The Roman House, dated to the beginning of the 1st century A.D., was discovered by the Spoletan archaeologist Giuseppe Sordini in the years 1885-1886 and repeatedly excavated on several occasions until 1914. Its position right by the forum, and the richness of its decoration both suggest the owner’s high social rank.
A fragment of an inscription found in the well of the house, with a dedication to the emperor Caligula by Polla, led to the hypothesis that this important domus belonged to Vespasia Polla, mother of emperor Vespasian, who lived in Norcia.
The architectural scheme reflects that of classical Roman patrician dwellings, with the exception of the peristyle placed to the left of the atrium and of which parts of the columns with travertine bases are preserved. The entire house was abundantly decorated with frescoes on the walls, stucco on the ceilings and polychrome terracotta elements on the roof. The widely preserved mosaics represent an important testimony of the period for their refinement and variety: black backgrounds and white tiles, they represent natural elements and particularly complex geometric figures.
