The incomparable ruins of Pompeii

In the province of Naples we find one of the world’s most important archaeological sites, the ruins of Pompeii, located in Via dell’Abbondanza, Pompeii. These are famous all over the world, because they are unique and have an incomparable historical and artistic beauty.

What the excavations have yielded are the remains of an ancient Pompeii.

The city that was destroyed by the volcanic eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 BC, buried under a blanket of lapilluses and ashes, with it were also destroyed Herculaneum, Stabiae and Oplontis .

History of Pompei.

The ancient Pompeii was founded around the seventh century BC by Oscis (although some say there had been human settlements already since the ninth century BC).

In this Osci period, the village was enclosed by a wall, it was an important area because road junction for Nola, Stabiae and Cuma.

The size of the wall reached an extension of 63 hectares.

Pompeii was taken over by different populations and it experienced different cultural influences, and then it became the wonderful city of which today we have the remains.

Then came the Greeks, the Etruscans and during this period was built the temple of Apollo. Later it was conquered by the Samnites who came down from Irpinia and made Pompeii a commercial city with an important port and massive walls.

Then in the third century BC came the Romans, who continued business growth through the export of goods, such as wine and oil, all over the Mediterranean.

They developed very well the city on the urban side, infact they built. The temple of Jupiter and Isis, the Basilica, the Forum and many other villas and residential houses.

Catastrophic events.

There was a violent earthquake in 62 and Pompeii suffered serious damages that at least partly were immediately repaired.

The famous incident occurred in 79 when the population was even still renovating the buildings. Vesuvius erupted and the prosperous city was covered by a blanket of lava and ashes.

This was the end of ancient Pompeii, which was completely erased.

Later it was never repopulated, because it had become a barren and arid area, then it was discovered only 1,700 years after the tragic event.

Discovery and archaeological finds.

The discovery of ancient Pompeii took place thanks to the will of Carlo III of Bourbon, who began excavations in 1748.

And thanks to the discovery of this city came down to us some of the best examples of the uses and customs of the Roman culture.

Pompeii is also the city of that era which came best preserved until today. The evidences for the most part are kept in the National Archaeological Museum of Naples, another small part in the Antiquarium of Pompeii.

The ruins of Pompeii, since 1997, along with those of Herculaneum and Oplonti, are in the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites.