Tourists visiting Southern Italy and its pearl, the city of Naples, have the opportunity to enjoy beautiful views, including the majestic mountain, located just a few kilometers from the city limits.
The mountain, only 1281 meters high, does not look intimidating, especially if you don’t know its name - Vesuvius. It is the only active volcano in continental Europe and one of the most dangerous volcanoes known to mankind.
For those who do not find the appearance of Vesuvius frightening, local residents will advise a trip to the coast of the Gulf of Naples, east of Naples. There are three ancient cities there - Pompeii, Herculaneum and Stabiae, life in which ceased on one day, August 24, 79, when the volcano began to speak in full force.
In the 1st century AD, serious and systematic observations of volcanoes, including Vesuvius, were not carried out. And it’s unlikely that they would have helped - Vesuvius has not been active since the Bronze Age and was considered extinct long ago.
In 74 BC Spartacus and the gladiators who joined him at the very beginning of their uprising hid from their pursuers precisely on Vesuvius, covered with lush vegetation.
Local residents did not feel any threat from the proximity to the volcano.
"Ancient Roman Rublevka" was founded by Hercules
The largest of the ancient cities adjacent to Vesuvius was the city of Pompeii, founded in the 6th century BC. In the city, which was considered a colony of Rome after the capture of the Roman dictator Sulla in 89 BC, according to modern estimates, about 20 thousand people lived. It was an important point on the trade route between Rome and southern Italy, and such a favorable location was one of the reasons for its prosperity.
In addition, Pompeii can be called something between an ancient resort and the “ancient Roman Rublyovka” - many noble citizens of Rome had their villas here.
Nearby Herculaneum, like Pompeii, was founded in the 6th century BC. Its founding was attributed Hercules, who performed one of the feats in these places and “celebrated” this event by founding not even one, but two cities (the second was Pompeii).
The city, located directly on the seashore, was used as a port for a long time and developed successfully. However, by 79, the best time for Herculaneum was already in the past - the city was badly damaged by a powerful earthquake that occurred in 62, and by the time of the new disaster no more than 4,000 people lived in it.
By 79, Stabiae was considered a city only conditionally. The once fairly large settlement was virtually completely destroyed during the “visit of Sulla” in 89 BC, as a result of which Pompeii lost its independence.
The city was not restored, but representatives of the Roman aristocracy from among those who did not make it to “Rublyovka” in Pompeii chose it for their villas.
End of the world after lunch
Less than 20 years before the eruption of Vesuvius, a large-scale earthquake occurred in this area. A number of villages near Herculaneum and Pompeii were completely destroyed, and there was very serious destruction in the cities themselves.
Human memory, however, can quickly erase unpleasant memories. Over the course of 17 years, much of what was destroyed was rebuilt. This is especially true for the city of Pompeii, which has become even better than before. The attractions of the city were the Temple of Jupiter, the forum and the amphitheater, which could accommodate almost the entire population of Pompeii.
Life in Pompeii, Herculaneum and Stabiae went on as usual until August 24, 79. Moreover, on this day people flocked to the Pompeii amphitheater to watch gladiator fights.
The eruption began on the afternoon of August 24 and came as a complete surprise to residents of nearby towns and villages. Vesuvius threw a huge cloud of hot ash into the sky. The thermal energy released by the volcano during the eruption was several times greater than the energy released during the bombing of Hiroshima. The cloud of stones, ash and smoke reached a height of 33 kilometers. The western part of the volcano exploded and fell into an expanded crater.
Despite the horror of what was happening, for city residents the disaster was not at all lightning fast. Ash fall, although it made breathing difficult and made it difficult to move around the city, was not a fatal phenomenon. Everyone who was able to assess the impending threat began to quickly leave the cities that were in danger. But not everyone could objectively assess the degree of danger.
Save yourself, whoever wants to
Famous ancient Roman writer Pliny the Elder, who in 79 held the post of commander of the galley fleet in Misenum on the shores of the Gulf of Naples, with the beginning of the eruption, attracted by its grandeur, headed to Stabiae in order to observe the violence of the elements and help the victims. Arriving in Stabia a few hours later, he was unable to leave due to the low tide. While calming the frightened inhabitants and awaiting changes in conditions at sea, Pliny the Elder died suddenly. According to one version, the cause of his death was sulfur fumes.
From his nephew's letters Pliny the Younger It is known that the disaster developed over a long period of time. Pliny the Elder, for example, died on the night of August 26, that is, more than a day after the start of the eruption.
According to researchers, the fatal blow to Pompeii and Herculaneum was dealt by pyroclastic flows - a mixture of high-temperature (up to 800 degrees Celsius) volcanic gases, ash and stones, capable of reaching speeds of up to 700 kilometers per hour. It was pyroclastic flows that caused the death of most of the people remaining in Herculaneum.
However, these flows hit the cities no earlier than 18-20 hours after the start of the disaster. All this time, the city residents had the opportunity to avoid death, which, obviously, the majority took advantage of.
