The death of Pompeii. Who is hiding the true date of the disaster and why? Ancient apocalypse

Presumably, the founders of Pompeii were the Osci, one of the peoples of Ancient Italy. Already the ancients expressed different opinions about the origin of the name Pompeii. Some traced it to the triumphal procession (pomp) of Hercules after the victory over Geryon. Others refer to the Osk word for “five” (pumpe). According to this version, Pompeii was formed as a union of five communities.

According to one who wrote in the 1st century AD. e. The city was founded by the geographer Strabo. Later, the Etruscans seized control of it, and then, after victories over the Etruscans, the Greeks. Later, the city was taken from the Greeks by the Samnites, a people related to the Oscans. This happened in the 5th century BC. e. Archeology records the decline of urban life in this century. Perhaps Pompeii was abandoned for some time.

In the 4th century BC. e. Pompeii became part of the Samnite Federation. The city served as a port for the Samnite cities located higher up the Sarno River. In the 4th century BC. e. A series of wars took place between the Roman Republic and the Samnites. During them, in 310 BC. e. Roman troops landed near Pompeii. The Romans devastated the lands of Nuceria, neighboring Pompeii. Later, residents of the rural area of ​​Pompeii attacked the legionnaires returning with the loot, took the loot and drove them onto the ships.

Source: wikipedia.com

The Romans defeated and subjugated the Samnites and their allies. From now on, Pompeii, along with other Campanian cities, became part of the Roman-Italian Confederation. Self-government was maintained in the city. Pompeii was supposed to be allies of Rome and also provide auxiliary troops.

During the Samnite era, Pompeii was governed by a city council. Among the issues of his responsibility was, in particular, construction. Direct supervision of construction work and its payment was carried out by the quaistur (Latin version - quaestor), the official responsible for the city treasury. The supreme power in the city belonged to an official with the title “meddissa tuvtiksa”, which is translated as “city ruler”.

The annexation to Rome gave impetus to the development of the city in the 3rd century BC. e. At the end of the century, the population of Pompeii grew. In the 2nd century BC. e. new public buildings appeared - temples, theaters, baths. Luxurious mansions appear. Among them is the famous “House of Faun”, on the wall of which there is a fresco depicting the battle of the Macedonians and Persians at Issus.

Paradoxically, the development of Pompeii was stimulated by the war between Rome and Hannibal. After crossing the Alps and defeating Roman troops, the Carthaginian commander invaded Campania. Capua, the strongest city in the region, went over to his side. Nuceria remained loyal to Rome and was destroyed by Hannibal for this. During the war, the Romans took Capua and punished their unfaithful ally.

Pompeii itself was not taken by the Carthaginians and became a refuge for refugees from other Campanian cities. This explains the growth of urban construction at the end of the 3rd century BC. e.

The elite of the Campanian city received their share of wealth from Rome's expansion into the Mediterranean in the 2nd century BC. e. There is evidence of contacts between Pompeii merchants and eastern markets. In particular, with the island of Delos. Pompeii itself contains oriental spices. The frescoes in the House of the Faun speak of the artistic taste and interest of its owner in history.

Allied War: Pompeii vs. Sulla

In 91 BC. e. a number of Italian communities (including Pompeii) rebelled against Rome. This conflict went down in history as the Allied War. The allies who rebelled against Rome sought equal status with the Romans in the state. After three years of war, the Romans defeated the rebellious allies. But after that they gave them the rights of Roman citizenship.

In 89 BC. e. During the war, Pompeii was besieged by the Roman commander Lucius Cornelius Sulla. In a series of battles near the city, Sulla defeated the Campanian commander Cluentius, who was trying to lift the siege of Pompeii. The city surrendered soon after the defeat and death of Cluentius.

Pompeii was not destroyed and received Roman citizenship. Ten years later, Sulla, who defeated his opponents and became dictator, founded a colony of his veterans in the city. From now on, Pompeii received the status of a Roman colony, and the old Oscan magistrates were replaced by new Roman ones. Office work in the city is transferred to Latin. And in the last century of the city, the number of records in Oscan has been decreasing.

