A city dug out of the ashes. In appearance, nothing special, the usual ruins of an ancient city, of which there are many. But wandering through the streets, you feel the life of ordinary people who lived two millennia ago and were unexpectedly buried under a five-meter layer of volcanic ash. Ashes and volcanic rocks literally mothballed the city and the condition of the buildings very realistically convey the life and hobbies of that period.

Pompey lived an ordinary life, not suspecting that a killer mountain rises near the city. For several centuries before being buried under the ashes, the city developed until Vesuvius woke up. This happened in 79 AD. By the way, an eruption similar to that time occurs once every two thousand years, it is not difficult to calculate that today's Naples, spread out at the foot, is located on a time bomb.
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And before the eruption, the city had a fairly developed civilization, like in many cities of the Roman Empire. For the amusement of the audience, gladiator fights were held, performances were staged in the amphitheaters, the townspeople took a steam bath in the baths, and those who were especially suffering visited brothels.
Barracks were located at this place, and gladitors conducted training in the clearing.
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Since leisure was limited, performances in the amphitheaters were a great success.
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Buildings hidden under the thickness of volcanic rocks make it easy to determine their purpose. As in all modern civilizations of that time, in a large city there must have been a brothel. Lupanar has survived to our times.
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Lupanar building with separate bedrooms and stone beds, a mattress was thrown over them and mostly slaves from Greece served visitors.

Wall painting suggests that unconventional love flourished quite well in those days. The Romans blame everything on the Greeks, the Greeks allude to the perverts of the Romans. Nevertheless, non-traditional colors came from the Romans.
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A session with a prostitute cost about as much as a small cup of wine.
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Lupanar has always been easy to find by signs on the roads indicating the direction.
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Many houses in Pompeii did not have kitchens, so along the streets there were many thermopoles, or in our eateries. The Romans did everything on the go, dropping into the thermopolis for a snack, they fled further.
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Thermopoly counter
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Cobbled streets of the city.
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The sign "brick" two thousand years ago was literal
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In Pompeii, most houses had an impluvium, a small pool for collecting rainwater.
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By the way, there were problems with the water supply of the city until a certain time. Groundwater in these places lies at 40 meters. The solution to the problem was the built aquiduct. The city consumed almost 6500 cubic meters per day. Tanks were filled with water through an aquiduct, and then it was delivered through three lead pipelines to city drinking fountains, city baths and to the richest houses. Fountains function in our time.
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In some places, the remains of the water supply system have been preserved.
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Public baths were very popular among the residents. Hundreds of slaves stoked the baths in the cellars so that the townspeople could wash themselves.
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Women and men steamed separately. The vaults of the baths are prudently arched so that drops of steam do not drip on people, but flow down to the walls. Windows for temperature control.
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The decoration of the baths is impressive.
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Bath heart. Marble bowl, oven under it.
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Benches for rest with a font.
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In the courtyard there is a pool for cooling.
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These baths were built for the townspeople by a wealthy merchant on the eve of the elections to Mera. Thus, the fighters for power coaxed the voters. A massage bench with the coat of arms of the same merchant is installed in the term.
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Pompeii at that time was a fairly large city. A huge forum was arranged in the center for important events, the main buildings, temples, the municipality, the tribunal, the market and, of course, the square where all the townspeople could gather are concentrated here.
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The echo of the appearance of the Lord Christ on earth has not yet reached Pompeii, so the temples were built in honor of mythological gods or great Roman figures.
Temple of the Genius Vespasian with an altar-altar.
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The surviving work of the masters of the first century
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More streets of Pompeii.
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public toilet
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Tribunal
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During excavations, voids were found in many places. No one could understand what it was until they decided to fill one of the voids with plaster. The result was shocking, voids are people and animals. The bodies perished centuries later, and nature forever captured their death throes.
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Dog
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market scales
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City cemetery. Niches were hollowed out in the rock where the burial was carried out.
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The outer fortification of the city is very soundly. The first century is impressive.
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Pompey surprised. Usually the ancient ruins make you bored and despondent. Pompey captures with its plausibility and a real sense of life of that time. So he did not regret a bit that he marked a place called Pompeii on the map. And that's all for today.

The city of Pompeii is a wonderful example of ancient Roman architecture, covered with legends. Rising from the ashes, it has become a popular Italian open-air museum, listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site.

Still not fully explored, the museum city is located in Campania (near Naples) in the shadow of Vesuvius - the infamous volcano, the eruption of which brought death to Pompeii, but not oblivion ...

The formation of Pompeii

It is believed that Pompeii was founded in the VI century BC. an ancient people - the Oscans, who lived in southern Italy. In Oscan, "pumpe" translates as "five", which may symbolize the merging of five small settlements that have existed in this area since time immemorial. According to another version, the name of the city comes from the ancient Greek "pompe", which means "triumphal procession". One of the legends tells about the founding of the city by Hercules, who solemnly marched through the streets of Pompeii after defeating the three-body monster Geryon (the tenth feat).

The only thing known about the early history of Pompeii is that it was alternately owned by the Greeks, Etruscans, Kums, Samnites. Pompeii became part of the Roman Republic only in 310 BC, while maintaining its own autonomy. It remained self-governing until 89 BC, when the consul Sula awarded it the status of another colony of Rome (retribution for the anti-Roman uprising).

It should be noted that Pompeii connected South Italy and Rome, being one of the important points of the Via Appia trade route.

