At the beginning of urbanization, the architectural style of habitations
used general Roman forms adopted to local conditions both in the Civil
Town and in the area of the canabae. Mosaic floors made from tiny colored
pieces of stone were among the most expensive luxury items. Only representative
buildings financed from the state budget could muster such artistic features.
Aquincum was the administrative center of Pannonia Inferior and the seat
of the Legatus Augusti. The Governor's Palace was built on today's Hajógyár
Island. Its location in the northeastern corner of the canabae, across
from the Barbaricum on the other site of the Danube, was supposed to demonstrate
the monumentality and power of the Roman Empire. Public buildings of the
governor's administration and the houses of high-ranking officials occupied
the nothern zone of the canabae on the Óbuda bank of the Danube branch
separated by the island. Floors in the five large reception halls in the
eastern, representative wing of the palace ere covered by mosaics as early
as the beginning of the AD 2nd century. It is likely that mosaic artists
trained in the Italian tradition were commissioned to make these floors
characteized by bichromic, geometric patterns. The surface decorated by
the contrasting effects of white limestone and black basalt, the rythmic
elegance of simple geometric forms certainly showed the cultural superiority
of Rome to visiting delegations from the Barbaricum. Meanwhile they were
subtle enough not to distract the visitors' attention from the artistic
wall-paintings and luxurious furniture. Thus, pompous receptions held
in these halls had a full scale visual effect. Local mosaic artists in
Aquincum are known only from the beginning of the AD 3rd century, that
is the "Golden Age of Severus". Following the modification of
the frontier by Caracalla in AD 214 the military power as well as political
weight of Pannonia Inferior increased. Consequently, the demand for representative
mosaic work increased and such orders could provide a living for artists
working in a local mosaic manufacturing workshop. In this new situation,
it was again state and central funds that could be mobilized first. During
the course of renovation and modernization in the northern bath wing new
mosaic floors were laid as well. The central water drainage hole in the
most impressive, octogonal exedra hall was surrounded by the figural pictures
of a marine scene. In the surviving section of this mosaic picture a swordfish
(Xiphias gladius) is chasing a carp-like creature (Cyprinidae) in the
seacoast among the reeds. A mallard swims in the direction of a tree trunk
covered with water plants such as bulrush, and a mussel is attached to
a rock below. A huge dolphin plunges into the waves while a timid goldfish
is escaping into the depths of the water. The aforementioned black and
white tone dominates in the background of this mosaic that shows elements
of incipient polychromism. Yellow highlights also appear in the band that
frames the scene as well as in the dolphin's shiny body. The dolphin's
eye and that of the goldfish are red. Both the style and execution of
the black and white fish-scale patterns monotonously repeated in the frame
motifs show harmonic similarity with AD 2nd century geometrical mosaics.
The axonometric depiction of a cube may be found in the relatively small
mosaic floor of Room 45. It was formed from gray and black stones against
a yellowish-white background. This moderate polychromism adds to the three-dimensional
effects of this geometrical composition. The first excavations at the
palace revealed two, round pools whose mosaic decorated bottoms were originally
surrounded by floor tiles (one of these two mosaics had already been taken
to Vienna in the last century). The decoration of these pools may also
be reconstructed using geometric principles, however, the Aquincum specimen
also displays the entire stylistic arsenal of the new trend. Previously
preferred cool, geometrical patterns were replaced by deep red and yellow
water lily blooming in the humid air of the caldarium in imitation the
hot atmosphere of the Nile valley. It remains a question, what were the
contribution of state representation funds and increased military payments
in the internal decoration of "officers' houses", built in the
northern zone of the Military Town in close association with the Governor's
Palace complex. Mosaic floors were also identified at the bottom of three
pools in the separate baths that belonged to the huge building with peristylium
and atrium excavated between Folyamőr and Búvár Streets. These designs
are geometric with black and white swastika and pelta motifs in the two
larger pools. The floor of the smallest pool is decorated with regularly
alternating red, yellow and blue squares and rhomboids on a white background,
framed respectively by a band and zone of meanders. The inner corridor
of the main building was also decorated with a mosaic floor. It displays
as well geometric motifs in red and white. The small stones, however,
are less finely ground. Their uneven fit provide the dynamic impression
so characteristic of the "Severinus Baroque". The large mosaic
floor in the tablinum is more carefully executed. Unfortunately, only
fragments from it survive. In its complete state it showed a Dionysiac
scene. This surface is covered by playful arches in a band composed of
triangles, narrow bands and a woven ribbon-like frame. These ribbons are
dispersed by medaillons, each showing the perfect figure of an animal
(stork, bull, stag, horse, panther). The arches are further enriched by
meandering branches of ivy. A building of similar character and function
was found in Meggyfa Street, where a rich assemblage of AD 3rd century
mosaic floors is exhibited. Some of the mosaic floors that decorated the
three rooms opening into each other at that site collapsed into the heating
channels under the floor. Only details of the geometric frame motif, made
in a local, Pannonian workshop survived in the two rooms located to the
south. In the third room, however, the central piece of the mosaic floor
with an emblem was preserved. It shows a duel between Hercules and Nessos
the centaur. It is likely that this emblem was made in an Alexandrian
workshop, and is the only imported piece of mosaic known not only from
Aquincum but from the entire area of Pannonia. The rich colors in this
mosaic are reminiscent of Hellenistic wall-paintings. This mosaic was
made from carefully ground and fitted small pieces of stone (8-9 pieces/cm2).
Both the spectrum and shades of colors used form a harmonic combination
with the remaining fragments of the tablinum floor made in a Pannonian
workshop. In this case again, the entire mosaic depicted the elevated
spirit of a Dionesian thiasos. The surviving section shows Amor offering
a bunch of grapes to a tigress. The separate baths were also ornamented
with mosaics.
The head and one of the wings of a fragmented female figure (perhaps a
Nereida) may be seen in the upper section of the picture. The mosaic that
covered the floor of the apodyterium was almost completely preserved.
It shows a pair of fist-fighters. The winner stands in a victorious posture
flexing his muscles, while the bloody headed loser has already collapsed.
During the Severus Period, the nouveau riche citizens of the Civil Town
increasingly ordered representative mosaics. The wrestling scene depicted
on the floor of the apodyterium in the so-called "large habitation
house" in the Civil Town was executed probably by the same artist
as the creator of the Meggyfa Street fist-fighters in the canabae. The
body of the African wrestler was depicted using black basalt stones. He
grabs his opponent from the back, embracing his waist. A referee standing
by them in a semi-squatting position is closely watching the event. Similarly,
the tablinum in a rich man's house was decorated by the large, richly
framed mosaic floor whose emblem displays the punishment of Dirke. It
may be hypothesized that the shrine in the Caius Iulius Victorinus mithraeum
(located in the northern section of the Civil Town), sanctified on April
22 in AD 198, was covered by mosaics within this same time period. Only
fragments of the geometrical frame design remained from this large polychrom
mosaic. From the middle of the 3rd century onwards, the danger of war
became permanent along the frontier. In these uncertain times such representation
became less and less affordable. Mosaic workshops in Aquincum gradually
atrophied in the absence of a market demand. Although the old mosaic floors
were still maintained, the craftmanship of repairs shows that no true,
skilled musivarius functioned in Aquincum at this time.
