Archaeological Park of Pompeii

What is the archaeological park of Pompeii

Considered the best-preserved city in the world from that era, the archaeological park of Pompeii offers an extraordinary glimpse into how people lived more than two thousand years ago. But what makes this site so special? First of all, the history of Pompeii is as fascinating as it is tragic. The life of the city was abruptly interrupted by the eruption of Vesuvius in 79 AD. This catastrophe allowed the exceptional preservation of monuments, houses, temples and even the people who lived there, frozen in time for posterity. But Pompeii is also a landmark in the history of archaeology and antiquity itself, offering a unique window into the past. Its historical and archaeological importance has been recognized internationally, so much so that in 1997 it was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Today, Pompeii attracts visitors from all over the world. In 2023, the excavations recorded almost four million visitors, placing them among the most visited monuments in Italy.

Brief history of the Ancient City of Pompeii

The history of Pompeii begins in the 8th century BC until its destruction by the eruption of Vesuvius in 79 AD. The first inhabitants were the Oscans , followed by the Greeks of Cumae and the Samnites . Conquered by the Romans in the 3rd century BC , Pompeii prospered, exporting oil and wine throughout the Mediterranean. In the 2nd century BC it developed urbanistically with the construction of the forum, the temple of Jupiter, of Isis and the Basilica. Having become a municipium and then a Roman colony called Cornelia Veneria Pompeianorum , Pompeii was further embellished during the age of Augustus and Tiberius. In 62 A.D. a violent earthquake struck the area. Still under reconstruction, on October 24, 79 A.D., the eruption of Vesuvius buried Pompeii under six meters of ash and pumice stone, killing most of the inhabitants . The eruption, which caused at least 2,000 deaths, surprised a lively city with a population of about 20,000 . Emperor Titus attempted to rescue the survivors, but the deadly gases hindered his efforts. After the tragedy, the site was abandoned. A small settlement called Civita grew on top of the ash but was abandoned after further eruptions of Mount Vesuvius in the 11th century, causing the exact location of Pompeii to be forgotten .

Brief history of the excavations and the Archaeological Park of Pompeii

Pompeii was rediscovered in the sixteenth century during the construction of the Canal of the Count of Sarno, but It was only in 1748, under Charles III of Bourbon , that excavations began. In 1763, an epigraph confirmed that it was Pompeii . The excavations continued with alternating fortunes under French and Bourbon rule, resuming with greater enthusiasm after the unification of Italy thanks to Giuseppe Fiorelli . He introduced the division of the city into regiones and insulae and the technique of plaster casts . The first half of the twentieth century saw important discoveries, but economic problems and the 1980 Irpinia earthquake caused delays and damage. Finally, the ” Great Pompeii Project “, co-financed by the European Union after the collapse of the House of the Gladiators in 2010, renewed conservation efforts on the site. It should be said that most of the finds are kept at the National Archaeological Museum of Naples but some pieces are also on display at the Antiquarium (regio VIII, n. 19) , an exhibition structure inside the archaeological park built in the second half of the nineteenth century.

What to see at the archaeological park of Pompeii

Before delving into the streets of the excavations of Pompeii to discover the many treasures they hold, let’s not forget that it is still a city that at the time had at least 20,000 inhabitants and that the part brought to light covers an area of more than 50 hectares. In short, a city that is not exactly small. Some basic information is therefore necessary to be able to orient yourself more easily and understand what to expect. Furthermore, I do not propose a boring list of all the sites that can be visited, those more or less accessible are well over a hundred, but I prefer to give you general information to better understand what you will find in the archaeological area of Pompeii and why it is a place to visit at least once in a lifetime.