Here at an accelerated pace:

• built markets and other commercial premises;
• erected bridges, an amphitheater, baths, multi-storey buildings;

• installed water pipes and paved the streets with stones.

At the same time, most of the city was given over to luxurious villas of noble Romans.

Beginning of the End

The fatal earthquake that awakened Vesuvius from sleep occurred in 62. As a result of strong tremors on February 5, not a single surviving building remained in the city. And although most of the city's buildings were repaired, some of them remained dilapidated until the "judgment" day ...

The death of Pompeii

The inhabitants of Pompeii could not even imagine that nature was preparing a truly cruel blow for them. They continued to carry out restoration work, even began the construction of the Central Baths, without taking seriously the new shocks (seventies). Indeed, in those days, seismic activity in Campania was considered the norm.

However, the retribution for the shown carelessness was not long in coming ...

In August 79, Vesuvius awoke, showering innocent citizens with ash flakes and rocks falling straight from the sky. Only a day later, the eruption ended, which brought death not only to Pompeii, but also to two large cities - Stabiae and Herculaneum, not to mention small villages and villas. It's no joke, the ashes of Vesuvius reached the borders of Syria and Egypt!

There is a version according to which the eruption lasted not one, but two whole days. The first of them was marked by a rapid release of poisonous smoke, inhaling which people immediately burned their lungs and died. Those who managed to escape returned the next day when the smoke had already cleared.

As soon as the smoke cleared, the strings of surviving residents stretched towards the city, which became their fatal mistake.

On that terrible day, a peaceful city turned into an earthly “branch of hell”. Death seemed to be in the air, catching the townspeople in temples, houses, and markets. She also pursued outside the city, taking from two to thirty thousand human lives according to various sources.

It should be noted that most of the inhabitants (at that time the population of Pompeii was 20 thousand people) still managed to avoid death. But there was nowhere for them to return to. A multi-meter ball of lapilli and ashes is all that remains of a thriving home.

The commission of inquiry sent to Vesuvius came to the conclusion that it makes no sense to restore the lost cities. For a long time, people wandered through the ruins of the dead city, trying to find the lost property. But, and they left, realizing the futility of such searches.

The city that rose from the ashes

Forgotten for centuries, the city of Pompeii was accidentally discovered in the middle of the 16th century by the Italian architect Domenico Fontana.

Who knows if the ancient walls would have ever been discovered if the Count of Tuttavilla had not wished to build an underground tunnel from his villa to the Sarno River? But, apparently, Pompeii was destined to be "reborn" ...

Between 1592 and 1600, Fontana was lucky enough to find several fragments of wall paintings and ancient inscriptions, one of which spoke of "decurio pompeis". However, a misinterpretation of the phrase (the mention of a city office in Pompeii was mistakenly taken for the name of the owner of the villa of Pompey the Great) did not allow us to connect the find with the “lost” Roman settlement.

The find, directly pointing to the location of ancient Pompeii, was found only at the end of the 17th century. So the inscription, in which the name of the city once again appeared, put an end to the discussion that had lasted in the scientific world since 1637.

However, the excavations turned out to be a very difficult task - a solid and thick layer of volcanic material reliably guarded the secret entrusted to him. The boundary pillar, which clearly indicates the ownership of the ruins, was excavated only in August 1763.

"Modern" Pompeii

Incredibly, the sudden and quick death "saved" Pompeii from slow destruction - there is no other ancient city that has been so well preserved.

How to get to Pompeii

You can get to the famous archaeological complex inexpensively (for 2-4 euros) by the following modes of transport:

• a train to "Pompeii-Scavi-Villa dei Misteri" from Naples or Sorrento - the journey will take just over half an hour;
• bus - the connection to Pompeii is organized by the companies CSTP (in Salerno), SITF (in Naples) and Marozzi (in Rome).

Walking in your own car will be much more expensive - for just one hour you will have to pay about 5 euros for parking. Despite the fact that the cost of the entrance ticket for adults is 12 euros.

The city of Pompeii - climate and features of movement

When planning a trip, it should be understood that in the hot summer the temperature in the South of Italy often rises to +35 °C. So that walking around the complex does not turn into a tedious task, it is recommended to take plenty of drinking water and a tube of sunscreen with you.

By the way, in addition to classic walking tours, riding on rented bicycles is allowed on the territory of Pompeii. True, the comfort of movement in the latter way is somewhat doubtful, since there are a lot of cobblestones on the territory, and the roads are dotted with wide furrows left on the masonry by iron cart wheels.

The appearance of boulders is easily explained by the specific structure of the ancient trading city, conditionally divided into upper and lower parts. Sewage ran along the pavements of the latter, mixed with garbage, preventing people from crossing to the other side of the street. To solve the problem, high stones were installed - an ancient prototype of a modern pedestrian crossing (“zebras”).

What are the ancient walls "silent" about

A traveler who sets foot on the legendary lands for the first time discovers excellently executed statues, mosaics, frescoes, which testifies to the high level of skill of their performers.

The next thing that catches your eye is the difference in architectural styles - the chaotic development of the old quarters built during the Oskovs is replaced by new "slender" rectangular quarters with straight streets, temples, markets and amphitheaters.

Other advantages of Roman urban planning include the presence of:

• paved pavements, the care of which fell on the shoulders of the townspeople, who repaired and cleaned the area adjacent to his house;
• the sloping profile of sidewalks and roads that direct wastewater to the so-called urban sewer.

