When did the destruction of Pompeii occur? The death of Pompeii. Who is hiding the true date of the disaster and why? How to get from Naples on your own

I remember as a child, seeing K. Bryullov’s painting “The Last Day of Pompeii”, I was greatly shocked. The huge one died in a matter of hours. Why? How? For what?
Our family managed to visit Pompeii only in November 2016. I will share my photos and videos with you. Let's try to understand the reasons for the tragic events.

The ancient Roman city of Pompeii in Italy was completely destroyed in 79. Buried under a multi-meter layer of ash and magma as a result of the eruption of Mount Vesuvius.

The death of Pompeii - why didn’t people leave the city?

It was one of the largest ancient cities, founded in the 6th century BC. Its favorable location on the trade route and fertile lands contributed to its economic prosperity.

Geologists say that the volcano was silent for 15 centuries. He warned people that he was waking up with a strong earthquake in 62, almost completely destroying buildings. But the residents did not move to new places, but began to rebuild it again. Without even suspecting the impending disaster.

And the cruel killer Vesuvius from a height of 1300 meters silently watched the human bustle and waited in the wings. And this hour came on August 24, 79.

Vesuvius warned in advance

A huge, rapidly growing brown cloud appeared above the volcano. At a height of many kilometers it spread out to the sides, covering the sky. This was accompanied by a terrible roar and underground shelves. Every hour, volcanic ash covered the ground with a layer of up to 20 cm.

Human factor

Part of the population managed to leave Pompeii on the first day. There remained stubborn people who did not want to leave their homes and slaves whom their owners left to guard their property. They tried to hide in houses, not realizing that they were dooming themselves to death.

The roofs of houses collapsed under the weight of falling stones and ash.

The next day, a red-hot heavy avalanche of magma flowed from the volcano, destroying everything in its path. The air was saturated with hot suffocating gas and dust, and when it entered the lungs it turned into cement, people suffocated. A heavy downpour began.

Loose ash, mixed with water, rushed down the slopes in a hot mud stream. Residents, mad with fear, rushed to the sea, those who fell were trampled by those running behind them. Those remaining on the streets were burned alive. On the third day, the clouds of dust cleared. The sun illuminated the terrible picture of the dead cities of Pompeii, Stabia and Herculaneum.

Reconstruction of the bodies of the dead

During excavations, the empty cavities left by the bodies of the dead were filled with plaster and their dying poses were reconstructed.

In this way, up to 2,000 remains were recovered. It is believed that about 15 thousand people died during this disaster.

Currently, 75% of the restored excavations are open. Up to 2.5 million people a year come to see it in the open air.

The remains of an amphitheater for gladiator fights, residential buildings with intact furnishings, frescoes and mosaics have been discovered. Temples, baths, a large number of drinking establishments, brothels and images of the phallus in drawings, figurines and sculptures.

Punishment for...

In Ancient Rome, the phallus was considered a symbol of good luck and a talisman. His images were painted on the walls of various establishments and on street corners. During excavations, many figurines of the God of Fertility Priapus with a huge genital organ were found.

In 1819, all the objects and frescoes depicting sexual orgies, bestiality and sodomy (homosexuality) found in the ruins were collected in the Secret Cabin of the Archaeological Museum.

Until 2000, this collection was available for viewing only to a narrow circle of people belonging to high society. Now it is open in the Naples Museum, for everyone to get acquainted with this side of the life of the Romans of that era.

Judging by the assortment and number of exhibits, brothels and drinking establishments, the residents were far from chastity and led a cheerful lifestyle. Maybe the disaster that occurred was a punishment?
Present tense

We saw this city on a gray rainy day. Our short amateur video will give you an idea of ​​the destroyed city.

Vesuvius, the culprit of the terrible catastrophe, now looks quite peaceful and is again waiting in the wings. The longer he sleeps, the more catastrophic his awakening will be. The passing centuries have erased the memory of the past tragedy and people continue to settle in its vicinity.