City of Roman times: Pompeii under the Empire

During the imperial era, Pompeii was a modest provincial town. The famous garum sauce and wine were produced here. In part, the inhabitants of the colony tried to copy the buildings of Rome itself. In the city there was a forum on which stood the temples of Jupiter, Juno and Minerva. In the wall niches of one of the buildings there were statues of the founders of Rome - Aeneas and Romulus. Beneath them were inscriptions detailing their deeds. The same inscriptions telling about Aeneas and Romulus were also in the Roman forum.

Italian cities were associated with Rome and the imperial house. In particular, Marcellus, nephew and one of the possible heirs of Augustus, held the semi-official position of patron of Pompeii.

Source: wikipedia.com

In 59 AD e. Pompeii became notorious for the massacre within the city walls. It was during gladiator fights, but the battle began between the townspeople of Pompeii and Nuceria. Residents of the cities began to bully each other, then took up stones, and then swords and daggers. The Pompeians won the brawl.

Information about the massacre reached Emperor Nero, who ordered the Senate to conduct an investigation. As a result, the Senate banned Pompeii from holding gladiatorial games for 10 years, and their organizer Livineus Regulus went into exile.

Interestingly, Livineus Regulus had been stripped of his senatorial title several years earlier. That is, a disgraced representative of the ruling class could find refuge in Pompeii and become a benefactor of the townspeople.

Pompeii was located 240 kilometers from Rome. Residents of the capital could reach the Campanian city within a week. Therefore, many noble and wealthy Romans built their villas in the vicinity of Pompeii. In particular, back in the era of the Republic, Cicero acquired such a villa.

Source: wikipedia.com

The highest officials in Pompeii were its two elected rulers, the duumvirs. They assembled the city council and presided over it. To become a duumvir, a careerist from Pompeii had to pass through the post of aedile, which opened the way for its holder to the city council. City council members held this title for life. The aediles were responsible for urban improvement - supplying bread, maintaining streets and baths, and organizing spectacles.

In civil cases with a small amount of claim, the duumvirs were chairmen. Criminal cases and more complex civil cases were tried in Rome. The duumvirs were also responsible for the city treasury.

Source: wikipedia.com

Once every five years, the elected duumvirs were called quinquennals (five-year students). They updated the lists of the city council - adding new people, crossing out the dead and those who lost the right to membership in the council for crimes. They also compiled lists of city citizens.

Council members accepted reports from officials and exercised supreme oversight of city affairs. A freedman who became rich did not have the right to hold positions and enter the council, but he could achieve this for his son. The inscription preserves the curious case of a certain Celsinus, who became a decurion (member of the council) at the age of 6 for rebuilding the temple of Isis, damaged by an earthquake.

In Pompeii and other Roman cities, the positions of duumvir and quinquinnal opened doors to the urban elite, but required wealth from the applicant. Duumvir Pompey contributed 10,000 sesterces upon taking office.

During the performance of his office, citizen Pompey held festivities at his own expense. For example, Aulus Clodius Flaccus was duumvir three times. During his first master's degree, he organized games in honor of Apollo at the forum, which included a bullfight, musical competitions and a performance by the artist Pylades (apparently a local celebrity). The second time, in addition to games on the forum, he organized baiting of animals and gladiator fights in the amphitheater. The third time was the most modest - a performance by artists and musicians. Another quinquinnal emphasized in his inscription that he held gladiatorial fights without spending public funds.

Passions boiled over the elections of officials, comparable to the elections of consuls in Republican Rome. The walls of the city preserved records calling for voting for one or another of the citizens of Pompeii who wanted to become a duumvir or aedile. It is interesting that the agitation mainly concerned the position of aedile.

About 12 thousand people lived in Pompeii, and about 24 thousand in the rural area. Half of them were slaves. Most of the remainder were women and children. Thus, the electorate during the elections was about 2,500 city residents and 5,000 in the rural district.

The inscriptions were painted over and new ones were written over them. The propaganda inscription could have been addressed to a specific citizen of Pompeii. A city resident could carve an inscription on the wall of his house to show his position.

An example of a caricature on a wall in Pompeii. (wikipedia.com)

They campaigned for candidates and professional associations. For example, carpenters, cab drivers, bakers or jewelers. Members of the Youth Union, which included young people from noble families, proposed their candidates to the townspeople.

Sometimes poems were written in favor of candidates or their professional and moral qualities were emphasized in prose. And sometimes they called on a respected citizen to vote for a candidate, because “choose Sabinus as aedile, and he will choose you.”

There were original posts supporting candidates that probably should have discredited them. These are words of encouragement written on behalf of pickpockets, runaway slaves, drunkards or slackers.

Elections in Pompeii resembled those in other cities of the Roman world. The civil community was divided into curiae, each of which chose its own candidate.

Elections were held in March, and magistrates took up their duties in July. Pompeians could become duumvirs again, but not for two years in a row.

Eruption of Mount Vesuvius: death of the city

About 80 years before the eruption, Vesuvius was visited by the geographer Strabo. The scientist wrote that almost to the very top the volcano is covered with flowering fields. Only the ashen peak itself reminded that this place once spewed fire.

Vulcan announced his awakening in 63 AD. e. earthquake. It destroyed several cities in Pompeii, Herculaneum and Naples. Some of them have not been restored in 16 years.

Evidence of the disaster was left by her contemporary Pliny the Younger, who then lived in coastal Misenum (about 30 kilometers from Pompeii). Misenum was the base of the Roman fleet, and one of the ships was commanded by Pliny’s uncle, Pliny the Elder.

On August 24, people saw a cloud rising above the volcano. Pliny the Elder took his ship towards Pompeii. His nephew wrote that the scientist was driven by the desire to save people from the city and scientific curiosity. Pliny the Elder ordered to record all the changes that occur in the cloud.

An earthquake began at night, and the next day people did not see the sun. At first there was twilight, then darkness fell, and ash began to fall from the sky. When it dissipated, it turned out that there were no neighboring cities, and the Sarno Valley was covered with ash. First, the city was covered with pieces of pumice, then with ashes.

Most of the residents fled the city on the first day. Those who decided to stay and sit out the disaster in their homes, and those who decided to escape too late, died. Their feet got stuck in the pumice, and then they were finished off by a rain of ash and water. Some Pompeians ran to the harbor, but either there were no ships or they were already disabled by ash and stones.

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 the “Rublevka” 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 location.

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.

The excavations of ancient Pompeii are the only place where you can see what the ancient Roman city really looked like. There are many ruins of settlements from the Roman period in the world, for example, but it was thanks to the eruption of Mount Vesuvius that the city of Pompeii was preserved in its original form.

We didn't have much luck while visiting Pompeii as it was pouring rain. This page has many photos from the archaeological site. Many of them may seem faded to you, but we never edit photos, relying on relevance even at the expense of beauty.

By the time of the eruption of Vesuvius, the city's population consisted of half the indigenous inhabitants, and the other half consisted of the Romans who moved here. At excavations, ceramics or simply drawings with Greek inscriptions are constantly found, evidence that Greek culture in Pompeii was still widespread.

The architecture of Pompeii has almost completely become Roman; you can be sure that you will visit a Roman city and see how the people of the great conquerors who conquered the entire Mediterranean lived.

17 years after the earthquake in 79, a terrible catastrophe occurred, the Vesuvius volcano began its most powerful eruption. A huge amount of volcanic ash was thrown into the air, covering the nearby area with a layer about 6 meters high. The entire city was buried, only parts of the columns and walls of the tallest buildings remained above the surface.

When excavations began in 1748, engineers discovered that the city of Pompeii had been preserved in its original form and now you can visit it and see with your own eyes how the Romans lived two thousand years ago. Currently, archaeological work is still ongoing; another 25% of the city has not been excavated.

Where are and how to get to the excavations of the city of Pompeii.

Attention! In Italian the city of Naples is called “Napoli”. Don't forget this when you're looking for the train or bus you need.

There are two routes that will suit you:

First: Train Naples - Sorrento (Napoli - Sorrento). In this case, you need to get off at “Pombei Scavi” station.

Second: Train Naples - Scafati. In this case, you need to get off at Pompei station.

These trains have slightly different routes and stops near the excavations are different.

Both trains can be boarded at several locations. Stations are located near the metro: Porta Nolana (lines 3 and 4), Piazza Garibaldi (lines 3 and 4), Via Gianturco (line 4), San Giovanni a Teduccio (line 4), Barra (line 4), San Giorgio a Cremano ( 3 line). Please note that metro lines 3 and 4 are not underground, they are funiculars.