First approach to the ancient city

Like most Roman cities, including nearby Naples , ancient Pompeii features an urban layout organized around two main axes: the cardo maximus (north-south, today Via Vesuvio and Via Stabiana) and the decumanus maximus (east-west, today Via dell’Abbondanza) . These axes intersect at right angles, dividing the city into four quadrants. Unusually off-center from their intersection is the forum, the central square of public and commercial life . Additionally, the entire city is divided into regiones and insulae . This subdivision is of recent times but it is useful for you to orient yourself since it is shown on the map and on the official guide of the site and on plaques posted on street corners. I also use this notation (e.g. regio VI, n. 3) to indicate the location of the places mentioned . The streets are well paved, with a sewage system and wind through masonry houses, theaters, baths, artisan workshops, thermopolis, an amphitheater and much more. Here and there there are several public fountains (some working) at the time fed by aqueducts ( Castellum Aquae , regio VI, n. 14 ). These also served the private homes of the richest citizens who, in practice, had running water already two thousand years ago. Pompeii is, moreover, surrounded by walls with access gates and towers . Among the latter I point out the Tower of Mercury (regio VI) , from which you can enjoy a splendid view of the archaeological site. There were seven, perhaps eight access gates , and, near some of these, you will find four necropolises with monumental tombs of various types. Finally, outside the excavation area, you can visit some wonderful extra-urban residences . The most famous, reachable on foot in a few minutes from the Park, is the Villa of the Mysteries (regio VI, n. 19) , famous for its magnificent frescoes depicting mysterious scenes linked to initiatory cults. All of this remained buried under volcanic ash for almost two thousand years, preserving it incredibly well .

The homes of the Pompeians

Now that you know what to expect from the excavations of Pompeii, it’s time to enter the homes of the ancient inhabitants. Between the best and worst preserved you can see about eighty of them. Each has its own unique characteristics, although three patterns can be identified that reflect different social classes.

The domus

The domus, residences of the wealthiest families, can cover up to 3000 square meters. It is accessed by a corridor that leads to the central atrium, surrounded by bedrooms, dining rooms and other service rooms. In the center of the atrium is a pool called an impluvium to collect rainwater. Some are enriched with Hellenistic elements such as the peristyle, a garden surrounded by a columned portico overlooked by other rooms, and the richest are decorated with frescoes, fountains and spa areas. Notable examples include the House of Menander (Regio I, No. 7), the House of the Silver Wedding (Regio V, No. 3), and the House of the Golden Cupids (Regio VI, No. 12).

The houses of the Middle Class, merchants and the people

Middle-class houses, although smaller, are still comfortable, often with an uncovered central courtyard and small gardens. Merchants and artisans, on the other hand, live in simpler houses, called pergule, with a main room used as a workshop and rooms at the back for storage and housing. An example is the Fullonica of Stephanus (regio I, no. 3). Finally, less affluent families lived in much smaller and simpler houses, with limited space and few comforts, but still offered a safe and functional roof.

Villas: luxury and productivity

Outside the city center are the villas, divided into villas of leisure and villas rustiche . The villas of leisure are luxurious residences for rest and pleasure , located in panoramic places with large gardens, sculptures and fountains, such as the Villa of Oplontis a few kilometers from Pompeii. The villas rustiche, similar to modern farms , have spaces for productive activities and storage of goods, combining residential and productive elements, such as the Villa of the Mysteries (regio VI, n. 19) here in Pompeii .

Did you know? Curiosities about the houses of Pompeii

I conclude this section with three curiosities about the houses of Pompeii. The first concerns the names of the houses. They have been given the name of the owners, if known, or, alternatively, archaeologists have taken inspiration from finds or particular characteristics of the house. The second curiosity concerns the presence, in many private homes, of small votive shrines dedicated to pagan gods or to Lares, spirits of deceased ancestors protectors of the family. This custom, adapted over the millennia, still survives in some homes, especially in southern Italy. Finally, the splendid frescoes you will come across were classified into four styles by the German archaeologist August Mau at the end of the twentieth century, each referring to a very specific time frame. The styles are:

• Structural or Encrustation Style (150 BC – 80 BC), see for example the House of the Faun (Regio VI, n. 1);
• Second style or Architectural Style (80 BC – end of the first century BC), see for example the House of the Labyrinth (Regio VI, n. 21);
• Third style or Ornamental Style (mid-first century AD), see for example the house of Marcus Lucretius Fronto (Regio V, no. 2);
• Style of Perspective Illusionism (Neronian age, after 62 AD), see for example the house of Menander (regio I, no. 7);

If you want to learn more, I refer you to the link at the bottom of the page. Now that we have an idea of how the Pompeians lived, let’s discover the other treasures of the city.