It is very difficult to establish the exact number of victims of the disaster, because numbers of different orders are called. But, according to modern estimates, most likely, out of 20 thousand inhabitants of the city of Pompeii, about two thousand died. In Stabiae and Herculaneum the number of deaths was lower due to the fact that they themselves were much smaller than Pompeii.
Pliny the Younger did not witness what happened in Pompeii and Herculaneum, but he left evidence of the panic at Misenum, which survived the disaster: “The panic-stricken crowd followed us and (like any soul maddened with horror, any proposal seems more prudent , than her own) pressed on us like a dense mass, pushing us forward when we came out... We froze in the midst of the most dangerous and terrifying scene. The chariots that we ventured to take out shook so violently back and forth, although they were standing on the ground, that we could not hold them up even by placing large stones under the wheels. The sea seemed to roll back and be pulled away from the shores by the convulsive movements of the Earth; definitely the land expanded significantly, and some sea animals found themselves on the sand... Finally, the terrible darkness began to gradually dissipate, like a cloud of smoke; daylight appeared again, and the sun even came out, although its light was gloomy, as happens before an approaching eclipse. Every object that appeared before our eyes (which were extremely weakened) seemed to have changed, covered with a thick layer of ash, as if snow.”
Canned history
After the first impact, a second wave of pyroclastic flows followed, which completed the job. Pompeii and Stabiae found themselves under a layer of ash and pumice 8 meters deep; in Herculaneum the layer of ash, stones and dirt was about 20 meters.
Who died in Pompeii, Herculaneum and Stabiae?
Among the victims of the eruption were many slaves, whom their owners left to guard their property. Elderly and sick people who were unable to leave the cities due to their condition died. There were also those who decided that they would be able to wait out the disaster in their own home.
Some of the victims of the eruption, having already left the city, remained dangerously close to it. They died from poisoning by gases released during the rampage of Vesuvius.
Huge masses of ash and pyroclastic flows “mothballed” the cities and those who remained in them, in the state in which they were at the time of destruction.
The surviving residents did not attempt to excavate the site of the tragedy, simply moving to a new place.
The lost cities were remembered only in the 18th century, when, after a new eruption of Vesuvius, workers in this area stumbled upon ancient Roman coins. For some time, the territory became a paradise for gold miners. Later they were replaced by hunters of rarities in the form of statues and other historical relics.
Full excavations of the city of Pompeii have begun Italian archaeologist Giuseppe Fiorelli. It was he who discovered that voids had formed in place of the bodies of people and animals buried under a layer of volcanic ash. By filling these voids with plaster, it was possible to reconstruct the dying poses of the victims of the eruption.
Giuseppe Fiorelli began the systematic work of scientists in Pompeii, Herculaneum and Stabiae, which continues to this day.
As for Vesuvius, 2014 marks 70 years since its last major eruption. However, scientists are convinced that the longer he is silent, the more powerful his next blow will be.
Ancient city of Pompeii was formed back in the 6th century BC. If it were not for the eruption of Mount Vesuvius, which burned the entire city to the ground, covering it with a huge layer of volcanic ash, Pompeii would still exist not far from Naples. Now these are ruins that UNESCO has listed as a World Heritage Site.
The name Pompeii arose after the unification of five independent cities (pumpe - five). This is a more plausible version. There is a legend according to which Hercules defeated the giant Geryon in a tough battle, and after that he solemnly walked around the city, celebrating the victory. From the ancient Greek language pumpe is a solemn, triumphal procession.
In those days, people believed in God, and believed that the gods controlled earthly cataclysms. Despite the fact that on February 5, 62 AD. e. A strong earthquake occurred, which could possibly have been the impetus for a volcanic eruption, people still continued to live in the city, worshiping the gods, and believing that no misfortune would happen to them. Still, the volcano erupted. It happened August 24, 79 AD Not only the city of Pompeii suffered, but also nearby cities - Herculaneum, Stabiae. The eruption was so strong that the ash even reached neighboring countries - Egypt and Syria. About 20 thousand people lived in the city. Some managed to escape even before the disaster began, but many died. The exact number of victims is unknown, but the remains of bodies were found far outside the city.
The city remained under a layer of ash for many centuries until in 1592 by Dominico Fontana(a famous architect of that time) did not stumble upon the city wall while laying a canal from the Sarno River. No one gave this wall much importance, and only about 100 years later in the ruins of Pompeii they found a tablet with the inscription “Pompeii” carved on it. Even after this incident, no one could have imagined that this was an ancient city that had disappeared from the face of the earth. They concluded that this was the old villa of Pompey the Great.
And so in 1748 the extraction of the ancient city began. Led the excavations Alcubierre, who was sure that this was the city of Stabia. Directly in Pompeii itself, only three excavations were carried out in different places. Alcubierre was a barbarian, and he sent all finds that, in his opinion, were of interest to the Naples Museum, and simply destroyed others. Many scientists protested, and the excavations stopped.