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Pompeii today.

With each subsequent explosion, deadly hot gases, ash and actual rain of rock fragments burst out, followed by pyroclastic flows, more lethal than lava due to their high temperature and speed. When it was all over, Pompeii and its inhabitants were buried under 6 meters of volcanic debris and ash.

After being buried in petrified ash for over 1,900 years, the victims of Pompeii have been unearthed using modern technology. So scientists were finally able to see a civilization that died almost 2 millennia ago, and was literally “frozen in time.”

Until recently, the main cause of death for Pompeii residents was thought to be asphyxiation caused by deadly volcanic gases and ash. But a recent study by volcanologist Giuseppe Mastrolorenzo and his colleagues found that hundreds of deaths occurred during the fourth pyroclastic explosion, which reached Pompeii first. Scientists determined that there was much less ash in the deadly stream than previously thought - about 3 centimeters. However, the temperature was at least 300 degrees Celsius, so people died instantly.

The poses of the people show how they died: some were trapped inside buildings, while others tried to shield family members. When these unfortunate victims were excavated by modern scientists, they used plaster casting technology (in one case, resin casting) to preserve the petrified human figures. The soft tissues of the victims have long since decomposed; inside each such petrified figure there is a skeleton. Therefore, these are not statues or replicas, but real corpses that have been encased in plaster to prevent them from being destroyed.

Of the approximately 2,000 dead bodies found, only 86 of these plaster casts of human figures were made. The conditions for creating such a figure are rare, which explains why they were not made from all the remains found. Excavations are still carried out in Pompeii today. But plaster damages the fragile remains of corpses, so archaeologists are no longer producing new “sculptures with skeletons inside.” Moreover, not only the poses of the victims at the time of death were preserved, but also the expressions on their faces, which show agony.

One of the victims raised her hands above her head in a protective gesture - a desperate, reflexive attempt to stave off her impending doom. The face froze in an endless scream, showing perfectly preserved teeth in the mouth. With outstretched hands, mother and her child face death. One man sits with his face in his hands, as if resigned to what is about to happen. Others try to crawl away in a futile attempt to escape their inevitable fate. A number of fossilized remains were found curled up in the fetal position or hugging their loved ones.

No one knows how he will spend his last minutes, faced with such a terrible prospect. However, in the case of one person, archaeologists had a number of questions. His petrified remains lie on his back, with his legs spread, and the man pressed his hands to his lower abdomen. So while most of the excavated victims clearly display terror and anticipation of their final moments, one victim may have chosen to act very differently.

Of the approximately 2,000 inhabitants of Pompeii believed to have died in the disaster, archaeologists have recovered only about 1,150 bodies. This means that most of the city's 20,000 population managed to escape when the volcanic activity began. The largest number of victims who died in one place was found in the "Garden of the Fugitives." Thirteen people sought refuge there and died. The remains of nine people were found in the House of Mysteries (it is believed that the roof of the building collapsed and buried these people). Two more victims were found in the thermal baths and in the fish market, and several more were found in the Olitorium (market).

The remains of several animals have been found in Pompeii. Since it was a prosperous city, many residents had pets, mostly dogs. Most wealthy residents also owned horses and farm animals. In addition, wild animals roamed the vicinity of the city, which also could not escape and were doomed.

In the Olitorium market, the remains of a pig were discovered, as well as a small dog (presumably someone's pet), which was lying on its back, its paws so twisted as if the animal was in terrible pain in its last moments. It is assumed that the owners tied the poor dog in the atrium, and he managed to survive the first phase of the eruption, climbing on the ash and pumice as it covered the house... but the chain did not allow him to go further, and the fourth eruption killed the dog.

The owners may have left the dog to guard their valuables, hoping to return when the eruption ended. But by doing this they doomed her to a terrible death. Archaeologists recently discovered several horses in the stables of one of the Pompeii villas. It appears that at least three horses were killed, two of which were harnessed and possibly prepared for hasty evacuation. However, they did not have time to do this.

