POMPEII

EXPERIENCE

In ancient times, Pompeii was considered a prosperous city. Located on a small plateau about ten kilometers south of Mount Vesuvius, the residents had a charming view of the Gulf of Naples. The river Sarno flows into the sea at the gates of the fortress-like city wall.

A busy port had developed here, with ships from Greece, Spain, North Africa and the Middle East calling regularly. Papyrus, spices, dried fruit and ceramics were exchanged for wine, grain and the well-known, expensive fish sauce Garum from the region.

Pompeii extended over an area of about 60 hectares. The streets formed the typical ancient grid. The entire city was surrounded by a wall with eight gates and eleven watchtowers. In addition to safety, a lot of emphasis was placed on luxury.

A theater and the Stabian baths provided amusement for the richer citizens. A basilica (Roman magnificent hall) served both as a stock exchange and as a court of law. Not far from there was the forum (central square of a city in antiquity) with the Jupiter temple. A large sports facility was surrounded by columned halls and shady plane trees, and a swimming pool promised the athletes to cool off.

But there were also numerous wealthy citizens in Pompeii. This is documented by excavations of larger houses and palaces. An example is the house of the Vettiers. It is fully excavated today. The two merchants Vettius Restitutus and Aulus Vettius Convivus must have spent a huge sum on the decoration, even by today's standards.

The building is divided into two halves and is connected by a garden with a covered portico - a so-called Perystil. But the paintings impress more than the architecture. They mainly date from the time after the great earthquake that shook the region in 62 AD and form a picture gallery - in ancient times the room in the house in which panel paintings were kept.

Pompei is an Italian city with 25,196 inhabitants (December 31, 2016) in the province of Naples. It is located south of Mount Vesuvius, on the right bank of the Sarno River, about 3 km before it flows into the Gulf of Naples are : Torre Annunziata, Boscoreale, Castellammare di Stabia, Sant Antonio Abate, Santa Maria la Carità and Scafati.