In 1760, new excavations began, led by F. Vega. They continued until 1804. Vega and his subordinates spent 44 years retrieving works of art. All finds were restored again and removed very carefully. At this time, tourists had already begun to come here, so many monuments were not immediately transferred to museums, but were left on display for visitors to the city of Pompeii, which had already become a museum.
In 1863, excavations continued. This time they were led Giuseppe Fiorelli. It was he who discovered a huge number of voids under layers of ash. These are nothing more than the bodies of the city's inhabitants. By filling these voids with plaster, scientists completely reproduced casts of human bodies, right down to facial expressions.
In 79, the awakening volcano Vesuvius instantly covered the city with a cloud of ash, under the weight of which the roofs of buildings collapsed. The city was destroyed in the blink of an eye, turning into stone for many centuries. Almost two millennia later, the city was discovered and gradually began to be dug up, revealing the typical life of an ancient Roman city.
Two cities bear the name. The first is a very lively small town, the second is the same famous Pompeii, destroyed in a matter of hours by the eruption of the formidable Vesuvius. The living city of Pompeii has existed for only 150 years. It grew up during the beginning of the excavations of Pompeii, becoming, in fact, a hotel city for millions of tourists who came to see the dead city.
Unlike the lesser known city, Pompeii is home to crowds of tourists, especially before lunch. So be prepared to encounter long queues to enter. In addition, Pompeii is much larger than Herculaneum, so it will take a long time to walk here. In the summer heat, don't forget comfortable shoes, sunscreen, a hat and water, as there is very little shade.
Pompeii weather:
Getting to Pompeii:
- Train timetable Naples - Pompeii(direction )
- Train timetable Pompeii - Naples(direction )
- Train timetable Naples - Pompeii(direction Poggiomarino)
- Train timetable Pompeii - Naples(direction Poggiomarino)
Buses to Pompeii:
Trains to Pompeii: approx. 50 minutes on the way
Practical information:
Ticket to Pompeii:
- Entrance to the archaeological area of Pompeii: 11 €, preferential - 5.5 €
- Combo ticket(5 archaeological zones: Pompeii, (Ercolano), Oplontis, Stabia and Boscoreale) - 20 € , discounted 10 €.
- EU citizens under 18 years old - free.
- The entrance to Pompeii is covered
Entrance to the ruins: Porta Marina Superiore - Piazza Anfiteatro - Viale delle Ginestre (Piazza Esedra)
Working hours:
- from November 1 to March 31: from 8:30 to 17:00 (last entry at 15:30)
- from April 1 to October 31: from 8:30 to 19:30 (last entry at 18:00)
History of Pompeii
Unlike most cities in southern Italy, Pompeii was not founded by the Greeks - the first inhabitants of these places were Italic tribes. It is believed that in the 9th-8th centuries BC. They built a city on solidified lava, not knowing either the origin of this “foundation” or the reason for the exceptional fertility of the lands of the Sarno Valley fertilized with volcanic ash - at that time Vesuvius “slept”. During the era of Magna Graecia, the inhabitants of Pompeii had close relations with the nearby Greek colonies and they adopted religion, culture and way of life from their neighbors.
Two centuries later, the Greeks were replaced by the Samnites, and in the last years of the 4th century BC. The era of Roman rule began. Pompeii became part of the Roman state, maintaining relative autonomy. Under Roman protectorate, the city grew rapidly, its population increased sevenfold over two centuries. At the same time, the Pompeii were not particularly flexible: if the Italian tribes united and rebelled, the inhabitants of Pompeii, as a rule, joined them. In 74 BC. Spartacus took refuge with seventy rebels on the top of Vesuvius, and then, twisting ropes from vines, descended and defeated the Roman pursuers.
Trade, navigation, and crafts (especially the production and dyeing of fabrics) successfully developed in the city. Roman aristocrats built luxurious villas in Pompeii, but more in the neighboring one. Spacious dwellings were erected by local merchants and entrepreneurs who became rich. The inscriptions preserved on the walls of the houses indicate that the townspeople led an active social and political life.
It would seem that nothing foreshadowed the tragedy, but in 63 “the first bell rang” - a powerful earthquake occurred with its epicenter near Pompeii. Many public buildings collapsed, the water supply system was severely damaged, and city residents were buried under the collapsed houses.
Emperor Nero wanted to ban living in Pompeii, but the stubborn Pompeii defended the right not to leave their homeland and began to restore the city. The dire warning of an impending disaster was not taken into account. And 17 years later, on August 24, 79, a second disaster struck the inhabitants of Pompeii: a volcanic eruption destroyed Pompeii and the small settlements around it in a matter of hours.
As a result of lengthy archaeological excavations, an open-air museum arose on the site of the lost city.
Petrified figures of people in the dead city of PompeiiSights of Pompeii
At the entrance (at the tourist office) be sure to pick up a map of the excavations. It's easy to get lost in Pompeii.