Fully preserved ancient bread was discovered under a thick layer of dust and ash. Although there is actually nothing exotic about it, it is worth talking about. It was a perfectly preserved round loaf, divided into eight pieces, and marked with the baker's stamp (bread bakeries in that era usually stamped the bread they made so that you could immediately find out who made any loaf). This bread retained its shape and texture for 2 millennia under a 9-meter layer of ash and earth.

Following this discovery, scientists from the University of Cincinnati conducted a study that shed light on what the inhabitants of ancient Pompeii ate and drank. Researchers analyzed organic remains from kitchens and toilets (yes, that's right, ancient fossilized feces).

They were able to determine that the Pompeian diet consisted mainly of grains, lentils, olives, eggs, nuts, fish and meat. The diet of higher-ranking citizens also included imported foods such as exotic spices, shellfish, sea urchins, flamingos, and even giraffes.

Study co-author Stephen Ellis, a professor at the University of Cincinnati, said: "This is believed to be the only giraffe bone ever recovered from an archaeological dig in Roman Italy." Finally, the Pompeians were fond of garum, a fermented fish sauce made from the innards of fish (the salted fish was left to ferment (or rot) for two months in the sun). Some contemporaries compare garum to Thai fish sauce. But in ancient Pompeii it was considered something like ketchup.

A recent scan revealed that the people of Pompeii had surprisingly healthy pearly white teeth. Although in 79 AD. e. there was no proper dental care, the people of Pompeii had much better dental health than the average European. Researchers point out that the teeth of the Pompeians were in many ways even better than those of people today. This is due to the fact that the diet of the locals was healthy, with an abundance of fruits and vegetables, and low in sugars. In addition, the city's air and drinking water had high levels of fluoride due to its proximity to the volcano.

This iconic pair of fossilized remains from Pompeii was previously thought to be two women who embraced in the face of impending death. When archaeologists found them, they called them “Two Maidens.” However, in early 2017, researchers discovered that the hugging individuals were men, and quite possibly lovers.

CT scans and DNA results from bones and teeth confirmed that they were definitely male and not related. One was 18-20 years old, and the other was over 20. One laid his head on the other's chest, as if seeking comfort or refuge. Of course, it can no longer be said that they were gay, but the DNA results and the position in which they were found led scientists to believe that there may have been an emotional connection between them.

The sexual habits of the inhabitants of Pompeii would make modern people blush, because ancient Rome and Pompeii were considered hedonistic cultures without complexes. Pompeii was first discovered in the late 16th century by workers digging a canal to divert the course of the Sarno River. They reported their discovery to the Italian architect Domenico Fontana, who was so amazed by the explicit frescoes and other sexual objects that he ordered everything to be buried again.

The items found were considered too scandalous and offensive for the era. As a result, the artifacts remained buried until the 18th century. And even after repeated targeted excavations began, most of the “treasures of Pompeii” were hidden. In 1819, Francis I, the future ruler of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies, was so shocked by the apparently erotic nature of the objects brought to him from Pompeii that he ordered them to be locked in a secret cabinet. Access to artifacts was limited only to the most mature gentlemen with a lack of excessive morality.

Most of these artifacts were not made available to the public until 2000. The Pompeians decorated furniture, oil lamps, and even musical pendants with phallic symbols. Erotic scenes were depicted in mosaics and frescoes on the walls of houses. Erotica was everywhere. The most famous object is a detailed sculpture of the god Pan committing adultery with a goat. This item belonged to Lucius Pontiff, father-in-law of Julius Caesar.

Brothels were also very popular in ancient Pompeii, of which there were 35 in the city at the time of the eruption. Prices for services were written on the walls of the establishment. And what services can be obtained inside were also painted on the walls of the brothels, and in great detail. But contrary to the images on the walls, sex workers appeared to lead grim lives. The rooms had stone beds and no windows, as well as any amenities.

