Coming to Light: Illuminating the House of the Greek Epigrams in Pompeii

Abstract

In recent decades, studies of Roman domestic space have proliferated. The result is a rich but impenetrable picture, with scholars often favoring the use of ancient sources on one hand and finds from excavated houses or material remains on the other. Studies have emphasized how light can be approached to investigate space and its social meaning. At the same time, in the field of digital technologies applied to archaeological investigation, light simulation and analysis have proven to be advantageous tools. Based on the concept of light as a powerful social agent, this study presents new insights into social and spatial behavior in the Roman house through simulation of natural and artificial light on a digital 3D reconstruction of the House of the Greek Epigrams (V.1.18) in Pompeii.1