Porta Marina Gate
The inspection starts from Porta Marina gate. City street via Marina paved with stone slabs, in which the carts pushed deep ruts. To properly organize traffic, city residents installed special stones with guides for wheels. On these same stones, during the rain, it was possible to cross from one sidewalk, lined with lava slabs and raised 20 cm above the roadway, to another, without getting your feet wet.
Antiquarium
Just outside the gate on the right side via Marina is located Antiquarium(lat. antiquarium - “repository of antiquities”), where some finds from excavations and plaster castings of the bodies of dead townspeople are collected.
Forum
Via Marina leads to a complex of buildings forum. Usually the forum was located in the center of the ancient city, but in Pompeii it was greatly shifted to the southwest, since it was not easy to find a large, flat area on the frozen surface of the lava flow. The forum was surrounded on all sides by buildings with porticoes; between the columns there were statues of famous people of that time, from which pedestals with inscriptions have been preserved. adjoined the forum from the west Temple of Apollo(Tempio di Apollo, VI century BC, rebuilt in the 1st century). Those who decorated the temple have been preserved statues Apollo and Diana (the originals are kept in the Archaeological Museum of Naples).
Temple of Jupiter
To the north of the temple of Apollo was the main sanctuary of Pompeii - Temple of Jupiter(Tempio di Giove, II century BC). It was destroyed by the earthquake of 63, and by the time of the next disaster they had not yet managed to restore it. In addition, on the forum there were Lar temple(Tempio dei Lari) And Temple of Vespasian(Tempio di Vepasiano), city administration buildings and the Comitium, where elections were held, a market, food warehouses, the Chamber of Weights and Measures and public toilets.
Stone triumphal arches in honor of the emperors Drusus and Tiberius they were once lined with marble.
Thermae of the Forum
To the north-west of the Temple of Apollo there are forum baths(Terme del Foro). After the earthquake of 63, they were the only ones that continued to function properly. The baths built under the dictator Sulla had women's and men's sections, each of them consisted of an apodyterium (locker room) and halls: frigidarium (with cold water), tepidarium (with warm water) and caldarium (with hot water). Here you can see the water supply and heating systems and admire fragments of decorative paintings that decorated the vaults and walls.
The northern façade of the baths overlooks the main ancient axis of Pompeii ( decumanus) - via Terme- via della Fortuna- via di Nola. On the nearby streets, buildings typical of a Roman city have been preserved: from profitable “apartment” houses of the poor (insul) to luxurious private mansions, sometimes occupying an entire block, with peristyles, fountains and richly decorated rooms.
House of the Tragic Poet
Opposite the term is up to m tragic poet(Casa Del Poeta Tragico) with the famous mosaic floor, which depicts a rehearsal of the play. In front of the entrance there is a mosaic image of a dog with a caption Cave canim ("Be aware of dogs!").
House of the Faun
A little further east on via della Fortuna costs up to m faun(Casa del Fauno), named after the small bronze figurine of the Dancing Faun, which decorated one of the peristyles of this aristocratic villa. The famous mosaic “ Battle of Alexander the Great with Darius"(kept in the Archaeological Museum of Naples).
House of the Vettii
Having passed from via Terme to the north along perpendicular to it via di Mercuriotwo quarters, you can explore houseApollo(Casa del Apollo), a folding c via Termeon at the first intersection to the east on Vicolo di Mercurio - up to m Vettiev(Casa dei Vettii). This is a most valuable monument of Pompeian painting (there are three different “Pompeian” painting styles) and a “museum of everyday life” of wealthy citizens. At the end of the excavations, the building needed only minor restoration, after which it appeared in its original form. The paintings on mythological themes are perfectly preserved (“ Ariadne and Dionysus», « Hercules strangling snakes") and a frieze with graceful miniatures " Cupids busy at work».
The image of Priapus located at the entrance with scales in his hand, on one bowl - a bag of gold, and on the other - a huge phallus, makes a stunning impression on an unprepared person. The life-loving Pompeians treated this organ with respect. It was believed that the image of the male reproductive organ could ward off evil spirits. Some researchers explain the purpose of small images of phalluses carved on Pompeian pavements with sacred purposes, but there is a version that these are just pointers to the nearest brothel (lupanarium), to which Vettiev leads west from the house vicolo Storto.
Lupanarium
Lupanarium(Lupanare) stands at the intersection with via della Fortuna. A well-preserved brothel from the inside looks rather gloomy and looks more like a prison dungeon than an entertainment establishment - tiny dark rooms, narrow, short stone beds and small frescoes. It is believed that the paintings on the walls not only created the right mood for visitors, but also served as instructions - with their help, foreign sailors who did not speak Latin explained themselves to prostitutes. Despite their unpresentable appearance from the point of view of a modern person, ancient brothels were popular among representatives of different classes of the empire.