Despite numerous excavations of Pompeii, the dark history of slavery in this place is not fully understood. Scientists learned everything that is known from paintings, frescoes and mosaics found during excavations. However, it is clear that slavery was common in Pompeii. Whether servants, concubines, or sex workers, slaves were ubiquitous in Pompeian society. As in other societies, slaves were property and owners could do with them as they pleased.

Slaves had various duties, one of the most curious of which was the collection and use of urine as a cleaning agent. They soaked their masters' dirty clothes in bathtubs filled with collected urine and water, after which they climbed into the bathtub and trampled the clothes under their feet, much like crushing grapes. And the saddest picture of slavery found during excavations is a slave prison. When Vesuvius destroyed Pompeii, the chained slave was unable to escape. He was found lying face down with shackles still around his ankles.

One has only to imagine the chaos of falling fire, ash and thick smoke. The earth trembles and cracks underfoot. The buildings around are collapsing. Hot lava rushes towards you like an avalanche, devouring everything in its path. Now it’s worth imagining that you managed to get out of this horror, and there is only one thought in your head: “Yes! I was able to escape." And then suddenly a falling stone blows his head off.

Yes... it was clearly a bad day for the "unluckiest guy in Pompeii". Nobody knows his name. What is known is that his skeletal remains were found under a huge boulder 2000 years after his death. Archaeologists were able to suggest that he fled the city, but was unable to dodge a huge boulder. The poor man's head was never found.

Perhaps everyone knows about the eruption of Vesuvius in 79 and the destruction of the city of Pompeii. The layers of ash and magma that covered Pompeii preserved entire houses, not to mention trees, people, and animals. Now it is possible not only to see what the same city of Pompeii looked like 2000 years ago, but also to reconstruct the course of the 19-hour volcanic eruption. However, not everything is still known about what happened on that distant August day during the reign. Thanks to modern science, scientists are putting forward more and more new versions about the true causes of the terrible tragedy.

The first harbinger of the disaster was the earthquake in 63. It turned the area around Vesuvius into a desert and destroyed part of Pompeii. Over time, passions subsided, fear passed, and the city was rebuilt again. No one could have imagined that an even more terrible fate awaited people.

Eruption of Mount Vesuvius

It all started at one o'clock in the afternoon on August 24th. With a terrible roar, the top of the volcano opened up, a column of smoke rose above it and clouds of ash flew, which could even reach the regions of Rome. A real downpour of stones and ash fell from the sky with noise and roar, eclipsing the sun. Frightened people fled from the city. Then streams of lava poured out of the volcano. The city of Herculaneum, closest to Vesuvius, was flooded by avalanches of mud formed from ash, water and lava. Rising, they filled the entire city, flowing into windows and doors. Almost no one managed to escape.

The neighboring city of Pompeii did not see any dirt. At first, clouds of ash fell on him, which seemed to be easy to shake off, but then pieces of porous lava and pumice, several kilograms each, began to fall. In the first hours, quite a lot of residents may have managed to leave the city. However, when most people realized what they were in danger of, it was already too late. Sulfur fumes descended on the city, making it difficult to breathe. The townspeople died either under the blows of falling lava, or simply suffocated.

48 hours later the sun shone again. However, the city of Pompeii had ceased to exist by that time. Everything within a radius of 80 km was destroyed. The lava solidified and turned into stone again. The ashes even carried to Africa, Syria, and Egypt. And above Vesuvius there was only a thin column of smoke.

Excavation results, description of the tragedy

Centuries later, when excavations were carried out at the site of Pompeii, many fossilized statues were recovered - victims of that eruption. Scientists managed to find out why they survived. It’s as if nature took care of future archaeologists. Immediately after the eruption, a powerful, hot downpour rained down on the vicinity of Vesuvius, turning the ashes into mud that reliably covered the bodies. Subsequently, this dirt turned into a kind of cement. The flesh that was drenched in it gradually decomposed, but the volume that it once occupied remained hollow inside the hardened substance.