The most interesting thing you can see is the excavations of Pompeii.

The first thing you should pay attention to is the roads. The pride of the Roman state, some of them, laid two thousand years ago, still serve in Italy. The streets in the city are paved with hewn large stones.

The street had a roadway (in the center in the photo) and sidewalks for pedestrians. Pay attention to the large stones - this is a very interesting Roman invention. The stones were used for pedestrians to cross the street in rainy weather. We appreciated such a system personally; it was raining just at the time of our visit to Pompeii.

In turn, the carts drove freely along the street, the wheels passing between the stones. See more photos of roads in the city in the small photo gallery below.

Not all buildings in Pompeii are in good condition. Some of them will not arouse serious interest among the average tourist. We will talk about the most interesting places in the city.

The most luxurious house in Pompeii belonged to Lucius Cornelius Sulla and his nephew (although this is more guesswork than fact). It is called the house of the faun. At the entrance to the house there is a swimming pool with a bronze statuette of a faun in the center, hence the name. The statue is quite small in size, about the knee length of an adult. Faun is not quite ordinary. Most often this deity is depicted with goat legs and hooves. This sculpture has human legs, but the features and facial expression, hairstyle and pose are exactly the same as what is customary to depict this particular deity. The house had a huge size of 110 by 40 meters. Such a house was a sign of the highest status of the owner, given that it was located within the city walls. Outside the walls it was possible to build an even larger structure, the land there was cheap and there was plenty of it. Only the richest citizen of the city could afford such a mansion inside the walls.

During excavations in the faun's house, a huge amount of jewelry made of gold and silver was found; the most valuable find of precious metals was a gold bracelet in the shape of a snake entwining the owner's hand.

But even more valuable finds were mosaics, of which several dozen were found. All of them were removed and replaced with copies. The originals can be viewed in the Naples Museum. The most valuable mosaic is called “The Battle of Issus”. It shows an important battle between Alexander the Great and the Persians led by King Darius. You can see a photo of the original from the Naples Museum below.

Unfortunately, part of the mosaic was lost forever. The painting itself dates back to 100 BC, that is, it was created more than 200 years after the death of Alexander the Great. Presumably this is a copy of an even more ancient Greek mosaic.

In Pompeii, in the House of the Faun, you can see a copy installed here in 2005. A team of nine craftsmen from the city of Ravenna worked on this copy for two years, led by Severo Bignami. It is impossible to photograph it from above and in its entirety; you will find photos of sections in the small photo gallery below.

On the grounds of the house there was a central building with a pool for collecting rainwater, separate buildings for slaves, a kitchen, a large garden and several other outbuildings. You will find a photo from the faun's house in the small gallery below; the garden, of course, was completely destroyed by the eruption; in the photo you will see a reconstruction of the garden.

In Pompeii, several bakeries with millstones for grinding flour and ovens for baking bread have been preserved. The Romans did not bake bread at home, but bought it right next to the bakeries, which worked almost around the clock. In most houses and apartments of ordinary citizens there was no provision for preparing hot food at all. You will find photos of the bakery in the small gallery below.

The following building in Pompeii falls under the category (18+), so we prohibit those readers who are under 18 years old from reading this part of the article. It is clear that this will not stop anyone, but it was worth a try.

This is a perfectly preserved brothel, which was located on the second floor of the building. Such establishments in Roman cities were not luxurious. Typically, a brothel consisted of several rooms without windows or even ventilation.

The bunks were very small and covered with straw and skin on top. Customers and service staff (we know how to choose decent synonyms) were in a sitting position rather than a lying position. The only decoration of the rooms were frescoes and images of clearly erotic content. See photos in the gallery below.

The large amphitheater was poorly preserved; its steps were made of wood and were completely destroyed by the eruption. It was used mainly for gladiator fights and similar bloody performances for the crowd.

The Maly Theater is better preserved; its benches were made of stone. The small theater most often hosted theatrical performances, debates, or public speaking performances.

The central place of the city was the square, which in Roman cities was called the forum; it served both as a market and a meeting place for citizens on political issues.

Some historians claim that the forum could accommodate all the inhabitants of the city, which is doubtful. The population of Pompeii at its height was more than 20,000 people. In the photo below you see the figures of people, we think that 20,000 people simply won’t fit in the square.

