PHOTO: Ruins of Viridarium at Villa di Poppaea Sabina in Torre Annunziata, Italy

Viridarium at Villa di Poppaea Sabina in ancient Oplontis, now Torre Annunziata

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

PHOTO: Frescoes at Villa di Poppaea Sabina in Torre Annunziata, Italy

Oecus (main living room of a Roman house) at Villa di Poppaea Sabina in ancient Oplontis, now Torre Annunziata

Frescoes at Villa di Poppaea Sabina in ancient Oplontis, now known as Torre Annunziata, Italy. Here the Oecus (main living room of a Roman house) scene depicts a false door leading to sanctuary dedicated to Apollo and family ancestors, where a sacrificial tripod stands on pedestal column. The villa, which was buried by the eruption … Read more

PHOTO: Floor Mosaic of the Battle Between Alexander and Darius from Pompeii, Italy

Floor mosaic of the Battle between Alexander and Darius from Pompeii

Floor mosaic of  the Battle between Alexander and Darius from Pompeii hangs prominently in the National Museum of Archeology in Naples, Italy. The mosaic masterpiece, which dating from around 100 BC, originally decorated the House of the Faun in Pompeii, one of the most important estates in the ancient Roman city that was covered in … Read more