At the same time, shopping streets were framed by the facades of buildings, the lower floors of which were given over to shops, and the upper floors were given over to private quarters (housing).

Residential quarters looked far from being so presentable. Due to the warm climate, private houses here were built mainly without windows, which made it possible to significantly save on expensive glass. Only sometimes in the blind ends facing the street, narrow cracks made their way.

Through the efforts of prominent archaeologists (Alcubierre, F. le Vega, Carolina Bonaparte, Giuseppe Fiorelli) were discovered:

• necropolises and forums;
• theaters and temples;
• gate, amphitheater and defensive walls;
• "remains" of animals and people - in the thickness of the lava, scientists discovered numerous voids. Filled with plaster, they helped to recreate the poses and even facial expressions of the dead;

• entire residential quarters filled with perfectly preserved household utensils, frescoes, mosaics, and sculptures.

A layer of hardened lava protected the interior decoration of houses from the merciless influence of time, which did not touch significant cultural values ​​- an important source that tells about the urban way of life, life, art of the Romans who lived here in the 1st century. And although more than half (about 3/5 of the ancient territory) has already been cleared, the city of Pompeii continues to tremblingly keep its secrets, the solution of which lies on the shoulders of future generations.

The city of Pompeii and its sights

Having allocated a whole day for the tour, the tourist allows himself to calmly stroll through the streets in search of the next “tidbit”.

But what about people with limited time?

There are a number of attractions that are recommended for a mandatory visit during a tour of the city of Pompeii:

• temple of Apollo - considered the oldest temple erected in honor of the Greek god in the 18th century BC. From its majestic colonnade, consisting of 28 slender columns, only two have survived. It is assumed that the main building, which lies in ruins today, rests on an ancient altar. The only thing that managed to survive was the frescoes decorating the inner niches of the temple (dedicated to the Trojan War);

Throughout its history, mankind has experienced many catastrophes. However, the most famous of them is the death of Pompeii. History introduces us to the numerous facts of this catastrophe, which happened in 79 in Italy. Here, in the very center of the state, the volcano Vesuvius erupted. And although it can hardly be called the strongest, this event shocked many people who firmly believe in the exclusivity of their homeland. Indeed, as a result of the eruption, a large prosperous city, Pompeii, was destroyed. The experience of people can be compared with the catastrophe when, as a result of a terrorist attack, the twin towers in the United States were destroyed. And this despite the fact that the time distance between these two tragedies was 1922.

Interest for archaeologists

What was Pompeii? It was one of the most beautiful cities of antiquity, thanks to which we can most fully learn about how the Romans lived in those days. At the site where Pompeii stood, there are still interesting artifacts that testify to how majestic this settlement was. Houses and quarters, temples and frescoes... All this remained practically untouched, as it was under the ashes for two millennia after the catastrophe. To visit the ruins of this ancient settlement is good luck for any archaeologist

The emergence of the city

When did Pompeii appear? The history of the great city dates back to the 4th century. BC e. It was then that a settlement was founded in the Naples region. Later, this settlement annexed five small villages and became a single administrative entity. It belonged to the Etruscans, the very ancient tribes whose culture later formed the basis of the culture of the Romans.

What is the subsequent history of Pompeii (briefly)? By the end of the 5th c. BC e. The city was captured by the Samnites. And a century later, Pompeii began to ally with the Roman Republic. However, such connections were nothing more than a formality. Cities like Pompeii were considered by the Senate of Rome only from consumer positions. Their citizens served in the army of a great state, but at the same time they were deprived in many material matters, in particular those that concerned the right to public lands. This was the reason for the uprising.

However, the protests of the citizens of Pompeii were suppressed. In 89 BC. e. troops entered the city, declaring it a Roman colony. Pompeii lost its independence forever. However, the inhabitants of the city did not even feel such changes. For the ninety years that remained in the history of the city, they continued to live a free and prosperous life on land that was distinguished by fertility, next to the sea and in a mild climate. They were not affected by the civil war, in which Caesar and Pompey took an active part. The history of the city indicates its active development until the tragedy happened.

Neighboring settlements

Not far from Pompeii was Herculaneum. This is a city where retired legionnaires settled, as well as slaves who bought their freedom. Still not far from Pompeii was the city of Stabiae. It was a favorite haunt of the Roman nouveaux riches. Wonderful villas were erected on its territory, which delighted with their luxury and were literally buried in greenery. At some distance from them were houses where poor people lived - servants, merchants, artisans. They all earned their living by providing for the needs of rich people.

The story of the death of the city of Pompeii is directly connected with Herculaneum and Stabiae. They, too, were buried under the ash erupting from Vesuvius. Of all the inhabitants, only those who abandoned their property and left at the very beginning of the eruption managed to save. In this way, people were able to save the lives of themselves and their loved ones.

Infrastructure

The history of Pompeii, starting from the moment the city was founded, was characterized by the construction of a huge number of buildings. Construction was especially active in the last three centuries before the tragedy. Infrastructure facilities include:

• a huge amphitheater with twenty thousand seats;
• the Bolshoi Theatre, which could seat 5,000 spectators;
• Small theater, designed for 1.5 thousand people.

A large number of temples were also erected in the city, which were dedicated to various gods. The center of Pompeii was decorated with a square - a forum. This is a territory formed from public buildings, where the main commercial and political life of the settlement took place. The streets of the city were straight and intersected with each other perpendicularly.

