House of Sorothus (Maison de Sorothus)
Location
Location Description
Hadrumetum is located on the bay of Hammamet at the edge of the fertile region of Sahel from which it drew its wealth. Choosing the side of Rome against Carthage during the Punic war, Hadrumetum was rewarded with the status of free town. Taking the side of Pompey, the city was heavily fined by Caesar after his victory at Thapsus. Nevertheless, the opulence of its houses adorned with luxurious mosaics testifies that the city experienced great economic development after its elevation to the status of colony, under Trajan.
Garden
House of Sorothus (Maison de Sorothus)
Keywords
- domusAAT:300005506
- peristyle housesAAT:300005452
- semicircular basin
- mural paintings (visual works)AAT:300033644
Garden Description
This very damaged house was laid out around a peristyle garden. A semi-circular and bisected basin was placed on the axis of the reception room (Plan view, Fig. 1). The small wall that enclosed the garden was painted with flowers.
Plans
Dates
end 2nd century CE
Bibliography
- Bullo, S., Ghedini, F., Amplissimae atque ornatissimae domus: l'edilizia residenziale nelle città della Tunisia romana, Rome: Edizioni Quasar, 2003, pp. 100-101. (worldcat)
- Gauckler, P., "Les mosaïques de l'Arsenal à Sousse", in Revue archéologique, 1897, II, p. 9-10.(worldcat)
- Gauckler, P., Inventaire des mosaïques de la Gaule et de l'Afrique, II : Afrique proconsulaire (Tunisie), Paris, 1910, p. 48-52, nos 120-130.(worldcat)
- Ghaddhab, R., "Y avait-il un port à Hadrumetum dans l'antiquité tardive?", in Revue des etudes anciennes, 2016, Bordeaux, France: Feret & Fils, pp. 175-199. https://revue-etudes-anciennes.fr/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/ghaddhab1-2016.pdf
- Hannezo, G., "Les mosaïques de Sousse", in Association française pour l'Avancement des Sciences, Carthage, 25e session, 1896, 2e partie, p. 817-821, p. 819.
- La Blanchère, M.-R., "Note sur une mosaïque représentant le cortège de de Neptune, découvertes à Hadrumetum et transportée au musée de Tunis (Bardo)", in Comptes rendus des séances de l'Académie des Inscriptions et Belles-Lettres, 15, p. 342-346, 378-383.(worldcat)
- La Blanchère, M.-R., "La mosaïque de Neptune à Sousse", in Bulletin du Comité des travaux historiques, 1888, p. 163‑176.
- Laporte, J.-P., Lavagne, H., "Sousse: La domus de Sorothus et ses mosaïques", in Les sodalités africo-romaines, Chaires internationales de recherche Blaise Pascale, Paris, 2006, p. 24-28, fig. 4. (worldcat)