| Ancient Pompeii | |
 | |
| State | Italy |
|---|---|
| Region | Campania |
| Territory | Naples |
| Surface | 44 ha |
| Institutional website | |
Ancient Pompeii (or Excavations of Pompeii) is an archaeological park in the province of Naples, precisely in today's Pompeii in Campania.
To know
It can be said to be the only archaeological site that returns the image of a Roman city in its entirety.
Geographical notes
The city of Pompeii rises on a plateau of volcanic formation 30 meters above sea level, on the southern slope of Vesuvius, and a short distance from the mouth of the Sarno river.
Background
It is presumed to have been founded by Italic people, the Osci, in the 7th century BC.
The city soon became the maritime and commercial outlet of the Campania hinterland; all the goods coming from Nocera, Acerra and Nola, arrived at the port of Pompeii through the river Sarno.
During the fifth century, the Samnites, coming from the mountainous areas, began to conquer a large part of Campania, unifying it under their dominion, it was then that Pompeii underwent significant urban and architectural transformations. Following the Samnite Wars, which sanctioned the supremacy of Rome, Pompeii became part of the Roman sphere of influence, albeit maintaining linguistic and institutional autonomy. The dominion of Rome on the Mediterranean favored the circulation of goods and Pompeii, around the second century BC. C., experienced a period of great growth both economically and demographic. This great well-being was also manifested through the development of public and private buildings; the Temple of Jupiter, the Basilica and the House of the Faun date back to this period.
At the outbreak of the Social War, in the first decade of the first century BC, Pompeii together with Stabiae rose up against Rome, but despite a strenuous defense the city fell to the armies of Silla, definitively entering the Roman orbit. According to the chronology provided by Tacitus, in February 62 d. C. a terrible earthquake devastated the cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum, causing numerous damage to homes and public buildings. The renovations were still in progress when in 79 AD. C. the fatal eruption of Vesuvius completely buried the city, under a blanket of ash, lapilli and volcanic material.
- The excavations
Between 1592 and 1600 with the construction of the Sarno Canal which was to carry the river waters to the nearby Torre Annunziata, the first findings were made. However, the official beginning of the excavations only took place in 1748, under the reign of Charles of Bourbon, ten years after the first investigations in the subsoil of Herculaneum. Initially the excavations were carried out in a non-systematic way, with the mere aim of recovering valuable objects and decorations. Only in 1763, when an inscription bearing the name was found at Porta Ercolano, was it certain that those remains belonged to ancient Pompeii and not, as some hypothesized, to Stabia. With the French dominion, in the middle of the Enlightenment period, the research was aimed at reconstructing the topography of the city through extensive excavations. With the return of the Bourbons, excavations continued especially in the northwestern part of the city, where there were sensational finds such as the House of the Faun. With the unification of Italy Giuseppe Fiorelli was appointed superintendent, and the excavation works had a fundamental turning point. The city was divided into regiones and insulae, the cast technique was introduced which allowed, by pouring liquid chalk into the voids of the ground, to fix the last moments of life of men and animals. In the twentieth century with Amedeo Maiuri the extension of the excavations reached 44 hectares, and numerous equipment was built to facilitate the tourist use of the site. Following the terrible earthquake of 1980, the cataloging of the decorative heritage intensified, and today numerous Italian and foreign excavation teams finalized their intervention to stratigraphic research.
- Custom and society
The peculiarity of the Pompeii site lies in the possibility of reconstructing life in Roman times with certainty, traveling along streets, visiting public buildings and private homes, entering markets, and admiring paintings, mosaics and everyday objects.
The rhythm of the sun marked the daily actions of the inhabitants of ancient Pompeii, the shops opened at dawn, and the Forum was filled with travelers and buyers, we went to the thermal baths, also accessible to slaves, and frequented the taverns, numerous , for a hot meal or a game of dice. The amphitheater was the main attraction in the city, the shows were amusing, but they were also an opportunity for those who financed them to improve their cursus honoris. The brothels were also very widespread, places dedicated to sexual pleasure, located in different points of the city, to satisfy both the inhabitants and the passing foreigners. The cosmopolitan environment dictated by the presence of an active commercial port, led to the mixing of different religious beliefs, from oriental to Jewish cults.
How to get
Permits / Rates
Timetables
- from 1 November to 31 March: every day from 8.30 to 17.00 (last admission at 15.30)
- from 1st April to 31st October: every day from 8.30 to 19.30 (last admission at 18.00)
Entrances
- Port Marina
- Piazza Anfiteatro
- Piazza Esedra
Tickets
- Single (valid for 1 day)
- Full € 15.00
- Reduced € 2.00
- With access to 3 sites (Pompeii, Oplonti, Boscoreale) - (valid for 3 days)
- Full: € 18.00
- Admission to Stabia is free, while that of Herculaneum has a separate ticket
Free admission for citizens of the European Union, and of states subject to reciprocity conditions, under 18 (not completed) and over 65 (already completed) of age.
Reduced admission (50%) for citizens of the European Union and countries subject to reciprocity conditions between the ages of 18 and 25.
Reduced admission (50%) for teachers and principals of the European Union (when not accompanying school groups) with permanent assignment of state schools. Free admission for deans, teachers and students of the faculties of Architecture, Conservation of Cultural Heritage, Educational Sciences and degree courses in Literature or literary subjects with an archaeological or historical-artistic address of the faculties of Letters and Philosophy of the universities and academies of Belle Arts of the European Union ERASMUS in the above subjects.
Free admission for MIBAC staff, ICCROM, ICR, ICOM, ISIA members, Ravenna Mosaic Restoration School, Opificio Pietre Dure in Florence, Central Institute of Restoration in Rome. EU handicapped accompanying person. Journalists registered in the Italian national register. Citizens of states with particular reciprocity agreements (Law 27.6.1985, n. 332) as indicated in the agreement itself.
Free and reduced tickets can only be issued upon presentation of a valid identity document.
For the visit to the archaeological excavations of Pompeii it is advisable to rely on an authorized guide.
How to get around
What see
What to do
Shopping
Where to eat
Where stay
- 1 B&B villa Rocla, Via S.Antonio, 15, ☎ 39 0815365544, @[email protected].
50€. Check in: Flexible schedule, check-out: 11:00. - 2 B&B Eco, Via Sacra, 29, ☎ 39 327 1368348, @[email protected]. 50€. Check in: Flexible schedule, check-out: 10:00.
- 3 B&B Elena, Via Minutella, 41, ☎ 39 3667425068, @[email protected]. 50€. Check in: Flexible, check-out: 10.30.
- Hotel Amleto, Via Bartolo Longo, 10, ☎ 39 081 8631004, @[email protected]. Check in: 15:00, check-out: 10:00.
50€. Safety
How to keep in touch
Around
In the surroundings there are the excavations of Herculaneum
Other projects
Wikipedia contains an entry concerning Ancient Pompeii
Commons contains images or other files on Ancient Pompeii
