May 27, 2023

May 27, 2023

From our hotel, we walked up Corso Umberto to the main train station and bought tickets for the Circumvesuviana commuter train. Like the name implies it goes right past this volcano. Vesuvius at only 4000 feet height doesn't look dangerous compared to her much bigger sister Etna. In some parts of the world it would barely be a hill, but in 79 AD she probably had a peak that exploded and rained terror down upon nearby Pompeii completely burying it. The city's rediscovery in 1748 made it an instant must-see tour stop and kicked off a Neoclassical Revival. The wealthy all redecorated ala Roman.

We arrived in Pompeii shortly after opening and entered this World Heritage city through the Porta Marina city gate. In 79 this would have been at the harbor. Lava flow pushed the shore a mile away.

From the gate we arrive in the public space of Pompeii, the Forum where people would gather to visit the market. Surrounding it are the Basilica Law courts, temples, and public baths. Not far away are the theaters for entertainment. The last time I visited this spot almost forty years ago it was raining.

We turn north to visit the residential sections. It looks very eerie, like a bombed out city. To add to the creepy feeling, voids were found in the pumice while excavating the site. When they were filled with plaster, they turned out to be body molds of those who didn't leave Pompeii in time.

The streets are all cobblestone lined with sidewalks on both sides. Ruts from chariot wheels are all over. Rain was directed down the streets to wash them, so there are stepping stones at strategic spots to get across without getting ones feet wet.

Pompeii is very large, with every street looking similar. It is easy to get turned around. The list of houses open varies day to day so we have to keep checking the map to determine where to go. Interestingly the Romans put polished stones in the sidewalk that would glow in the moonlight to provide direction.

On many corners there is a marble fountain where common people would gather drinking water.

We visited dozens of houses including the spectacular House of the Vettii that reopened just a few months ago after twenty long years of restoration. Roman homes all have a common design theme. There was an entrance hallway that was tiled with a greeting. Oftentimes simply Hello, but famously a few with a mosaic dog with the Latin inscription for Beware of Dog.

This hall opens into a tiled atrium with a small marble pool (Impluvium) to catch rainwater for personal use. The tiled roof would have been slanted to funnel the rain into it.

Surrounding the atrium were several small bedrooms and opposite the entry a large dining room. In one house we saw the table they ate at. It was just an L-shaped couch. The Romans ate while reclining! 

The great draw of Pompeii is that many of the mosaic tiled floors and wall decorations survive giving us a detailed idea how ancient Romans lived.

The quantity and variety of painting that has survived in Pompeii is so great that art historians have been able to classify it into different styles that were prevalent in each era. First-style mimics fine stonework, others are decorative, and some have mythological themes and architectural elements.

The dining room usually looked out onto a garden that was surrounded by a peristyle hall (colonnade). The garden would sometimes have a fountain. Adjoining it would be a richly decorated great room where business would be conducted.

One house had a piece of polished obsidian in the wall by the entry door. It was used as a mirror. I wondered why aloud, but my smart wife informed me it was to check how you look before answering the door.

The Romans were very practical so they had exterior rooms that were rented to vendors selling products and services. This is like our big cities that have stores on the first floor of residential buildings.

We started exploring these homes mostly by ourselves, but as the morning progressed the crowds thickened so we walked east thinking most tourists won't stray far from the entrance. We saw a bakery, which had large grain milling stones and pizza-like ovens. We also saw a laundry with large fire-heated lead pots.

I made a special point to find a Thermopolium. This was the fast-food restaurant of the Romans. It consisted of an L-shaped marble counter top with several large clay vats containing wine and various foods. It turned out I didn’t need to look hard. There seemed to be one nearly everywhere I looked. Apparently Romans never ate at home.

On the far east side of Pompeii, we toured the Amphitheater where Romans watched sporting events, like lions eating Christians. This arena is believed to be the oldest still in existence.

Next-door is the Grand Palestra. We walked through the encircling columned portico of this YMCA of Pompeii. The huge interior courtyard of this gymnasium even had a swimming pool. The Palestra is used for special exhibits. One set of displays shows the foods that Pompeiians ate. Their Last Supper included Peaches, Figs, Walnuts and a loaf of bread. Unfortunately, all are over-cooked, by the volcano!

There is another exhibit on erotica. Apparently it was prevalent in every house. Some is tame, but surprisingly explicit images of Priapus were on prominent display in common areas. He was the God of Prosperity and Abundance, in particular male abundance. Interestingly, the notorious side effect of Viagra, Priapism, is named after him.

We were getting tired and the crowds unbearable so we quickly walked back across Pompeii towards the exit. Our last stop was the Brothel. It consisted of many small rooms with stone bed platforms and erotic wall paintings. Not far away we found a very explicit sign carved into the pavement pointing in this direction.

To finish the day, we left the walled city of Pompeii out the north gate. Tombs lined both sides of the road as Romans always buried their dead just outside the city walls.

Our last stop was a country estate called Villa of the Mysteries. Most of the villa is closed for renovation except for its famous Mystery room that has some brightly colored frescoes illustrating an initiation rite of women into a mysterious cult. We walked to the train station for the trip back to Naples.