Communications

The city had its own water supply. It was carried out with the help of an aqueduct. This device was a large tray standing on supports. The city was supplied with life-giving moisture from mountain springs. After the aqueduct, water entered the bulk tank, and from it, through a pipe system, into the homes of wealthy citizens.

Public fountains worked for the common people. Pipes from a common reservoir were also connected to them.

The baths built in the city were also very popular. In them, people not only bathed, but also communicated and discussed commercial and social news.

production

Bread in Pompeii was produced by their own bakeries. There was also textile production in the city. It was at a fairly high level for that time.

Volcano Neighborhood

And what about Vesuvius? Yes, this volcano is active. It is located just 15 km from Naples. Its height is 1280 m. Historians and scientists claim that it used to be twice as high. However, the events of 79 destroyed most of the volcano.
Throughout the history of its existence, Vesuvius has 80 major eruptions. But, according to archaeologists, until 79, the volcano did not show activity for 15 centuries.

Why, despite the existing danger, it was in this place that Pompeii was erected, the history of which ended so sadly? The fact is that people were attracted to this territory by its fertile soil. And they did not pay attention to the real threat emanating from the crater next to them.

Precursors of tragedy

Pompeii - one of the oldest cities in Italy - in 62 felt the tremors of a strong earthquake. Not a single undamaged building remained in it. Some of the structures were completely destroyed.

An earthquake and an eruption are one and the same geological process, only expressed in different forms. However, the inhabitants of the Roman Empire at that time did not yet know about it. They firmly believed that their beautiful city would stand for centuries.

Not having time to recover from the consequences of these perturbations of the earth's interior, Pompeii experienced a whole series of new shocks. They happened the day before the eruption of Vesuvius, which happened in 79. It was this event that led to the fact that the history of Pompeii came to an end. Of course, people did not associate the tremors of the earth's interior with a volcano.

In addition, shortly before the disaster, the temperature of the water of the Gulf of Naples rose sharply. In some places, it even reached the boiling point. All the wells and streams that were on the slopes of Vesuvius turned out to be dry. The bowels of the mountain began to emit eerie sounds, reminiscent of drawn-out groans. All this also indicated that the history of the city of Pompeii would change dramatically.

The death of the city

What was the last day of Pompeii like? History can briefly describe it thanks to the available notes of the politician of those times, Pliny the Younger. The catastrophe began at two in the afternoon on August 24, 1979. A white cloud with brown spots appeared over Vesuvius. It quickly gained its size and, rising in height, began to spread in all directions. The soil near the volcano began to move. Incessant tremors were felt, and a terrible roar was heard from the bowels.

Soil vibrations were felt even in the city of Miseno, located 30 kilometers from the volcano. It was in this village that Pliny the Younger was located. According to his notes, the tremors were so strong that statues and houses seemed to be destroyed, which were thrown from side to side.

At this time, a gas jet continued to escape from the volcano. She, possessing incredible strength, carried out a huge number of pieces of pumice from the crater. The debris rose to a height of about twenty kilometers. And this went on all 10-11 hours of the eruption.

loss of life

It is believed that about two thousand people could not get out of Pompeii. This is approximately one tenth of the entire population of the city. The rest probably managed to escape. Consequently, the catastrophe that overtook did not take the Pompeians by surprise. This information was obtained by scientists from the letters of Pliny. However, it is not possible to know the exact number of deaths. The fact is that archaeologists found the remains of people even outside the city.

The history of Pompeii, compiled by researchers, suggests that, according to existing data, the death toll is sixteen thousand people. These are residents not only of the city described, but also of Herculaneum, as well as Stabiae.

People fled in panic towards the harbour. They expected to escape by leaving the dangerous area by sea. This is confirmed by the excavations of archaeologists, who found many human remains on the coast. But, most likely, the ships did not have time or simply could not accommodate everyone.

Among the inhabitants of Pompeii there were those who hoped to sit out in enclosed spaces or in deaf cellars. After they, however, tried to get out, but it was too late.

The next stage of the eruption

What happened next with the city of Pompeii? The history written on the basis of the data of the chronicles suggests that explosions in the crater of the volcano occurred with some interval. This allowed many residents to retreat to a safe distance. Only slaves remained in the city, who played the role of guards of the master's property, and those residents who did not want to leave their farms.

The situation got worse. At night, the next stage of the eruption began. Flames began to erupt from Vesuvius. The next morning, red-hot lava flowed from the crater. It was she who killed those residents who remained in the city. From about 6 o'clock in the morning, ash began to fall from the sky. At the same time, pumice "balls" began to cover the ground, covering Pompeii and Stabia with a thick layer. This nightmare lasted for three hours.

Researchers believe that the energy of Vesuvius that day was many times greater than that released during the atomic explosion in Hiroshima. The people left in the city rushed through the streets. They tried to escape, but quickly lost strength and fell, covering their heads with their hands in despair.

How did Pompeii die? Little-known facts that were published relatively recently tell that pyroclastic hydrothermal flows that poured into the city reached temperatures of 700 degrees. It was they who brought horror and death with them. When hot water was mixed with ashes, a mass was formed, enveloping everything that came across in its path. People who tried to escape from imminent death fell exhausted, and they were immediately covered with ashes. They suffocated, dying in terrible agony. This fact of the history of Pompeii is confirmed by convulsively clenched hands with closed fingers, faces distorted with horror and mouths open in a silent scream. That's how the townspeople died.

