mosaics were found, one with a bird in the centre. They have been stylistically dated to the years 130-150 AD, and more accurately by a denarius of Antoninus Pius below the mosaics, from 140-143 AD.

Below the second century building remains were found of an older domus, dating back to the first century BC. Among the finds were many fragments of paintings, and a polychrome mosaic with birds from the Julio-Claudian period.



Plan of the building. After SO I.

Photos and drawings



The facade of the building. Note the travertine blocks for the insertion of a beam.
Photo: Jan Theo Bakker.




The central part of the Angiporto delle Taberne Finestrate, seen from the south.
Photo: Jan Theo Bakker.




The central part of the Angiporto delle Taberne Finestrate, seen from the south-east.
Photo: Klaus Heese.




Reconstruction of the central part of the Angiporto delle Taberne Finestrate, seen from the north-west.
Image: Tomassini 2022, fig. 101.




The room with two rows of five piers in the west half, seen from the north-east.
Photo: Tomassini 2022, fig. 151.




The south part of the building, seen from the south.
Photo: Klaus Heese.




The south part of the building, seen from the south-west.
Photo: Jan Theo Bakker.




The southernmost room of the west half, seen from the south.
Photo: Jan Theo Bakker.




The blind alley to the west of the building, seen from the north.
Photo: Klaus Heese.




Plan of the west half of the south part of the building, with mosaics.
Image: Tomassini 2022, fig. 152.




The mosaic with birds from the domus (Julio-Claudian).
Photo: Tomassini 2016, fig. 5.


[jthb - 7-Nov-2024]