The House of Jason is a domus in Regio IX best known for the exceptional quality of the mythological paintings that once decorated its rooms. Excavated in 1878, the house had several entrances at doorways 18–21 of Insula 5.
Its modern name derives from a large painting of Jason and Pelias. The scene shows the young Jason before King Pelias during a sacrifice. His single sandal recalls the prophecy warning Pelias to fear a man wearing a sandal on only one foot.
The domus contained an important cycle of Third Style paintings dating from the first decades of the first century AD. Many works were removed during the excavations and transferred to the Bourbon royal collections; they are now held by the National Archaeological Museum of Naples.
The best-known images include Medea contemplating the murder of her children, Phaedra with her nurse, Paris and Helen, and other scenes from Greek mythology. The choice of subjects—often shaped by passion, family conflict and tragic destinies—shows the central place of literary and theatrical culture in the decoration of Pompeian houses.
The layout departed from the more conventional domus plan. Rooms were arranged around a central space that served simultaneously as atrium, courtyard and small garden, with living rooms and bedrooms opening from its sides.
The importance of the House of Jason therefore lies less in the monumentality of its architecture than in one of the most significant groups of paintings found at Pompeii.