Casts of the bodies of the dead

As a result of the eruption of Vesuvius, volcanic rocks buried the entire district under them. The lower layer of this layer, which reaches a thickness of 7 m, consists of small pieces of plasma and stones. After is a layer of ash. Its thickness is 2 m. The total layer of volcanic rocks averaged 9 m. But in some places it was much larger.

Archaeologists found the bulk of the inhabitants of Pompeii in the upper layer of volcanic rocks. The remains have lain in solidified lava for almost 2 thousand years. If we look at the photograph presented above, we can see the position of the bodies adopted at the time of death, as well as the expression of agony and horror on the faces of the doomed. These are plaster casts made by archaeologists. At the sites of the death of the Pompeians, voids formed in the solidified lava due to the mass densely sticking around people, resulting from water and ash. This composition has dried and hardened. At the same time, facial features and folds of clothing, body prints and even small wrinkles remained on him. By filling these voids with gypsum, the scientists were able to create very realistic and accurate casts. Despite the fact that the bodies themselves have long since become dust, looking at these photos is still creepy. These figures clearly convey the horror and despair that the inhabitants of Pompeii had to experience.

It should be noted right away that the bodies of deceased citizens in the Roman Empire were not interred, but cremated. For modern historians, this is a big minus, since you can learn a lot about a person’s life from bones. What did he eat, what did he get sick of, what kind of life did he lead. Therefore, the skeletons, whose age is estimated at two thousand years, are of great value. Finding them in Italy is difficult. Hence the great archaeological significance of Pompeii. In this city, which was buried under a multi-meter layer of volcanic ash, a lot of skeletons have been preserved.

The death of Pompeii is dated August 24, 79. In 62 years it will be possible to celebrate 2000 years since the death of the city. By historical standards, the period is relatively short. By the standards of space - a moment. But if we consider the tragedy from the standpoint of the duration of human life, then a huge period of time has passed.

History of Pompeii

Pompeii itself was founded in the 6th century BC. e. The city absorbed 5 small settlements and turned into a single administrative entity. These were the possessions of the Etruscans, those very ancient tribes whose culture served as the basis of Roman culture. At the end of the 5th century, the Samnites captured the city, and 100 years later, Pompeii tied their fate with the Roman Republic. The inhabitants of the city enjoyed great rights and were considered not subjects, but allies of Rome.

But such an alliance was a pure formality. The Roman Senate looked at such cities from consumer positions. Citizens were taken to serve in the army, and Roman citizenship was not given. They were also deprived in material matters relating to the rights to public lands. All this sparked an uprising.

Plan of the city of Pompeii

In 89 BC. e. troops entered Pompeii, and the city was declared a colony of the Roman Republic. The city forever lost even formal independence. But it didn't affect the residents. The remaining 90 years they lived freely and securely. The lands were fertile, the sea was located nearby, the climate was mild, and the noble Romans willingly built villas in these places.

Nearby was the city of Herculaneum. It was settled by retired legionnaires, as well as former slaves who became free citizens. In the Roman Republic, any slave could buy freedom or receive it as a gift for some merit. These are the people who inhabited the city.

Another neighboring city was called Stabiae. It was the seat of the Roman nouveau riche. Luxurious villas surrounded by greenery stood here. The houses of the poor people were in the distance. They were inhabited by servants, artisans, merchants. All of them were fed from rich people, providing for their needs.

The death of Pompeii is inextricably linked with these two cities. They were also buried under the volcanic ash of the “awakened” Vesuvius. Most of the inhabitants died. Only those who left their homes at the very beginning of the eruption were saved. They abandoned all their property and left, thereby saving the lives of themselves and their loved ones.

Pompeii street

From the day of its formation, Pompeii was actively built. Construction was especially lively during the last 300 years before the tragedy. A huge amphitheater with 20,000 seats was erected. Its construction dates back to 80 BC. e. In the arena, which was 135 meters long and 105 meters wide, gladiator fights were held. 100 years earlier, the ancient builders built the Bolshoi Theater for 5,000 spectators. Almost simultaneously with the amphitheater, the Maly Theater was built for 1.5 thousand spectators.

The city had many temples dedicated to various gods. The forum was in the center. This is a square formed from public buildings. It hosted both political and commercial life. The streets were straight and intersected perpendicularly.

The water supply of the city was carried out by means of an aqueduct. This is a large tray on supports. The builders always made a slight slope, and the water ran along it. Life-giving moisture came to the city from mountain springs. From the aqueduct, it flowed into a huge tank. It was located above residential buildings and had many pipes that went from it to the homes of wealthy citizens. That is, there was water supply available, but only for wealthy people.

The common people were content with public fountains. Pipes from the reservoir also approached them. But there was one unpleasant nuance. All pipes were made of lead. This, of course, affected the health of people and influenced life expectancy. If the people of those times had known about this, they would most likely have made silver trumpets. This would have a positive effect on health.

In the courtyard of a luxury villa
Noteworthy solid brickwork

The city was provided with bread by bakeries. There was a textile industry. There was a powerful fortress wall and, of course, terms (baths). In ancient Rome, they were very popular. In such places, people not only washed, but also communicated, discussing the latest social and commercial news.

Archaeologists have even found a lupanar. So called brothels in the Roman era. In Pompeii, it was a 2-storey stone building. Each floor had 5 rooms. It is assumed that there were still 30 single rooms in the city. They were located above wine shops in different residential areas.