During the eruption of Mount Vesuvius and the destruction of the city, according to various estimates, from 2 to 16 thousand people died. About 1000 bodies were found during excavations, but in a very interesting form. People were covered with ashes right in the positions in which they died. Voids have formed in the ashes and are filled with plaster to create a cast.

What do we know about the ancient city of Pompeii? History tells us that once this prosperous city instantly died with all its inhabitants under the lava of an awakened volcano. In fact, the history of Pompeii is very interesting and filled with a lot of details.

Founding of Pompeii

Pompeii is one of the oldest Roman cities, which is located in the province of Naples in the Campania region. On one side is the coast (which was previously called Kumansky), and on the other is the Sarn River (in ancient times).

How was Pompeii founded? The history of the city says that it was founded by the ancient Oska tribe back in the 7th century BC. These facts are confirmed by fragments of the Temple of Apollo and the Doric Temple, the architecture of which corresponds to the period when Pompeii was founded. The city stood right at the intersection of several routes - to Nola, Stabia and Cumae.

Wars and Subjugation

The first harbinger of the impending disaster was the earthquake that occurred on February 5, 63 BC.

Seneca noted in one of his works that since Campania was a seismically active zone, such an earthquake was not uncommon for it. And earthquakes had happened before, but their strength was very small, the residents simply got used to them. But this time expectations exceeded all expectations.

Then in three neighboring cities - Pompeii, Herculaneum and Naples - buildings were greatly damaged. The destruction was such that over the next 16 years the houses could not be completely restored. Throughout 16 years, active restoration work, reconstruction, and cosmetic repairs were carried out. There were also plans to erect several new buildings, for example, the Central Baths, which could not be completed before the death of Pompeii.

Death of Pompeii. The first day

Residents tried to restore Pompeii. The history of the death of the city indicates that the disaster began in 79 BC, on the afternoon of August 24 and lasted 2 days. The eruption of what was until then thought to be a dormant volcano destroyed everything. Then not only Pompeii, but also three more cities - Stabiae, Oplontia and Herculaneum - perished under the lava.

During the day, a cloud consisting of ash and steam appeared above the volcano, but no one paid much attention to it. A little later, a cloud covered the sky over the entire city, and flakes of ash began to settle on the streets.

The tremors coming from underground continued. Gradually they intensified to such an extent that carts overturned and finishing materials fell off houses. Along with the ashes, stones then began to fall from the sky.

The streets and houses of the city were filled with suffocating sulfur fumes; many people were simply suffocating in their homes.

Many tried to leave the cities with valuables, while others who were unable to leave their property died in the ruins of their homes. The products of the volcanic eruption overtook people both in public places and outside the city. But still, most of the inhabitants were able to leave Pompeii. History confirms this fact.

Death of Pompeii. Second day

The next day, the air in the city became hot, and the volcano itself erupted, destroying with lava all living things, all buildings and property of people. After the eruption there was a lot of ash that covered the entire city, the thickness of the ash layer reached 3 meters.

After the disaster, a special commission arrived at the scene of events, which stated the “death” of the city and that it could not be restored. Then it was still possible to meet people on what was left of the streets of the former city who were trying to find their property.

Along with Pompeii, other cities perished. But they were discovered only thanks to the discovery of Herculaneum. This second city, also located at the foot of Vesuvius, did not die from lava and ash. After the eruption, the volcano, like the affected cities, was covered with a three-meter layer of stones and ash, which hung menacingly like an avalanche that could fall at any moment.

And soon after the eruption, heavy rain began, which carried away a thick layer of ash from the slopes of the volcano and a thick layer of water with dust and stones fell directly on Herculaneum. The depth of the stream was 15 meters, so the city was buried alive under the flow from Vesuvius.

How Pompeii was found

Stories and stories about the terrible events of that year have long been passed down from generation to generation. But several centuries later, people lost the idea of ​​where the lost city of Pompeii was located. The history of the death of this city gradually began to lose facts. People lived their own lives. Even in those cases when people found the remains of ancient buildings, for example, while digging wells, no one could even think that these were parts of the ancient city of Pompeii. The history of excavations began only in the 18th century and is indirectly connected with the name of Maria Amalia Christina.

She was the daughter of King Augustus of Saxony the Third, who left the Dresden court after her marriage to Charles of Bourbon. Charles was king of the Two Sicilies.