The Forum of Pompeii: the beating heart of the ancient city

The Forum (regio VI, n. 6a) is the main meeting point in every Roman city. Here business is discussed, orators are listened to and purchases are made. .
A Pompei, intorno al Foro, si trovano gli edifici pubblici più importanti:

• The Basilica (regio VIII, n. 2), seat of judicial activity.
• The Tabularium (regio VIII, no. 8), the official archive of the city.
• The Temple of Jupiter (Regio VII, no. 8), symbol of Rome’s control over the city.

Another important building is the Macellum (regio VII, n. 12) , the city’s lively market, where fish, meat, fruit and vegetables were sold. The Macellum was also a place of banquets in honour of the emperor, becoming a centre of social and cultural life.

Ovens, tabernae and thermopolises in the excavations of Pompeii

In addition to the Macellum, the streets of Pompeii are full of small shops selling fresh fruits, vegetables, oil, bread and meat. Bread is also very popular, with 34 bakeries found in the city (e.g. the (Bakery of Popidio Prisco , Regio VII, n. 20) . For evening entertainment, Pompeians frequent the tabernae lusoriae , places where you can eat and play. However, Pompeians are the true pioneers of street food . The thermopoli , which Pompeians call popinae , are places where they sell food, probably uncooked, and drinks to take away . Here you can taste wine, broad beans and an energy drink called posca , made with water, eggs and vinegar. It is estimated that there are around a hundred of these places in Pompeii and it is not difficult to come across them. Among the many, however, the house and thermopolium of Vetutius Placidus (regio I, no. 9) stands out in via dell’Abbondanza, the main street of Pompeii. This place probably also served as a taberna.

The thermal baths

Spas are fundamental social places and not just for leisure or treatment. They are accessible to everyone, from wealthy patricians to ordinary citizens, often for free or at very low cost. Here, in addition to washing, you meet friends and discuss business, politics and philosophy . Typical baths have a succession of rooms:

• Frigidarium (cold water)
• Calidarium (hot water)
• Tepidarium (moderate temperature)
• Natationes (swimming spaces)

Other recurring spaces are the apodyterium (changing room), the sauna, the cleaning room and the gym. Water heating is sophisticated, with underground hearths that spread warm air through hypocausts under suspended floors. Four thermal establishments have been found in Pompeii: the central baths (regio IX, no. 2), the baths of the Forum (regio VII, no. 10), the Stabian baths (regio VII, no. 16) and the Suburban baths (regio VII, no. 1). The Stabian Baths (regio VII, no. 16) , the oldest, date back to the 4th-3rd century BC and are located near the forum. They are divided into sections for men and women and include changing rooms, frigidarium, tepidarium, calidarium and furnaces with heated floors. The Suburban Baths (regio VII, no. 1) , built in the 1st century BC outside the city walls, were, instead, private baths with changing rooms decorated with unique erotic frescoes, which probably served as a catalogue of the sexual services offered by the slaves on the upper floor, making these baths a sort of unconventional brothel.

The amphitheater: the kingdom of the gladiators

The Amphitheatre of Pompeii (regio II, no. 5) , built between 80 and 70 BC, hosted the famous gladiatorial combats , attracting crowds from all over the region. It could accommodate up to twenty thousand spectators and was equipped with a velarium , a tent that protected from the sun and rain. The arena is made of beaten earth and the cavea, where the spectators sat, is divided into three sectors for the different social classes. In 57 AD, a violent brawl between Pompeii and Nocera, which caused numerous injuries and deaths, led the Roman Senate to close it for ten years, a decision revoked after the earthquake of 62 AD. Today it hosts shows and evening concerts in an unparalleled atmosphere .

