This complex is centered around a paved square. Building 2 is the Porticus of Hercules along the southern Cardo, building 3 the House of Hercules, flanking the square. Nothing has been written about building 4, to the south-west. Buildings 2 and 3 were erected during the reign of Marcus Aurelius (161-180 AD; opus latericium). At a later date reinforcing brick piers were added in the east part of the porticus and the building. The complex was named after a small tufa relief of Hercules with club and lion-skin, that was found amongst the rubble of the collapsed porticus. It can today be seen in modern masonry. Originally it may have been a keystone of one of the arches along the Cardo Maximus.
Plan of the complex. After SO I.
In the piers of the porticus along the Cardo are small, travertine blocks with holes, some of which contain metal. Perhaps torches were fastened here for nocturnal illumination (cf. the Terme del bagnino Buticosus (I,XIV,8)).
The main entrance of the internal square is a covered vestibule reached from Via della Caupona. In the south-west wall is a semicircular wall-niche for a small statue of a deity. It forms an entity with the masonry of the first building period. On the south part of the square is a large, covered basin (lacus). To the east are shops, partly facing the square and partly behind the porticus. On the floor of the shops is opus spicatum. They are covered by cross-vaults. Three corridors lead from the Cardo Maximus to the square. Two of these are flanked by staircases. The corridors have barrel vaults. In the northern corridor is a relieving arch painted red and white: red paint on the bricks, but also on the mortar, white paint on the mortar. The paint creates the illusion of very narrow layers of mortar.
In three of the shops behind the porticus bars were installed, marked A, B and C on the plan. Bar C has been described with the Terme del Faro (IV,II,1). In the east corner of bar A is a brick base, set against the south-east wall, next to the main entrance. It has a shallow opening in the front (d. 0.17) and supports three stepped shelves. There is no water basin, but that was not necessary in this case: to the right of the base is a floor-niche with a vaulted opening, containing a well. In the west corner is a base with four masonry steps, leading to a platform for a ladder. On the floor of the room is opus spicatum.
The counter of bar B is in the back of the room, in the south corner. Above are two shelves of marble slabs. The counter was decorated with marble and contains a water basin. On the floor of the room is a mosaic of white circles on a black background. It was damaged when the conduit leading to the counter had to be repaired. The tesserae where replaced at random, without any pattern. In front of the counter is a drain hole with a marble cover. On the walls are remains of red and yellow paintings. In the back wall is a wide opening. There is no threshold. The mosaic continues, which suggests that the back room formed part of the bar. This would explain why the counter is not near the main entrance of the front room, which is the rule. On the floor of the back room is opus spicatum.
Somewhere in this complex a cippus with a dedication to Isis and the Genius of the Apartment was found, by Claudius Pompeius Rusticus Diocles, miles frumentarius from the third Gallic legion. The frumentarii were messengers and police-officers, even secret agents.
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ISIDI ET GENIO CE NAC(u)LI EX VOTO CLAVDIVS POM PEIVS RVSTICVS DIOCLES MIL(es) FR(umentarius) LEG(ionis) III GAL(licae) LIBENS REDDIDIT |