If you count, it turns out that no more than 40 prostitutes served customers. 20 thousand people lived in the city. Of these, half are men, plus visitors. For such a mass of people, there are only 40 priestesses of love. It can be argued that men at that time were much more chaste than the current inhabitants of the planet. Hence the conclusion: the sexual promiscuity of Roman citizens is only a figment of the imagination of unscrupulous historians.

Vesuvius volcano

And what about Vesuvius? This is an active volcano. It is located 15 km from Naples. Its height is 1280 meters. Over the entire history of its existence, it has 80 major eruptions. According to geologists, Vesuvius was silent for 15 centuries until a significant date in 79. Only in 1963 did he become more active. There was an earthquake that destroyed several buildings in the city. An earthquake and an eruption are the same geological process expressed in different forms. But how could the inhabitants of the Roman Republic know about this.

City of Pompeii and Vesuvius

After the tragedy of 79, the volcano fell silent again for more than 1500 years. Activated in 1631. Lava poured out of a forested crater. She destroyed the small Italian city of Torre del Greco. At the same time, 1500 people died. The volcano has been active for 2 weeks.

Since that moment, Vesuvius has been periodically activated with an interval of 15-30 years. A major eruption began on April 4, 1906. The volcano ran amok until April 28th. At the same time, gas was ejected, and lava flowed. Then a similar scenario, but in a more modest form, was repeated after 7 years. And on March 20, 1944, the last eruption occurred. In terms of strength, it corresponded to the eruption of 1906.

Thus, it can be seen that at first only gases, pumice and solid rocks were released from the volcano. All this was accompanied by strong explosions and tons of hot ash, which covered the earth with a multi-ton mass. Since the 17th century, in addition to gases and ash, lava has flowed from the crater.

In fact, those people who live near Vesuvius are at great risk. But this is a densely populated region of Italy. At any moment it can turn into a place of terrible tragedy. But while the volcano is "sleeping", and let's hope that the next activity will come only after a thousand years.

Chronology of the death of Pompeii

So let's go back to 79. The week before August 24, an earthquake hit the city. It was very strong and corresponded to 6 points on the Richter scale. The city, barely recovered from the earthquake of 63, was again subjected to partial destruction. Half of the inhabitants left it. But the other half remained. People began to clear the rubble and improve the disturbed way of life.

It is possible that marauders appeared in the city. They plundered abandoned rich estates. Apparently, the administrative authorities could not immediately restore order, so the thieves felt quite at ease. The situation was aggravated by the fact that water disappeared from the water main. Technical services could not immediately determine the cause of the accident. It was necessary to go to the mountains and check the condition of the aqueduct there.

All in all, it just took a week. Life gradually returned to normal. The morning of August 24 was no different from the previous days after the earthquake. People walked the streets, markets worked. Mount Vesuvius towered majestically in the distance. She looked quite calm, and the townspeople did not associate the earthquake with her in any way.

The gradual death of Pompeii began at about one o'clock in the afternoon. Initially, several strong tremors followed. Then the sound of an explosion was heard, and a black column of smoke appeared over Vesuvius. Gas began to escape from the crater under enormous pressure. He carried away small hard rocks, volcanic ash and pumice (volcanic porous rock). The huge column reached a height of 30 km.

Plaster bodies of dead people

All this mass covered the sky and began to fall to the ground. When even a small pebble falls from a great height, it can kill a person. So people left the streets and hid in houses. The volcano at the same time became more active, then weakened in its fury.

Those residents who, having abandoned everything, left the city at noon, survived. But the bulk of the population did not even represent the seriousness of the danger. Many considered the roofs of houses the most reliable protection.

Volcanic dust mixed with pumice fell to the ground more and more actively. By 4 o'clock in the afternoon it became dark as night. Some roofs of houses under the weight of volcanic eruptions began to collapse. It was impossible to walk on the streets. Residents realized that they were walled up alive in their houses.

As determined by archaeologists, 54 inhabitants on the day when the death of Pompeii came, took refuge in the basement of a large wholesale warehouse. The vaulted ceiling of the room evenly distributed the load created by volcanic dust. Therefore, the shelter was reliable. But people did not take into account that the air was filled with gases harmful to breathing. The situation was aggravated by the pyroclastic flow (volcanic gases and ash with temperatures up to 700 degrees Celsius).

In the bowels of Vesuvius, the pressure increased sharply. Hot gases and ashes rushed out with tripled force. Part of the top of the crater could not stand it and collapsed. As a result, the red-hot mass rushed not up, but to the side and moved towards the city at a tremendous speed of 500 km / h. The temperature of the pyroclastic flow reached 300 degrees Celsius.

Everything that got in the way was instantly burned. So many people who were at that time on the streets of the city died. Archaeologists have found a stable where more than two dozen horses had decayed alive. The poor animals were tied up and couldn't get out in time.

A terrible volcanic phenomenon significantly accelerated the death of Pompeii. Those 54 people who took refuge in the basement of the wholesale warehouse suffocated with hot air. Death accelerated the dust. She got into the lungs and turned into cement there. Two thousand years later, these bodies were found. They lay in quiet positions. Unlike them, those who died on the streets were roasted alive.

Vesuvius crater

Excavations of the city began in the 19th century. Cavities that were found in volcanic dust were filled with gypsum. And the void turned into a twisted human body. There were a great many of those. Almost the entire population died. The figure is 16 thousand people. But this is taking into account two other cities: Herculaneum and Stabia.