1777 - for the first time, not just a skeleton was found at the Villa Diomede, but also an imprint of the body under it, but only in 1864 did the head of the excavations, Giuseppe Fiorolli, figure out how to restore the appearance of the deceased. Having tapped the surface and discovered the cavity that remained from the decomposed body, archaeologists made a small hole and poured liquid plaster into it. Filling the cavern, he created a cast that accurately conveyed the dying pose of the Pompeian.

This method made it possible to restore hundreds of human bodies: in some cases, the hairstyles of the victims, the folds of their clothes and even facial expressions are clearly visible, thanks to which we can imagine in great detail the last minutes of the life of the unfortunate city. The casts captured all the horror and despair of that distant catastrophe, forever stopping the moment: to this day, a woman holds a baby in her arms, and two girls cling to the hems of her clothes. A young man and woman lie side by side, as if they had just fallen while running. And outside the northern walls of the city, some unfortunate person loses his balance, in vain tugging at the goat's leash.

Everywhere, death instantly overtook many people. In the house of a certain Quintus Poppaeus, 10 slaves fell dead while climbing the stairs to the upper chambers; the one going first held a bronze lamp. In the house of Publius Pacuvius Proculus, seven children were crushed when the second floor collapsed, unable to withstand the weight of the lava. In the building where the wine trade was carried out, 34 people took refuge under the vaulted ceiling, taking bread and fruit with them to wait out the eruption, but they could not get out. In one country estate, 18 adults and 2 children died in the cellar, and the owner of the estate, clutching a silver key in his hand, died outside the house at the garden gate overlooking the fields. Next to him was a manager who carried the owner’s money and other valuables.

In Menander's house, the owners fled, leaving the gatekeeper to guard the property. The old man lay down in his closet by the door and died, clutching his master's purse to his chest. At the Nukeria Gate a beggar begged for alms - they gave him small change and gave him brand new sandals, but he could no longer go anywhere in them. A tied dog was forgotten in the House of Vesonia Prima. The dog climbed up through the ash and pumice as long as the length of the chain allowed.

50 gladiators remained in the barracks forever, two were chained to the wall. But among them there was also someone from completely different social strata: she was a woman, apparently rich and noble. The bones that remained from her were decorated with pearls, rings and other jewelry. Was it a generous benefactor who took care of several fighters at once and was caught dead during a routine visit to her charges? Or was she visiting her lover that fateful night? We will never know anything about this mysterious story.

There are many touching facts about the Pompeians, frozen forever in 79, that can be told. Some of the bodies are on display for tourists in Pompeii’s “Garden of the Fugitives,” but most are kept in the storerooms of the museum there.

Why did the inhabitants of Pompeii die?

It was traditionally believed that the death of all Pompeians was long and painful: they inhaled ash, which turned into a kind of cement in their lungs, blocking their breathing. But relatively recently, a group of Naples volcanologists led by Giuseppe Mastrolorenzo questioned this theory. They concluded that the victims did not thrash about, did not suffocate or gasp for air - they were instantly killed by the pyroclastic flow.

According to volcanologists, Vesuvius ejected six such streams one after another. The first three stopped short of reaching the city, located 4.5 km from the base of the volcano. It was they who destroyed all life in neighboring Herculaneum, Stabiae and the seaside town of Oplontis, which had the misfortune of being located a little closer to Vesuvius (and which, alas, are rarely remembered as victims of that disaster). But the death of Pompeii came from a fourth wave 18 m high, rushing at the speed of a modern car (about 104 km/h) and covering the city with hot gas. Everything lasted no more than a minute, perhaps even less. But this was enough for hundreds of people to die instantly.

Scientists examined the remains of 650 Pompeians and compared them with 37 skeletons discovered at Oplontis and 78 from Herculaneum. Based on the color and structure of the bones, they calculated that the inhabitants of Herculaneum and Oplontis died from a pyroclastic flow with a temperature of 500–600 °C, and the Pompeians died from a flow that was colder: 250–300 °C. In the first case, people were instantly burned to the bones, but in the second, they were not. Therefore, in Herculaneum there was no intact human flesh left, which, being covered with ash, would then create a cavity, as happened with the Pompeians.