Theatres: culture on stage

For those who love cultural performances, Pompeii offered theaters for comedies, music, and poetry, all concentrated in one large block. These magical places still host events with a great emotional impact . The Teatro Grande (regio VIII, n. 10) , dating back to the Samnite era, bears witness to the transformations of the city. It can accommodate around five thousand spectators, and is characterised by the horseshoe-shaped orchestra area and a cavea divided into three levels. The velarium protected the spectators from the elements. After the earthquake of 62 AD, the stage was rebuilt with marble and statues. The Teatro Piccolo (regio VIII, n. 12) , or Odeion, built around 80 BC, can accommodate around thirteen hundred people, ideal for poetry and music. It also has a semicircular structure with the cavea divided into two parts. Finally, the Quadriportico dei Teatri (regio VIII, n. 11) , built around 80 BC, served as a foyer for the Teatro Grande and was converted into a gymnasium for gladiators after the earthquake of 62 AD

The brothels in the excavations of Pompeii: the secret pleasure

Originally linked to the cult of the goddess She-Wolf and symbols of fertility, over time they became synonymous with prostitution. The prostitutes, called prostitutes or noctilucae, worked in rooms with raised beds and erotic murals, with names and prices of the services indicated, while suggestive signs outside attracted curious customers. The Lupanare of Regio VII (No. 18), built shortly before the eruption of Vesuvius, is a significant example, showing details about the lives of prostitutes and clients through graffiti and erotic frescoes.

The necropolis: the cities of the dead

The necropolis are silent testimonies of ancient Roman funerary traditions. According to the laws of the time, the tombs must be located outside the city walls, and right near the gates of Pompeii there are four necropolises , or city of the dead. The necropolis of Porta Nocera (regio II, n. 10), near the Amphitheater, stands out for its size and historical importance. Here, the tomb of Eumachia, a priestess of Venus, is one of the most remarkable. Other important necropolises are that of Porta Ercolano (regio VI, n. 17), along the road to Villa dei Misteri, and that of Porta Stabia (regio VIII, n. 21), just beyond the theater district.

The casts of the excavations of Pompeii: silent witnesses of a thousand-year-old tragedy

A trip to Pompeii is not complete without visiting the casts, witnesses of the eruption of Vesuvius in 79 AD. These casts were made thanks to a technique devised by the archaeologist Giuseppe Fiorelli in the nineteenth century. Fiorelli used a mixture of water and plaster to fill the voids left by the decomposed bodies under pumice and ash, thus reconstructing the original forms of the victims. The casts immortalize the last moments of life of adults, children, servants and masters, surprised by the fury of the volcano while seeking shelter. Displayed in showcases or left on the site of the discovery, they offer an unfiltered view of the destructiveness of Vesuvius. Youcan see some of them, among others, in the Antiquarium (Regio VIII, no. 19) and in the house of Sirico (Regio VII, no. 17).

Vesuvius

We cannot talk about Pompeii without mentioning Vesuvius, clearly visible from the Archaeological Park, silent guardian and protagonist of the story that the Archaeological Park tells every day. In the first century AD, before the eruption, it was a placid hill covered with vineyards and orchards. At its feet, Herculaneum and Pompeii thrived in harmony with the volcano, which seemed to have been asleep for over a thousand years. On October 24, 79 AD, Vesuvius woke up. Small seismic shocks and the drying up of water wells heralded the eruption. Pliny the Elder died suffocated by gas at Stabia while trying to rescue the survivors but his letters, handed down by Pliny the Younger, offer us a vivid and heartbreaking testimony of the eruption, describing the explosion and darkness that enveloped the region. Today, Mount Vesuvius is a National Park and continues to capture the imagination of visitors. If you have the chance, explore its slopes up to the crater mouth, admire the view and be inspired by the power of nature.

