In the morning we followed the instructions to the port, where we board the ferry. A beautiful sunny day is ahead of us. Our ferry has only one stop on the way to Naples. This is the island of Procida.
I was tempted to go see this island as well, but due to lack of time we did not succeed. Nevertheless, in addition to learning, we also wanted to swim in the sea, relax and relax.
After waiting for a while in front of the entrance gate and taking the first photos, we enter the place where time stood still. In 79, this thriving city of the Roman Empire on the shores of the Tyrrhenian Sea was hit by tragedy. The eruption of Mount Vesuvius buried him under a 4 to 6 meter layer of pumice and ash.
But let's do it gradually. After all, until the city was hit by a catastrophe, it was a cultural and social center and was of great importance in the Roman Empire and before it.
The first place we enter in the city is the Tribunal of the Basilica. Despite the fact that it was largely destroyed after the eruption, it affects me impressively. We have just started and I am already fascinated by this place.
The first traces of settlement in this place date back to 3 millennia before Christ. At the end of the 7th century BC, the Osk tribe settled here. They established a settlement here, which stretched to the foot of the volcano. They named her Gens Pompeii.
The great expansion of the city occurred when the city came under the rule of the Samnites. They focused their efforts on building the city. They gave it a rectangular urban structure, expanded the city center, built two forums with public buildings and, last but not least, built walls that protected the city. Pompeii under their rule achieved prosperity and economic prosperity.
In 310 BC, they were defeated by the Romans and Pompeii became the site of military veterans. The Romans continued to develop the city. Fountains, water mains, shops were built and the city was enriched by the beautiful artistic decoration that we can see in this house.
Public, religious, economic and political life took place in the main forum. Public buildings were built around the large square, which served to manage the city. The whole forum was surrounded by Doric columns.
As we walk through the alleys, we see masculine nature depicted on the corners of some buildings. I originally thought that this was how they distinguished street names or numbers, but I was wrong. Male nature indicated the location of the nearest public house. Handy marking.
We went to look inside one of them. The decoration on the walls tells us what happened here, even if we didn't know it in advance. The decoration was supposed to evoke the right atmosphere. I must admit that the Romans enjoyed themselves.
So what were the streets named? On each street, a water tank was connected to the city's water supply. Each of them had its own symbol, and according to him, the street bore its name.
The roads are also extremely interesting, as you can see in the picture. The middle lane was used to cross cars and rainwater. People walked on the right and left side, and if they wanted to cross to the other side, they crossed the stone in the middle.
We come to the Teatro Grande. 5000 viewers came into view. I can vividly imagine sitting in the stands and watching a theatrical performance.
We walk through an alley, where we can cool down under the treetops, at least for a while. But not for long, because right behind it is a school of gladiators. Here the brave men trained and prepared for their life-and-death struggle.
This is how the cuisine looked like in the time of Ancient Rome.
I mentioned that the Romans knew how to enjoy themselves. Not only in public houses, but also in spas like these. It amazes me how beautifully they are decorated and that the decoration has been preserved to this day. Paradoxically, we can thank the catastrophe that has befallen Pompeii.
It's hot and we try to find a cool place and hide at least for a while from the rays of the sun where we can. Whether it's behind the walls of houses or behind one of the well-preserved Doric pillars.
At the end of the tour, we walk past the finds from Pompeii from which it freezes. Several castings are collected in a large room. These were created by archaeologists pouring gypsum into cavities in the ground. It froze, and when they pulled it out, they found that it was the last resting place of the people of Pompeii and their location at the time of their death. The castings show us exactly the position in which they died. In front of me I see a figure sitting and as if praying and hoping to survive this catastrophe. Next to it is a cast of a dog that hanged itself on a rope while trying to escape from the city. It made a big impression on me.
We saw Pompeii, at least some of them. In some places, excavation work is still in progress and archaeologists are finding new and new houses, objects, remains.
But what would it be like was to visit Pompeii and not look at the crater of the volcano that caused the destruction of the city.
In the heat we climb the steep hiking trail up. It's a dusty sidewalk. At the time of the eruption and destruction of Pompeii, Mount Vesuvius was much higher than it is now. We are grateful that the volcano is currently only 1279 meters high and we do not have to go even higher.
The volcano is still active and as it is located near the city of Naples, it is considered one of the most dangerous volcanoes. The last eruption was not so long ago, it was in 1944.
What did it actually look like in 79?
The volcano of the people of Pompeii and the surrounding area has warned before. The earthquakes in the area were nothing special, and from time to time a dark cloud appeared over the crater and ash fell on the city. People considered it the wrath of the gods, and it never occurred to them that it was about to erupt.
Various warnings preceded the eruption. Drones could be heard from the depths of the earth, and sulfur fumes escaped in various places. The animals knew what was happening and were restless. In my opinion, however, the biggest warning was that the water in the wells had dried up.
On August 24, 79, Vesuvius awoke from his sleep. A cloud of thick black smoke rose above the crater, overshadowing the sun during the white day, as if it were night. Lava began to flow out of the foothills and the volcano began spewing ash and pumice. Rain of ash, pumice and stones began to fall on the city. Many people died right on the street. Some believed that they would be able to hide in their homes. They were wrong. If they were not killed by the roof of their own house, which did not keep the burden of stones and pumice, they were killed by poisonous gases. The layer of ash and pumice was so high over time that it was no longer possible to walk the streets. Only those who managed to escape from the city in time were saved.
The eruption was described in detail by Pliny the Younger. Let me quote his letter to his friend Tacit. It would be a shame if I didn't list him here.
,, ... It had been a day for about an hour, but the light was still uncertain and dim. The houses around had already collapsed, and although we stood in the open but narrow space, we were very afraid of collapsing buildings. So in the end, it seemed reasonable to leave town. We were followed by a terrified crowd, which, in fear, seems cautious, forces its will on others and persecutes and pushes those who escape in great crowd ... The sea was seen, swallowed up by itself and almost pushed out by the earthquake. Surely the coast widened and many fish remained dry. On the other hand, a black and terrible cloud torn by a rapidly circling hot wind opened in long tongues of fire, they were like lightning and still more lightning ... and not much time passed, the cloud descended to the ground and hit the sea. He covered and hid Capri and hid the view of Cape Miseno ... The ashes were already falling, but not yet thick, I turn and see a thick fog hovering behind my back like a tide, scattering across the ground and chasing us ... night, not like those cloudy nights without the moonlight, but like when you're in a closed place without light. You would hear the moans of women, the cries of children, the cries of men, he sympathized with his own destiny, he with the fate of his loved ones. There were those who called her out of fear of death. Many prayed earnestly to the gods, many thought they were gone, and that night must have been the last night of the world ... ,,
