Archaeological World in Roman & Greek period


Herculaneum 189 pictures Herculaneum was a small township on the slopes of Vesuvius, not far from the Greek colony of Neapolis. Myth attributed its foundation to Hercules. On the 5^th of February 63 A.D. an earthquake struck the area of Neapolis, seriously damaging the buildings of many towns. Then, on the 24^th of August 79 A.D., the sudden and unexpected awakening of Vesuvius, which erupted violently, literally obliterated every form of life from the slopes of the mountain. Herculaneum was badly damaged in the earthquake, and fell victim to the eruption, but instead of being buried in a rain of ash and cinders, it was overwhelmed by clouds of scorching toxic gas, alternating at least six times with torrents of volcanic mud, which swept away people, objects and structures. On this occasion the ground level rose by an average of some 50 feet. After the eruption, Emperor Titus sent two commissioners on the spot to assign the property of those victims without heirs to indemnify the stricken surviving citizens. The 18^th century discovery of Herculaneum happened accidentally. In 1709 a farmer, digging a well, found ancient marbles which he sold to a marble worker. Herculaneum under the Shade of Vesuvius Cardo IV Cardo IV and the houses along it will serve to present a typical picture of life in this little Vesuvian city. The street run from north to south. Bath of the Forum The city's main complex, divided into male and female sections whose interiors are richly decorated, generally with mosaics inevitably representing sea scenes. A Shop The Palaestra In the middle of the great central open space, in a cruciform pool with a central bronze fountain in the form of a serpent with five heads entwining a tree-trunk, there is a smaller rectangular swimming pool bordering the northern side. Sacred Precinct and Terraced Houses The sacred area located on the south of the city is leading down to the ancient harbor. The sacred precinct is full of interest. Opposite the enclosure of the suburban baths, a long corridor leads to the first shrine. On one side is a series of vaulted rooms, including the porter's lodge the service rooms for the cult and a room with a hearth. The House of Poseidon and Amphtrite Wall mosaic of the divinities Poseidon (Neptune) and Amphitrite set in a frame beneath a spreading shell. Cardo V Back to Italy Index