Pompeii in art: from cinema, to music, to literature

Pompeii and its history have inspired a huge variety of artistic and cultural works over the centuries. From paintings to novels, films to documentaries, Pompeii continues to capture the imagination of artists from all over the world. Here A quick look at the main works and productions inspired by this ancient and fascinating city:

Famous paintings

” The Last Day of Pompeii ” by Karl Pavlovich Brjullov;

Unforgettable novels

“The Last Days of Pompeii” by Edward Bulwer-Lytton; “Arria Marcella” by Théophile Gautier; The series of children’s novels “The Roman Mysteries” by Caroline Lawrence; “Pompeii” by Robert Harris;

Movies, TV series and animations

Several film versions of “The Last Days of Pompeii”, including that of 1900, 1913, 1926, 1935, 1950, 1959 and 2007; The miniseries “The last days of Pompeii” in 1984; “Pompeii” (2007) directed by Giulio Base; “The Simpsons” visited Pompeii in the episode “The Italian Bob”; In the episode “The Fire of Pompeii” of “Doctor Who”, an alien invasion is explored during the eruption;

Documentaries

Italian popular science documentaries such as Superquark and Ulysses; The BBC’s “Pompeii: The Last Day,” which offers an engaging narrative of life in the city before the eruption; Unrepeatable musical events Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was inspired by the beauty of Pompeii and composed “The Magic Flute” after a visit; In 1971, Pink Floyd held a concert without an audience at the amphitheater of Pompeii, immortalized in the film ” Pink Floyd: Live at Pompeii“;

Tips

• In addition to the opening/closing times of the archaeological park as a whole, there are specific hours for individual places and even specific opening days for some of them. Consult the official website for all the details and organize your visit in the best possible way.
• Once you enter the archaeological area of Pompeii it is not possible to leave and re-enter. Organize, therefore, to drink and eat before entering. Alternatively, there are two refreshment points in the park (Regio VII behind the Temple of Jupiter and Regio IX with access from Via dell’Abbondanza). In addition, there are drinking water fountains scattered here and there. Everything is marked on the official map of the park.
• Inside the excavations of Pompeii there are also toilets and a medical center always marked on the official map.
• Given the size of the archaeological area, it takes at least two days to visit it all. Therefore, if you decide to dedicate just one day to it, I do not recommend that you buy the POMOEII+ ticket which, with a surcharge of €4 compared to the standard ticket, also allows access to the Villa of the Mysteries. In one day you will barely be able to visit half of the site and you can even do without the villa. In any case, if you buy the standard ticket (Express) and then decide to visit the villa of the Mysteries anyway, you can buy a special ticket at the price of € 8 at the dedicated entrance but the payment is only by card.
• To fully enjoy your visit experience, don’t forget to pick up the paper map available at the ticket offices for free. In addition, you can download the map and the official guide both in pdf and available in various languages. Finally, the official app for Android and IOS is available which, thanks to geolocation, provides you with precise information about what is around you in real time and in various languages (even LIS).
• If you wish to be assisted by a tour guide , you can find several specialized agencies at the entrance of Piazza Anfiteatro and authorized guides at all entrances. More information is available on the official website.
• Within the archaeological area of Pompeii, temporary exhibitions are often organized. Find out on the official website so you don’t miss them.
• In the large theater and in the amphitheater, concerts and theatrical performances of international level are often organized. Find out more on the official website and on ticketone to live a truly unrepeatable experience.
• The best times to visit the archaeological park of Pompeii are from May to June and from September to October. This is because the weather is quite mild and, thanks to daylight saving time, the park closes at 7 pm. The months of July and August can be really hot and, if possible, avoid them. Finally, in the period from November to February the weather is more variable, the chances of rain and cold increase even if the climate is still mild on average, and the park closes at 5 pm.

To learn more

• Tonight in Pompeii Rai 1 Alberto Angela (video);
• Pompeii – Story of an Italian revenge (video);
• The excavations of Pompeii – Petroleum 28/07/2017 (video);
• Roman painting: the four Pompeian styles (video);
• Pompeii: Inside the ancient city that was buried alive (video in English);
• UNCOVERED: Hidden secrets of Pompeii ;
• The Three Days of Pompeii by Alberto Angela (book);

PS: the photos accompanying the article are published with permission of the MIC – Archaeological Park of Pompeii