Walking through the Italian town of Torre Annunziata, one would never suspect that some of the most luxurious villas of the Roman Empire lie buried some 25 feet beneath its streets. The only indication that earlier structures existed comes from a notation on the Tabula Peutingeriana, a twelfth-century copy of an ancient map of the … Read more
The Roman amphitheater of Pompeii, built around 80 BCE, is the world’s oldest surviving stone amphitheater. It was buried by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD, which also covered the towns of Pompeii and Herculaneum under tons of ash and pyroclastic volcanic mud. Prior to the eruption, the stadium was used for gladiatorial … Read more
Capped columns mark one end of the Forum at Pompeii, the Roman city that was destroyed by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD. No carriages were allowed in this great open space, which was reserved for public gatherings and markets.
This Honorary Arch at Pompeii Italy frames the blown-off top of Mount Vesuvius, which erupted in 79 AD and buried the town under tons of volcanic ash. It is located on one end of the Forum, where merchants gathered to sell wares and where most of the public buildings were located.
Ruins of the Viridarium at Villa di Poppaea Sabina in ancient Oplontis, now Torre Annunziata. This grand estate, which was completely covered by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD (the same eruption that destroyed Pompeii and Herculaneum) was owned by the second wife of Emperor Nero. The circular wall enclosed a “Roman pleasure … Read more
