SA Hercules Fresco 2

View looking at the south wall of the cult room of the Sacellum (chapel) of the Augustales (priests in charge of Emperor Worship).  The central panel is flanked by two slender spirally fluted columns.  It appears that there is an attempt to portray this central panel as a hanging tapestry.  Hercules, without club or lion's skin, is sitting nude.  The female in the foreground is the deity Minerva and in the back, between the two of them, is Zeus's wife, Hera.  Tuck believes that this is a representation of Hercules about to be taken up to be with the gods (= apotheosis), and that he and Hera are here reconciled—Hera had attempted to kill him.  Tuck believes that this is a metaphor for the apotheosis of the Emperor—being represented as Hercules.  In other words, Vespasian, like Emperors before him, were taken to be with the gods—and thus became a god!

Flanking the central piece are faded "windows" that look out on to the world.  Note especially the two chariots with horses in the upper two corners.

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Professor Tuck (see below) suggests that this room was renovated shortly after the death of Vespasian in A.D. 79, early in the reign of Titus—which implies that the room was soon buried by the pyroclastic flow from Vesuvius—ca. 24 August 79.

Tuck, Steven L.  "Worshipping the Emperors at Herculaneum," Lecture 21 in Pompeii: Daily Life in an Ancient Roman City.  Produced by the Great Courses/The Teaching Company, Course No. 3742, 2010.