Thus, the death of Pompeii became the greatest tragedy that happened at the very beginning of the 1st millennium of a new era. Today, the once beautiful city has been turned into an open-air museum. 75% of its area has been cleared. The rest is still under the ashes. Now nothing reminds of the tragedy. The ruins look quite peaceful. Vesuvius also looks peaceful. Looking at him, you can’t say that the culprit of a terrible nightmare lurked only for a while. But no one knows when the fatal hour will come.

Pompeii is one of the oldest cities in Italy, located at the foot of Vesuvius in Campania, a fertile region of the Apennine Peninsula with loose volcanic soil and a mild climate. Antique Campaign (from Mau's book) It is not known exactly when Pompeii was founded, but we know that the fragments of the Temple of Apollo, one of the oldest buildings in the city, are dated by archaeologists to the end of the 7th century. BC. Another ancient building of Pompeii - the Doric temple - dates back to the beginning of the 6th century. BC. and probably served as the cultural center of the Greek emporium. But the Oscans can be considered the true founders of the city (the oldest inscriptions of Pompeii were made in the Oscan language). The venerable age of Pompeii is also confirmed by the results of the excavations by Amedeo Mayuri and Stefano de Caro: archaeologists date the early city walls and the remains of the gates found in the 6th district to the middle of the 6th century BC. - the main building material of this time was tuff. In the VI century. BC e. Pompeii was one of the cities of the union of Etruscan cities formed in Campania, headed by Capua. However, the sources that tell about this period do not say anything specific about the town - Pompeii does not stand out from the rest of the Campanian cities. The Etruscan period ends in the middle of the 5th century. BC. - championship in the region goes to the Samnites. The history of the change of peoples in Campania is given by Strabo in his "Geography" (V.4.8.): "Naples is directly adjacent to the fortress of Hercules, lying on a promontory protruding into the sea, and so open to the breath of the southwest wind that it makes the settlement surprisingly healthy This city, and Pompeii following it, by which the river Sarn flows, was once ruled by the Oscans, then by the Tyrrhenians and Pelasgians, and then by the Samnites. However, the latter were driven out of this area. As a result of the Samnite Wars of the late IV-early III centuries. BC e. prosperous Campanian cities turn into Roman allies and are deprived of the right to an independent foreign policy, which, however, has little effect on their economy. The first written mention of the city dates back to this time - Titus Livy in his "History of Rome from the founding of the city" (IX, 38, 2) under 311 BC. talks about the "landing" of Roman sailors: "At the same time, Publius Cornelius, to whom the senate entrusted the coastal regions, led the Roman fleet to Campania, and the sailors, having landed at Pompeii, went to ruin the Nucerian possessions." Romanization of Pompeii begins, but more than two centuries must pass before its final completion. The chronicles of these centuries did not retain any mention of the city, and the next time Pompeii appears in Roman history in the 1st century BC. BC. In 89 BC, during the Allied War, Lucius Cornelius Sulla led the siege of Pompeii, but was forced to retreat - the city managed to hold out. During this turbulent time, the city wall was additionally fortified with 12 towers. True, this did not save Pompeii, later Sulla managed to break the resistance of the inhabitants, and then place in the city about 2 thousand veterans of his army who had served as colonists. Pompeii received the status of a Roman colony with the new name Coloniae Corneliae Veneriae Pompeianorum. Traces of Sulla's battering rams on a section of the city wall of Pompeii The dominant position of Rome in the Mediterranean promotes the development of maritime trade and the emergence of new markets in the East. The invention of cheap, locally produced concrete and the widespread use of slave labor lead to a boom in construction. Particular attention in the empire is paid to civil architecture: water pipes and bridges, baths and amphitheatres, villas and multi-storey residential buildings are being built. The creation of excellent roads throughout Italy contributes to the development of overland trade and inter-regional communications. Cities are intensively built up with shops, markets and other premises for exchange and trade. In the 1st century BC e. Pompeii is turning into a well-maintained cultural center. An amphitheater for 20 thousand spectators, an Odeon, numerous private buildings are being built, streets are being paved. The city is actively decorated with sculptures, mosaics, frescoes created at a high artistic level. February 5, 62 AD the first call of the impending catastrophe sounded - a powerful earthquake occurred in Campania with an epicenter in the vicinity of Pompeii. The city was destroyed, Nuceria, Herculaneum and other nearby towns were also badly damaged. Naturally, for such a seismically active zone as Campania, earthquakes are not uncommon, which Seneca notes in the treatise "Naturales Quaestiones" (VI, I, 2): "... true, Campania has never been free from the threat of such disasters, but they happened so many times, without causing any harm, that the fear of them passed ... "However, this time the power of the elements surpassed the scale known to the generation - the Pompeians captured its consequences even in art: the lararium in the house of the Pompeian banker Lucius Caecilius Jucundus depicts a number of buildings of the city during an earthquake. Bas-relief from the house of Yukunda The next 15 years of Pompeii were filled with hectic building activity - the inhabitants of the city restore what was destroyed by the earthquake and even lay new buildings. One of the largest buildings in Pompeii after the earthquake - the Central Baths - did not have time to be completed by 79 AD. In many houses, archaeologists have found traces of reconstructions, cosmetic repairs, renovation of paintings and mosaics. Everything indicated that the inhabitants of Pompeii, despite the cruel blow of nature, did not take Vesuvius into account in their future plans for life. Minor tremors of the 70s. AD the townspeople took it very businesslike - the cracks in the walls served as an occasion for the next renovation of the interiors of houses and other restoration work in the city. Many