Pompeii

In the Pompeii Forum looking north to the temple of Jupiter, with Vesuvius in the background.  Hard to believe that the volcano 10 km distant could threaten this town.

After Naples we headed south to the the ruins of Pompeii.  To refresh what you learned in World History, Mt. Vesuvius violently erupted in 79 C.E., completely burying this Roman beach resort town in ash and pumice, killing those inhabitants who were too slow in evacuating.  The existence of the town was forgotten until the mid 18th century.  Careful excavations since then have revealed artifacts that are well-preserved due to the lack of oxygen and moisture while buried.  It is truly an amazing place.

The city wall (left), entrance through the Quadriportico (right)

In the Teatro Grande.  White marble seats for the rich folks.

               Beauty among the ruins

Housing ranged from hovels (such as at right) to grand mansions (below) 

The villa of Menandro courtyard (left) and bath off the courtyard (right)

The walls of rich villas and public baths of Pompeii were decorated with frescoes that were well preserved.  Below is a montage of frescoes from the villa of Menandro:

The montage below is from the Terme Stabiane, one of the large public baths:

(top left) entrance; (top right) view across the central courtyard; (bottom left) please leave your toga in a cubby before entering bath; (bottom right) a decorated arched ceiling.

Now where the heck are those erotic frescoes?

The center of town was the Forum, surrounded by temples to Apollo, Jupiter, and Venus, public administration offices, and statuary of emperors.

The temple to Apollo

Homage to Augustus Caesar

The most amazing aspect of Pompeii are the plaster mummies.  Residents who died in the eruption from extreme heat and poison gasses were encased in ash which solidified and formed perfect casts of the deceased.  When the site was excavated 17 centuries later, hollow spots were found where the bodies had lain.  Realizing what the hollows were, the excavators filled each hollow they found with plaster.  

From the darkness into the light.