The Hercules
Villa
The Hercules Villa is located to the south of the civilian town of
Aquincum, in Óbuda. Dating from Roman times, this dwelling was one
of a number uncovered during the archaeological excavations
conducted in the 1950’s. It obtained its name from the floor
mosaics depicting the myths of Hercules. The remnants of the villa
can be found among the other ruins in the archaeological site,
however the mosaics have been transferred into two protective
buildings.
The site belongs to the Aquincum Museum.
Permanent exhibition: Coloured mosaic floors of the 2nd and 3rd
centuries.
The Hercules Villa belongs to the row of
decorated palaces, baths, sanctuaries and habitations that stood
along the riverbank across from the Governor's Palace. They may be
considered part of the governmental complex that belonged to the
representative building of the Governor's Palace. They occupied the
northeastern and northern edge of the former Military Town. These
buildings housed provincial offices although the homes of high
ranking administrators were also located here. One of these
residences is the so-called Hercules Villa located in Meggyfa
Street.
The central core of this building must have been built during the
first half of the AD 2nd century. At the beginning of the third
century, when most probably the official administration was moved
to the "officers' houses" in the Military Town, this building was
expanded, equiped with floor-heating and decorated with mosaic
floors. In the three adjacent habitation rooms, most of these
mosaic floors collapsed into the channels of the hypocaust heating
system. Only details of the Pannonian made geometric framing motif
survived in the two southern rooms, while in the third, the greater
half of an emblem was recovered. This section, showing the fight
between Hercules and Nessos the Centaur, formed a central field in
the floor. It is likely that this mosaic was made in an Alexandrian
workshop. To date, it is the only known imported mosaic not only in
Aquincum but anywhere in Pannonia. The floor of the tablinum shows
a merry and tipsy Dionysean thiasos. In the surviving section, Amor
offers a bunch of grapes to an approaching tigress. Mosaic floors
decorated the separate baths as well. The mosaic that covered the
apodyterium floor is almost intact. It shows a pair of boxers. The
winner assumes a victorious posture flexing his muscles, after his
bloody headed opponent collapsed following a knock-out. The walls
were decorated with frescoes. Door- and windowframes, stucco niches
and sills were ornamented with flowers. Reconstructions of some of
the most typical motifs are on exhibit in the tablinum. Excavations
of the highest quality buildings in Aquincum and Pannonia Inferior,
although are far from all have been excavated, have already yielded
numerous mosaic floors, wall paintings and stucco remains. Of all
these, in situ examples are exhibited in the Meggyfa Street
Hercules Villa.
Since the mid 1980's, however, the restoration of mosaic floors and
wall paintings brought to light in another building in Folyamör
street has also been carried out, to the extent possible given
limited finances. Most of the restored specimens are on display in
the permanent exhibit of the Aquincum Museum.
Opening hours:
15 April - 31 October: after registration. Visitable only in
groups, on request with guidance!
1 November - 14 April: CLOSED
Admission: Free Guided tours: German, English,
Hungarian
Information: (+36-1) 250-1650
Transportation:
With the 86, 6 and 106 bus lines to the Bogdán Street
end stop.
Official
website
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