indications of another construction boom have been found: valuables in wealthy houses are stacked in locked utility rooms, tools, amphoras with lime, pots of paints are laid out in rooms ready for decoration. Everything indicates that the earthquake preceding the eruption did not cause panic among the Pompeians, and they prepared for the usual restoration of the damaged by the elements. But on August 24, the history of the city is suddenly interrupted - Vesuvius, dormant until now, wakes up and brings down all kinds of products of volcanic activity on the surrounding area. Tremors, ash flakes, stones falling from the sky - all this took the inhabitants of Pompeii by surprise. People tried to hide in houses, but died from suffocation or under the ruins. Someone overtook death in public places - in theaters, markets, forums, temples, someone - on the streets of the city, someone - already beyond its borders. However, the vast majority of residents still managed to leave the city. Bryullov K.P. The last day of Pompeii. 1833 The eruption of Vesuvius lasted all day. Pompeii was covered with a multi-meter layer of ash and lapilli. The same fate befell the nearby towns of Stabia and Octavianum. Herculaneum, which was on the other side of the volcano, died a little later - on the next day it was destroyed by a powerful pyroclastic wave, and the rain that began after the eruption washed away the ashes from the slopes of Vesuvius, and the ruined city was flooded with mud flows - mudflows and lahars. Dust and ashes hung in the sky in a black veil for three days. The commission of inquiry that arrived at Vesuvius found that the towns had irretrievably died. For some time, the surviving people wandered through the ruins, trying to find their property, but soon they left the dead city. They forgot about Pompeii until the 16th century, until in 1592-1600, when digging underground tunnels to divert water from the Sarno River to the villa of Count Tuttavilla, under the leadership of the Italian architect Domenico Fontana, several inscriptions were found, as well as fragments of colored wall paintings, which, however, no one it did not occur to me to connect with Pompeii, although one of the inscriptions contained two perfectly preserved words "decurio pompeis" (which was interpreted as the name of the owner of the "found villa" - Pompeii, in fact it was a mention of one of the city posts). Tunnel Fountains to divert water from the Sarno River The assumption of the identity of Civita and ancient Pompeii was first heard from the German antiquarian Holsteinius, who visited the town in 1637, but was perceived negatively by the public. Found in 1689, another inscription with the name of the city caused discussions in the scientific world. The architect Pichetti again suggested that the site was somehow connected with Pompeii, while the historian Biancini stated that the inscription directly points to the location of the ancient city of Pompeii. One of the Pompeian inscriptions in the Oscan language In 1748, the head of the excavations in Herculaneum, Joaquín de Alcubierre, as a military engineer who controlled the work and maintenance of all royal military facilities, received a message about the discovery of some ancient objects in the town of La Civita near the city of Torre Annunziata, where the royal gunpowder factories were located. Assuming that there were also Stabiae bombarded by Vesuvius, Alcubierre transferred several workers from Herculaneum to Civita. In technical terms, it turned out to be easier to work here - the layer of volcanic material is less than three times and not as hard as in Herculaneum. However, three months of work in Pompeii did not satisfy Alcubierre with the number of things found, and the excavations were curtailed for a while, and the workers returned to Herculaneum. From the "Stabii" in the documents of those years, prepared by Alcubierre himself, the plan of the amphitheater section has been preserved. They returned to Pompeii in 1750. The newly appointed assistant to Alcubierre, Carl Weber, undertook to explore the city villa of Julia Felix, already known since 1748. Over the next 7 years (in 1757, Julia's possession was buried after the removal of things suitable for the king), Weber managed to draw up a detailed plan of the entire complex, indicating the exact locations of all the finds, linking this plan with inventory lists. Even later - probably in 1759 or 1760 - he also prepared axonometric documentation on the villa of Julia Felix. All this time, Pompeii was conditionally considered Stabiae (despite the work in real Stabiae and Gragnano). Only 15 years after the start of regular excavations - on August 18, 1763 - the boundary pillar of Pompeii was discovered (for more details, see the chapter on the excavations of 1748-1798), which made it possible to establish exactly the object of interest of archaeologists. Due to the sudden and rapid death of Pompeii is the best preserved ancient city. Since the entire furnishings of the houses remained untouched under a layer of solidified lava, Pompeii became an important and valuable source of information about the life, life, urban structure, culture and art of the Roman Empire in the 1st century BC. n. e. To date, 3/5 of the city has been opened (the rest was decided to be left to future generations): defensive walls, gates, necropolises, quarters of residential buildings with mosaics, frescoes and sculptures of excellent preservation, two forums, an amphitheater and two theaters, temples and much more. Pompeii lighting project is being implemented. A fragment of a three-dimensional map of the ruins of Pompeii. National Archaeological Museum of Naples (c) Yully Uletova Reasonable attempts are now being made to move the date of the eruption forward by 2 months - to October 79 AD. The date itself in Pliny's letters, given as nonum kal. Septembres, was translated as August 24, but now the translation tradition can be revised in favor of non (as) Novembr (es) or nonum kal (endas) Decembres, which moves the date of the eruption to the end of October, the beginning of November, or even to the end of December. In favor of the "autumn version", archaeologists cite such arguments as: - Ripe fruits, including grapes, found during excavations; - warm clothes on some of the victims and braziers in the premises; - jugs full of wine in a rural villa in Boscoreal; - a silver coin from the House of the Golden Bracelet (where the title of Titus is minted with the indication "imperator XV", which could not have happened before the beginning of September).