But what then explains the fact that most of the inhabitants of Pompeii, as can be seen in their plaster casts, have their mouths gaping wide? After all, this is what made it possible to attribute their death to suffocation in the first place. Volcanologists answer, this is cataleptic rigor mortis. The unfortunate people froze in those positions in which they were unexpectedly overtaken by a wave of hot gas. And in fact, a sharp muscle spasm stopped many of them from moving, for example, in a running position, but a person who is short of breath cannot run. According to Mastrolorenzo, the victim's open mouth is a final cry of pain, not a desire to breathe; hands raised to the face are the result of a convulsive spasm, and not protection from the ash.

Why did everyone always explain the poses of the unfortunate people as suffocation? Exclusively thanks to the convincing story of the Roman historian Pliny the Younger, who reported in letters to Tacitus about the death of his uncle, Pliny the Elder, during the eruption. At the time of the eruption, he and his family were in the port of the Gulf of Naples near Pompeii. Pliny the Elder, admiral of the Roman fleet, headed the squadron to the dying cities.

Soon he reached the nearest one - Stabius. However, as soon as the admiral and his team went ashore, a poisonous sulfur cloud enveloped the coast. Pliny the Younger wrote: “The uncle stood up, leaning on two slaves, and immediately fell... I think because the thick fumes took his breath away. When daylight returned, his body was found completely intact, dressed as he was; he looked more like someone sleeping than someone dead.” The rescuers died of suffocation, and 2,000 refugees died with them. But the fact is that in Pompeii, archaeologists rarely find bodies in Pliny’s pose; most of those remaining in the city were actively engaged in something at the time of death.

Life and everyday life in the city of Pompeii before the disaster

It is noteworthy that in Pompeii, a month before the volcanic eruption, elections of local magistrates were held, and a variety of electoral appeals were preserved on the walls of houses. Among them, few express the wishes of individuals, but the vast majority look like this:

“Gaius Cuspius Pansa is proposed as an aedile by all the master jewelers,” “Please, make Trebius an aedile, he is nominated by confectioners,” “Marcus Golconius Prisca and Gaius Gaius Rufus are proposed by Phoebus as a duumvir with their regular customers.” The sign uniting the authors of the inscription could be the strangest: “Vatia is offered to the aedile, united, all lovers of sleep” or: “Gaia Julia Polybius - to the duumvirs. A lover of academic pursuits, and with him a baker.”

The artists were artisans who, interestingly, worked in a “team method”: some made the mortar and paints, others created the base for the fresco, and still others painted it. Experts today learned that the Pompeians mixed paints with water to create different shades on the wall, which was still damp from fresh plaster. After this, the painting was polished with stone rollers. Due to the fact that the frescoes have survived to this day, scientists have come to the conclusion that the Pompeians had 4 different styles of wall painting in their arsenal.

In the 3rd century BC. e. They applied plaster to the sandstone, which they then painted to create a colored background for the wall, and only after that they applied the design. If in 85-80 BC. e. depicted real people, then in the 30s, images of literary heroes already appeared on the walls. A little later they switched to decor reminiscent of impressionist paintings. What’s interesting: after the volcanic eruption, similar frescoes were never repeated anywhere else.

The mosaics of the Pompeii are especially fascinating. It was made of glass or ceramics. Moreover, mosaics played not only an aesthetic, but also a functional role in homes. For example, “messages” were laid out on mosaic floors. If a figure of a dog was placed at the entrance, this could indicate the wealth of the owner of the house, and the “dog” was called upon to guard this wealth.