The current queen was in love with art and examined the halls of the palace, parks and her other possessions with great interest. And one day she drew attention to the sculptures that were previously found before the last eruption of Mount Vesuvius. Some of these statues were found by chance, while others were found at the instigation of General d'Elbeuf. Queen Mary was so amazed by the beauty of the sculptures that she asked her husband to find new ones for her.

The last time Vesuvius erupted was in 1737. During this incident, part of its top flew into the air, leaving the slope exposed. Since the volcano had not been active for a year and a half, the king agreed to begin searching for sculptures. And they started from the place where the general had once finished his search.

Search for statues

Excavations took place with great difficulties, since it was necessary to destroy a thick (15 meters) layer of hardened lava. For this, the king used special tools, gunpowder, and the strength of workers. Eventually the workers came across something metallic in the artificial shafts. Thus, three large fragments of gigantic bronze horses were found.

After this, it was decided to seek help from a specialist. For this, Marquis Marcello Venuti, who was the keeper of the royal library, was invited. Further, three more marble statues of Romans in togas, the body of a bronze horse, and painted columns were found.

Discovery of Herculaneum

At that moment it became clear that there would be even more to come. The royal couple, arriving at the excavation site on December 22, 1738, examined the discovered staircase and the inscription stating that a certain Rufus built the Theatrum Herculanense theater at his own expense. Experts continued excavations because they knew that the theater signified the presence of a city. There were many statues that were carried by the water current to the back wall of the theater. This is how Herculaneum was discovered. Thanks to this find, it was possible to organize a museum that had no equal at that time.

But Pompeii was located at a shallower depth than Herculaneum. And the king, after consulting with the head of his technical detachment, decided to move the excavations, taking into account the scientists’ notes regarding the location of the city of Pompeii. History celebrated all memorable events with the hands of scientists.

Excavations of Pompeii

So, the search for Pompeii began on April 1, 1748. After 5 days, the first fragment of a wall painting was found, and on April 19, the remains of a man were found, from whose hands several silver coins rolled out. This was the city center of Pompeii. Unfortunately, not realizing the importance of the find, experts decided that they needed to look elsewhere and filled up this place.

A little later, an amphitheater and a villa were found, which was later called the House of Cicero. The walls of this building were beautifully painted and decorated with frescoes. All art objects were confiscated, and the villa was immediately filled back up.

After this, the excavations and the history of Pompeii were abandoned for 4 years, attention turned to Herculaneum, where a house with a library “Villa dei Papiri” was found.

In 1754, experts again returned to the excavations of the city of Pompeii, to its southern part, where an ancient wall and the remains of several graves were found. Since then, excavations of the city of Pompeii have been actively undertaken.

Pompeii: an alternative history of the city

Today there is still an opinion that the year of the death of Pompeii is a fiction, based on a letter that supposedly describes the volcanic eruption to Tacitus. Here questions arise about why in these letters Pliny does not mention either the names of the cities of Pompeii or Herculaneum, or the fact that it was there that the uncle of Pliny the Elder lived, who died in Pompeii.

Some scientists refute the fact that the disaster occurred precisely in 79 BC, due to the fact that in various sources one can find information about 11 eruptions that occurred between 202 and 1140 AD (after the incident that destroyed Pompeii). And the next eruption dates back only to 1631, after which the volcano remained active until 1944. As we see, the facts indicate that the volcano, which was active, fell asleep for 500 years.

Pompeii in the modern world

The history of the city of Herculaneum and the history of Pompeii remain very interesting today. Photos, videos and various scientific materials can be found in the library or on the Internet. Many historians are still trying to solve the mystery of the ancient city and study its culture as much as possible.

Many artists, including K. Bryullov, in addition to their other works, depicted the last day of Pompeii. The story is that in 1828 K. Bryullov visited the excavation sites and even then made sketches. In the period from 1830 to 1833, his artistic masterpiece was created.

Today the city has been restored as much as possible, it is one of the most famous cultural monuments (on par with the Colosseum or Venice). The city has not yet been completely excavated, but many buildings are available for inspection. You can walk along the streets of the city and admire the beauty that is more than 2000 years old!

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 Pompeii

Sights 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 “Dancing Faun” that 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