Pompeii

Walking the streets that ancient Romans once crossed is a surreal experience. In addition to the temples and ancient restaurants preserved in Pompeii, there are incredible works of art depicting everything from everyday life to epic myths and legends.

Prior to the eruption

Before the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in AD 79, Pompeii was an important port town of the ancient Roman Empire which controlled the entire mediterranean sea. Like any typical port town there was an abundance of sailors’ hotels, bars, public baths, taverns and brothels.

Of course, the people of Pompeii had no knowledge that they were living next to a time bomb. They thought it was just a mountain. They grew vines, let flocks graze and went hunting. It was a bustling city complete with an amphitheatre, complex water systems and a dense population engaged in various trades and social activities.

The days leading up to the eruption were typical of every day life for the residents of Pompeii, who were unaware of the imminent danger despite several warning signs. The region experienced frequent small earthquakes, including a major one in AD 62 that had already caused significant damage to the city. However, the Romans were accustomed to such seismic activity and thought no more of it.

The fateful day

On August 24, AD 79, Mount Vesuvius erupted catastrophically, releasing a column of ash and rock twenty kilometres high into the atmosphere.

Pliny the Younger, a Roman administrator and poet, witnessed the eruption from a distance and later documented the terrifying scene in two letters to the historian Tacitus. His vivid accounts describe the sky darkening and the ash falling like a blanket over the region, followed by waves of hotter and denser volcanic gases and rocks that ultimately buried the city.

Frozen in time

The ash, pumice and rock that erupted from Vesuvius covered Pompeii to a depth of up to six metres, sealing the city and its perished inhabitants in a time capsule. This debris created an anaerobic environment that was crucial in preserving buildings, artifacts and organic materials including wooden objects and food.

The ash casts made from the voids left by the decayed bodies of the victims provided hauntingly detailed impressions of their final moments. These casts created by archaeologists who later injected plaster into the holes have given an understanding into the human toll of the disaster.

Vesuvius destroyed the city, but it also preserved it, stopping life in Pompeii in its tracks and providing an accurate insight into life in the ancient city.

Pompeii rediscovered

Pompeii remained hidden until it was discovered by archaeologists during the 18th century. Thanks to King Charles III of Spain, excavations began in 1748 and continue to this day, making Pompeii the longest continually excavated site in the world.

The excavation revealed well-preserved homes decorated with frescoes and mosaics, public baths, forums and temples. Artifacts such as pottery, furniture and personal items paint a vivid picture of daily life in Pompeii, ranging from what they cooked to what they wore.

New finds are constantly being uncovered, continually giving us a look into Roman life and the history of Pompeii.

Only recently an inscription was found which researchers believe could indicate the total population of Pompeii. They estimate at one point the city had a population of 30,000 people. Over 2,000 men, women and children perished when Mount Vesuvius erupted.

Last summer, archaeologists made another haunting discovery in the ruins of Pompeii. They found two skeletons, a man and a woman frozen in time by the eruption, in what was probably a bedroom where they sought shelter from the falling pumice, only to be tragically crushed. The woman was discovered surrounded by treasures - gold, silver and bronze coins as well as jewellery - offering a glimpse into the wealth of Pompeii’s residents.

This discovery is part of an ongoing excavation that has revealed a “Blue Shrine” and vibrant frescoes depicting scenes from the Trojan War.

Visiting Pompeii

I strongly recommend that you experience Pompeii with a registered guide so that you can truly comprehend the significance of the history and understand what you are seeing. The ruins cover roughly 44,000 square metres and the city wall has a circumference of three kilometres, so without an expert guide you can find yourself wandering aimlessly. Walks of Italy is a company that I have been using for fifteen years because they have exceptional guides.

The easiest way to reach Pompeii is to take the Circumvesuviana train from Naples to Procida which takes approximately 40 minutes. There are frequent trains throughout the day and the stop to get off is called Villa dei Misteri. If travelling from Sorrento, the train journey is 30 minutes.

Ci vediamo la prossima settimana.

Deb