Triangular Forum
From lupanarium, keeping the general direction south, along vicolo Storto, via degli Augustali, via dei Teatri you can go to Triangular Forum(Foro Triangolare). Many shops and workshops, taverns and drinking establishments have been preserved (dishes and coins thrown in a hurry by the last visitors remained on the tables in the taverns, images of dishes offered in the establishment are often painted on the walls), mills and bakeries. The standard of the latter can be bakery Modesta(Forno di Modesta), one of the largest in the city. In it, archaeologists discovered millstones, a sales counter and petrified bread. The triangular forum was built back in the Samnite era.
towered on it Doric temple(Tempio Dorico, VI century BC), dedicated to Hercules. Along the north-eastern side of the square there were Samnite palaestra(Palestra Samnitiana), Grand Theatre(Teatro Grande) And gladiator barracks(Caserma dei Gladiatori). The palaestra served as a place for sports activities for aristocrats before a similar large structure was built on the outskirts. The Great Theater for 5,000 spectators (2nd century BC, rebuilt under Augustus), made according to the Greek model, stood on the hillside. The majestic mountain range on the horizon served as a natural backdrop. Nearby there is a gladiator barracks with canteens, closets where the fighters lived, and a rectangular courtyard for training.
East of the Bolshoi was located Maly Theater, or Odeon(Teatro Piccolo o Odeon). Next to him stood a small Temple of Zeus Melichios, which, after the destruction of the large sanctuary in the Forum Square, served as the main place of worship of Zeus, and nearby - an elegant Temple of Isis(Tempio di Iside), considered one of the best examples of ancient architecture. Not long before the disaster, the temple was rebuilt and thanks to this, it was perfectly preserved.
Amphitheater
Walking from the Maly Theater to the east, you can first look around m Cryptoportica(Casa dei Criptoportico), where plaster casts of people who died during the eruption are exhibited, and then get to Great Palaestra(Grande Palestra), built in the 1st century. Next to her is a huge amphitheater(Anfiteatro), which could accommodate at least 12,000 spectators. The building, in the arena of which performances were staged and gladiator fights took place, was built in 80 BC. and may have served as a model for later amphitheaters in Rome. The palaestra and amphitheater are located on the eastern edge of the excavation area.
Villa of Mysteries
TO Villa of Mysteries(Villa dei Misteri) from the railway station you can walk along viale della Villa dei Misteri, following it to the north-west. There are magnificent wall paintings preserved here, made in the spirit of the cult of Dionysus, telling about marriage (possibly the mistress of the house). It is known that the cult, prohibited in Rome by decree of the Senate, was preserved in the province, and the paintings of the Villa of the Mysteries provide the key to the mysteries of the Dionysian rites. The figures are painted in full height on a characteristic red “Pompeian” background.
Pompeii: Villa of the Mysteries - paintings in Dionysian style on a characteristic red background Pompeii Map
Pompeii (city of Pompeii) is an ancient Roman city in Italy, located near Naples, Campania region. As a result of the eruption on August 24, 1979, he was buried under a layer of volcanic ash. It is now an open-air museum and is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
On February 5, 62, a powerful earthquake occurred, which became the harbinger of the eruption of Mount Vesuvius. This disaster caused enormous damage to the city; most of the buildings were repaired, but some remained damaged until the destruction of Pompeii. The eruption of Vesuvius began on the afternoon of August 24, 79 and lasted the whole day, as evidenced by some surviving fragments of letters from Pliny the Younger. This eruption led to the destruction of three cities - Pompeii, Herculaneum, Stabiae and several other small villages and villas. Entire streets of the city, fully furnished houses, and the remains of people and animals that did not have time to escape were found under many meters of ash. The power of the eruption is evidenced by the fact that its ashes reached Egypt and Syria.
In 1592, the architect Dominico Fantana, while laying a canal from the Sarno River, came across part of the city wall. During the construction of the well in 1698, the ruins of an ancient building with the inscription “Pompeii” were discovered, then they decided that this was the villa of Pompey the Great. 
Under the leadership of R. J. Alcubierre, excavations began again in 1748, but he was only interested in finds of artistic value, and everything else was destroyed. After protest from a number of scientists, his practice was stopped. In 1760 - 1804, under the leadership of F. le Vega, excavations continued. In 1763, an inscription was discovered on the pedestal of a statue buried in ash, only then did it become clear that this was the city of Pompeii. 
In 1870, it was discovered that voids had formed in place of the bodies of people and animals buried under a layer of ash. These voids were filled with plaster; this technology helped restore the dying poses of the victims of the eruption. After the earthquake in 1980, restoration work was carried out in the city of Pompeii. Today, 20-25% of the territory of Pompeii remains unexcavated.
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The city of Pompeii arose in the 6th century. BC. for the most natural and rational reason: where the roads connecting the northern and southern parts of the Apennine Peninsula converged. This means it was an ideal place for profitable trading. In addition, nature and climate created everything here for a serene pastime, which in antiquity was considered the best condition for a decent life in all respects. Then the settlements that became the forerunners of the city were located on the shores of the Bay of Naples (then the bay retreated from this place). The Osci lived here - one of the ancient Italian tribes. Subsequently, the Osci were assimilated with the Latin-Romans and disappeared from the ethnic landscape of history as a tribe. It is believed that the Osci were related to the Samnites, based on the fact that they had similar languages. The most convincing version of the origin of the city’s name is associated with the Oscan word pumpe - “five”: there were so many first settlements on the site of the city. And the main roads that converged here led to Nola, Cumae, and Stabiae. Another version of the origin of the city’s name is based on the Greek pompe - “triumphal procession”, according to the myth about the founding of the cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum by Hercules. The second version is supported by the fact that the city was built according to the canons of Greek architecture. Which, however, is typical for all buildings of Ancient Rome along with Etruscan influence. And the Etruscans took possession of Pompeii first, then the Greeks from Qom, and only then the Romans.
At first, the structure of Pompeii was rustic and arbitrary, but from the 4th century. BC e. it is being transformed: straight streets were laid out, blocks of two- and three-story residential buildings were formed, in which apartments and rooms were rented. The public buildings of this essentially small city gave it almost metropolitan respectability. “The plan of a Pompeian house is striking in its desire to divide the space as small as possible and to connect all the divisions as closely as possible. We are surprised by the small size of Pompeian rooms, but isn’t it more surprising that in other houses the number of rooms reached sixty. Among these countless bedrooms and dining rooms, the difference between which could only be understood by the eyes of a home-loving owner, stretched courtyards - a half-open atrium and a completely open peristyle. They are repeated with amazing accuracy in all Pompeii houses...” this is a quote from a short essay on Pompeii by the outstanding Russian art critic P. P. Muratov (1881-1950).
Many houses here did not have kitchens. Bread was bought in bakeries (there were 34 of them), and ready-made hot dishes were bought in 89 thermopolia, ancient Roman trattorias. The sybaritic way of life was asserted by the Roman aristocracy, who built luxurious villas in Pompeii, Herculaneum and near them. This is how the Pompeians lived: artisans worked, merchants carried on their commerce in markets and in the port near the mouth of the Sarno River, patricians rested, and everyone visited the Forum, temples, theaters, the amphitheater - an arena for gladiatorial fights, baths and lupanaria - meeting houses. And even military conflicts did not particularly disturb this order and serene spirit. And the main events in the history of Pompeii were as follows: the conquest by the Samnites - 20s. V century BC e., alliance with Rome after the Second Samnite War - around 310 BC. e., Allied War - the uprising of the Italic tribes against Rome (91-88 BC) and the conquest by Emperor Sulla in 89 BC. e.
The inhabitants of Pompeii did not know about the most important thing for them - what was happening in the depths of the stratovolcano, standing at the junction of the tectonic plates of Europe and Africa. From time to time, the Pompeians felt tremors, but since large-scale destruction did not occur, no one attached serious importance to them. The inhabitants of Pompeii did not even care that some of the slopes were noticeably warm. This continued until 62.
Ancient Pompeii, now an archaeological park, is located in the Italian region, in the southwestern part of the Apennine Peninsula, at some distance from the coast of the Gulf of Naples - in ancient times the Cuman Gulf, about 24 km southeast of Naples. The city is divided into 9 districts (regions), which can be called more commonly - quarters.
The earthquake of February 5, 62 caused very significant damage to Pompeii. The then reigning Emperor Nero even thought about evicting all residents from the city. But they did not believe that something like this could happen again.
After all, before this, Vesuvius seemed to them to be a good-natured giant in character: herds grazed on its emerald-green slopes, olive groves and vineyards bore fruit abundantly on its fertile volcanic soils. During the earthquake, the walls of houses collapsed, the water supply system was damaged, and statues fell and were broken.
In just 10-15 years, everything was restored and new buildings were built. The neighboring city on the other side of Vesuvius also suffered; it suffered more, but it was also much smaller than Pompeii. The city of Stabiae was completely destroyed back in 89 BC. e. Sulla during the Allied War, but quite a few villas were built in its place, which were also heavily damaged by the earthquake in 62.
Harbingers of a new coming disaster began to appear from the first days of August 79: streams dried up, animals behaved restlessly, birds flew away. Observant and educated residents of the city, after thinking it over, considered it best to leave it as soon as possible. Those who remained in Pompeii were mostly slaves guarding the property left by their owners, small artisans with their families and single people. In total, at least 2 thousand people died. There is an assumption that there is much more - up to 16 thousand (taking into account Herculaneum, Stabiae and small villages), but since the excavations have not been completed to this day, the official figure is 2000.
The fatal, devastating eruption began in the afternoon of August 24 and lasted almost a day. First, there were explosive emissions of volcanic ash that covered the entire vicinity of Vesuvius. Then a thick layer of frozen lava flew out of the volcano’s mouth, like a cork from a bottle, sealing the volcano’s mouth for the time being. While still in the air, this layer scattered into large and small pieces, and already hot lava flowed. And also pyroclastic flows. It was a mixture of molten deep rocks, hot stones and pumice, driven by the pressure of volcanic gases and flying from time to time into the air - porous frozen volcanic glass, now melting again. According to modern calculations, the speed of this deadly flow could reach 700 km/h (in spurts), and the temperature - 800°C. Over the crater of Vesuvius, lapilli - small fragments of magma frozen in flight - flew up in volley sheaves.
Then the frequency of the volleys decreased, and a huge smoky cloud of ash and volcanic gases formed, which was carried by the wind towards Pompeii and Stabiae. The height of the cloud reached 33 km. And the process inside Vesuvius continued, the western part of the volcano exploded and collapsed into an expanded crater, and new lava flows burst out from there. The people of Pompeii were doomed. Some tried to take refuge in their own home, others, on the contrary, in open places to see where to run. But all this turned out to be useless. Many, before the stones fell on them, died, suffocated by poisonous sulfur fumes. Presumably, the writer Pliny the Elder, the author of Natural History, the largest encyclopedic work of antiquity, also died in Stabiae. He then commanded a galley fleet in Misenum on the shores of the Gulf of Naples and, as soon as the eruption began, rushed to Pompeii, but stones were already falling on the galleys, and Pliny turned to Stabiae to help someone and generally understand what was happening.
When the eruption ended, Pompeii and Stabiae were covered with ash, stones, lahars - mud flows. The thickness of the layer reached 8 m. A cover about 20 m thick formed over Herculaneum. The surviving people ran wherever they could, as long as they were away from the place of the apocalypse they experienced.
Excavations
Scientific archaeological excavations at the site of the tragedy of 79 in Pompeii began only in the 18th century.
The first to come across traces of the lost city was the architect D. Fontana, who supervised the laying of an underground canal from the Sarno River to the villa on Civita Hill. These traces were fragments of buildings and, apparently, a city wall, but little significance was attached to the finds. Meanwhile, under this hill was Pompeii, although the symbolic name of the Civita hill - “City” (in translation) - directly indicated this. In 1607, the Neapolitan theologian and historian G. Capaccio, thinking about what the Latin inscription from this hill - decurio pompeis - could mean, interpreted it as “chief of the decuria” (group of slaves) or city councilor of Pompeii (and consul Pompey the Great in history of Rome) and concluded that there was a villa of a nobleman here, perhaps that of Pompey the Great. The thought of an ancient city still did not occur to anyone, and the ordinary hill town of that time, Civita, did not prompt such guesses. In 1631, another powerful eruption of Vesuvius occurred, covering Civita with a layer of ash, and the inhabitants of the city also left it.
Excavations on the hill began in 1748. The head of the archaeological expedition, R. J. Alcubierre, however, was confident that the city found was Stabiae, and discovered only three minor sites that were not connected with each other. He was much more interested in the excavations of Herculaneum, above which the new city of Rezina was located. Here, by chance, while digging a well, objects of great material value were found, and a real fever of hunting for them began. Alcubierre also aimed only at the most valuable, but, of course, unlike amateur diggers, valuable from the point of view of high art. He, being a snob by nature, fearlessly destroyed all other finds from what he found in Stabiae and Herculaneum. Until his scientific colleagues were outraged by this barbarity.
In 1760-1804. under the leadership of F. le Vega, the excavations finally acquired a different, systematic character. The raised soil was removed, and primary restoration immediately began on open monuments. Both valuable artifacts and ordinary household items were carefully classified: century (approximately), style, origin.
In 1763, an inscription was discovered on the pedestal of one of the statues indicating the date and place of its creation, and it became clear that the city being excavated was not Stabiae, but Pompeii. The most significant contribution to the return of Pompeii to world culture was made by archaeologist G. Fiorelli, who led the excavations in 1863-1875. In 1870, looking at the skeletons of dead people, covered with a layer of ash and looking like statues, he came up with the idea of filling with plaster the voids formed in place of the unpreserved bodies of people and animals. This is how their poses were reconstructed, telling about the most dramatic episodes of the death of Pompeii. Since 1980, after another earthquake in the Vesuvius area, only restoration work has been carried out in Pompeii: forcing excavations could lead to the collapse of buildings, which has already happened. Today, approximately a quarter of the city's territory has not been excavated.
Among ancient cities, Pompeii occupies a special place, no matter how you look at it. For example, from the point of view of urban culture, the city had everything a person needed for a prosperous life at that time. The streets are straight, wide, and in general all communications are extremely well thought out. Household comfort was of a high level - the water supply in Pompeii is technically not much inferior to medieval water supply systems. The monumental buildings of Pompeii: temples, buildings for public meetings, entertainment, sports, villas were so impeccable in their proportions and general appearance in the spirit of Greek traditions that they could be placed, if not on a par with the masterpieces of ancient architecture, then right behind them, and some - even.
