The value of one's own four walls: building dynamics and socio-economic changes of private architecture in Pompeii (3rd century BC - 1st century AD)

• Applicant: Dr. Domenico Esposito
• Subject Area: Classical, Roman, Christian and Islamic Archaeology
• Term: from 2019 to 2022
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 424850936

By buying a house, one often wants to satisfy not only the need for suitable living conditions, but also invest one’s money profitably. Through modifications, expansions, subdivisions, lettings and conversions, private property can thus even contribute to further capital growth. These capitalist- and market-based premises might be quite obvious to every modern homeowner. However, how was it in Roman antiquity? What understanding of the "value of one's own four walls" did a Roman homeowner have?This question is the starting point for the present project, which deals with the building- and socio-economic dynamics of private property ownership in ancient Pompeii. Because of its exceptionally dense and consistent findings, Pompeii offers unique opportunities to answer these questions. For the first time, strategies of the private real estate industry are systematically reconstructed, based on a detailed analysis of architectural findings. In addition, modifications to private property will also be illuminated in their historical reciprocity with the entire urban structure and not - as before - remain limited to a single building complex or a specific type of building. As an interdisciplinary project, data from archaeology, economic and legal history as well as epigraphy are included. Moreover, a methodology developed specifically for this project is applied, which defines precise planimetrical basic typologies that can be used to identify and evaluate general trends in spatial organization and usage change.Concretely, the following questions arise: How can the inventory of urban private property be systematically scrutinized in relation to the overall urban fabric? What changes in area and architectural volumes and / or space usage can be detected over time? Which adequate research methodology can be used to achieve a reliable reconstruction of the original course of the property boundaries and identify the motives of subsequent changes? What conclusions can be drawn from this concerning the changes in the city structure between the 3rd century BC and 79 AD? What are the consequences of the material transformation of private property on a social, economic and legal level?The central aim of this project is thus to understand the socio-economic motives for the shaping process of private land, using the example of Pompeii. Starting point is the identification of spatial distribution and functional organization of private land in 79 AD, which also considers the potential of architecture to reflect social realities (Simmel 1903; Bourdieu 1985, 1991). From this new perspective, the project focuses on the motivations of city dwellers to invest in and maintain urban land ownership.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants