21. Herculaneum

We have visited Pompei a couple of times before, and it is certainly majestic and vast. However, we had never been to Herculaneum, which is a much smaller, more intimate site, about a tenth the size of Pompei, and much better preserved. It allows you to understand domestic settings much more readily. It's well worth making the trip to this rather unprepossessing modern town - really a suburb of Naples these days, or at least consumed by the sprawl of the Neapolitan metropolis.

Herculaneum was a fishing and port town of about 4000 people, a resort for the wealthy Romans and Campanians. It was destroyed by earthquake in 62AD and then swalled by the Vesuvius eruption in 79AD. It is closer to the volcano than Pompei, and was buried in 16 metres of mud. Thousands of people tried to escape by boat, but were suffocated by volcanic gases.

The town was rediscovered in 1709. Amateur excavations were carried out until 1874. Serious work resumed in 1927, and continues. Much is buried under the modern town of Ercolano.

Below: The site and the modern day shoreline. It was closer at the time of the eruption.


Below: Looking towards Vesuvius and the modern town of Ercolano.
Below: Typical Roman peristyle (the colonnaded walkway) and atrium (inner garden) in the Casa d'Argo (House of Argus) on Cardo III
Below: Niche near the Casa d'Argo
Below: At the intersection of Cardo III and Decumano Inferiore, a shop/cafe - thermopolium - selling food and drink. The earthenware jars were for food storage and keeping things warm.


Below: Mosaic of Neptune and Amphitrite, in the summer dining room (triclinium) of a very well preserved house.
Below: Wider view of the nymphaeum (monument to the nymphs) in the Casa di Nettuno e Anfitrite
Below: Atrium of House of the Black Hall
Below: Walking along Cardo V

Below: Ben at the Casa del Rilievo di Telefo (House with the Telephus Relief)

Below: the palestra (gymnasium), with what I like to think is a lap swimming pool, but probably isn't!