Frescoes, sculptures, furniture, decorative items made of metals, marble and other materials - all this is a special, unique artistic world. All technical devices used by artisans, as well as medical instruments, were also of a high level. Pompeii even sold their bread to other cities - it was so good, thanks to the fine baking technology used here. 
general information
An ancient Roman city in Italy, destroyed by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in the 1st century. And as a result of this, it was preserved as an archaeological site.
Location
: western coast of the Apennine Peninsula, southern Italy.
Administrative affiliation
: region of Campania, province of Naples.
Official status
: open air museum, UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1997.
Founding time: VII-VI centuries. BC e.
Beginning of archaeological excavations
: 1748
Officially accepted date of death
: August 24-25, 79
Currency of Italy
: euro.
Nearest airport
: Capodichino in Naples (international).
Numbers
The population of the city on the eve of the eruption of Vesuvius in 79
: about 20 thousand. people (according to modern speculative estimates).
Area of the archaeological reserve of Pompeii
: 0.66 km 2 (within the city walls), villas on the outskirts and buffer zone - another 0.44 km 2.
Distance from the crater of Vesuvius
- 9.5 km, from the foot of the volcano - 4.5 km, from Naples - about 24 km.
Capacity of the most grandiose buildings of Pompeii
: amphitheater - 20 thousand, Bolshoi Theater - 5 thousand, Maly Theater - 1.5 thousand people.
Number of tourists per year
: 2.5 million people
Modern height of Vesuvius
: 1281 m.
The area of the modern (new) city of Pompeii
: 12.42 km 2 .
Population of the modern city of Pompeii
: 25,358 people (2016).
Economy
Tourism, trade.
Climate and weather
Subtropical Mediterranean, dry hot summer, rainy autumn, mild winter.
Average January temperature
: +8.8°C.
Average temperature in July
: +25.3°C.
Average annual precipitation
: 980 mm.
Average annual relative humidity
: 73%.
Attractions
Forum and on it: temple of Jupiter (150 BC), temples of Laralia (sanctuary of the Pompeian Lares - patron deities of the city, hastily built after the earthquake of 62), Vespasian (2nd half of the 1st century AD) , basilica, public building (130-120 BC), Comitia (place of voting, 1st century BC), Eumachia - building built in the 1st century. BC. priestess Eumachia, presumably for the college of dyers, weavers and fullons (male laundresses), Macellum (covered market, 1st century BC).
Villas: House of the Faun (180-170 BC), Villa of the Mysteries (2nd-1st centuries BC), Villa Oplontis (1st century BC), house of the Great Fountain, house of the Small fountain, etc.
The most famous houses : The Tragic Poet, the Surgeon, the Moralist, the Menader, the Gilded Cupids, Julia Felix.
Nearby: Archaeological Park of Herculaneum, Cathedral of Madonna del Rosario in Pompeii (1876-1901), Vesuvius National Park, Naples.
National Archaeological Museum of Naples.
Curious facts
The eruption of Vesuvius on August 24, 79 began the day after Vulcanalia, a festival held in Rome in honor of the god of fire Vulcan in ancient Roman mythology.
In 1944, when the last significant eruption of Vesuvius occurred, a US Army aviation unit was stationed at an airfield near the modern city of Pompeii. During this natural disaster, the layer of volcanic ash reached a meter. 88 aircraft and various equipment received strong blows from pieces of pumice falling from the sky, and the Americans abandoned the airfield, abandoning all damaged equipment.
The gladiatorial amphitheater at Pompeii is the best (though not perfectly) preserved of its kind in the world. Its dimensions are 104x135 m. Gladiator fights took place there on the very eve of the eruption of 79 AD.
At the bottom of the Bay of Naples, 20 km from Pompeii, lie the ruins of another luxurious ancient city - Baia, which also became a victim of the volcano.
The most famous work on the theme of the eruption of Vesuvius in 79 was the painting “The Last Day of Pompeii” by the Russian artist Karl Bryullov, painted in 1830-1833. The first people to see this epic were the Romans, who left rave reviews about it. Bryullov's masterpiece was also exhibited at the Louvre. The painting is kept in the Russian Museum in St. Petersburg.
During excavations of the 16th century. the architect Fontana discovered the frescoes with erotic content and took it upon himself to cover them up again. During subsequent excavations, it turned out that there were an unusually large number of similar images in the city.
The streets in Pompeii were paved with stone slabs, and were raised in relation to the pavement by 20-25 cm.
Every year on May 8 and the first Sunday in October, tens of thousands of Catholics flock to the town of Santuario, which means Sanctuary, near the modern city of Pompeii for the feast in honor of the Madonna del Rosario of Pompeii. Above the image of the Madonna and Child, which is revered as miraculous, shine star halos, decorated with precious stones, including unique emeralds. All these are gifts from wealthy parishioners. The cathedral was built in 1876-1901, and immediately upon completion of construction it was elevated to the rank of a papal basilica. It contains part of the crown of thorns from the head of Christ and a fragment of the Holy Cross. The cathedral's 80-meter bell tower, accessible by elevator, offers the most breathtaking views of Pompeii and the rest of Naples.