There were quite a lot of mosaics in the houses and baths of the city residents. 1831 - archaeologists found a mosaic panel made of one and a half million cubes! We are talking about a mosaic that depicts him leading a duel with the Persian king Darius. Alex Barbe believes that this panel was located in the villa of a very rich resident of Pompeii, since his bathhouse, also completely decorated with mosaics, was nearby. Fountains were also decorated in the same way - both in the city and in the gardens of the rich.

The salons for receiving guests were especially skillfully decorated. There could be several of them. The refectory was organized in the Greek style: there are three beds with pillows arranged in a semi-oval. They accepted treats while reclining. In such a dining room there were usually three doors, two of which were intended exclusively for servants.

The inhabitants of Pompeii were known in the ancient world as great food lovers. The mild Mediterranean climate made it possible to grow various vegetables and fruits, fish splashed nearby, and there was plenty of meat. Skilled slave cooks prepared delicacies that were famous far beyond the city. The various recipes for the dishes served were strictly kept. Sometimes the owners set such slaves free in gratitude for their culinary skills, however, stipulating the conditions: their successor students must be the same masters in preparing dishes as they were.

First excavations of the city

However, several centuries passed, and the Italians forgot exactly where the lost cities were located. Legends conveyed echoes of ancient events to residents. But who died? Where and when? Peasants who dug wells on their estates often found traces of ancient buildings in the ground. Only at the end of the 16th century, while building an underground tunnel near the city of Torre Annunziata, builders stumbled upon the remains of an ancient wall. Another 100 years later, while constructing a well, workers discovered part of a building with the inscription: “Pompeii.”

Serious excavations in the area of ​​the disaster began only in the second half of the 18th century. But archaeologists did not have enough experience to properly carry out work of this scale. Excavated buildings, after all the most interesting things were removed from them - usually jewelry and ancient statues - were filled up again. As a result, many priceless artifacts and everyday items of the townspeople were lost. However, already at the end of the 18th century, archaeologists grabbed their heads and brought order to the excavations.

And during the reign of Joachim Murat, a former Napoleonic marshal who eventually became the ruler of Naples, excavations began to be carried out in a completely civilized manner, according to all the rules of science. Now scientists paid attention to the arrangement of things, their environment, simple tools and household utensils. Three quarters of the buried cities have been excavated to this day. But there is still a lot of work ahead, promising new amazing discoveries for scientists.

Mysterious Pompeii, an ancient settlement that preserves the breath of Ancient Rome, today is an open-air museum. An extinct city, today it is coming back to life thanks to the efforts of archaeologists, albeit as a museum exhibit.

Pages of history

Until the eruption of Vesuvius swept away the city from the face of the earth, Pompeii was very highly developed and high-tech for its time settlement.

Pompeii is not quite a Roman city, as is commonly believed. It was founded in the 8th century BC. Oschi tribe - one of the ancient peoples of Italy. The name "Pompeii" from the ancient Oscan language can be translated as "five", the reason for this name lies in the fact that Pompei were founded on the site of five ancient Oscan settlements.

True, there is another version, more likely related to mythology: supposedly in these parts Hercules defeated a powerful opponent and organized a solemn procession in the city on this occasion (Pompe - this is how “Pompeii” is translated from the ancient Greek language).

In Italy it was at that time many Greek colonies, so a little later the Osskis adopted Greek culture and architecture. The latter is especially clearly visible: the first buildings were chaotic, the order of buildings was not respected, and later, under Hellenic influence, urban architecture acquired clearer outlines - strict rows of streets and rows of houses. Moreover, the Oskos did not even suspect that they were building their houses directly on solidified lava...

After numerous battles The Romans gained power over the city.

Pompeii has a very convenient location economically: at the foot of Vesuvius, on the Sarno River. This location allowed the city's residents to use the river for shipping and trade. Residents were engaged in the production of oils, wool and wines, which also contributed to trade and prosperity of the city. And the Appian Way, which passed through the city, was important for the economy and trade.

Pompei gradually came under the rule of Rome and became a recreation center for noble Roman patricians. The city grew and developed...

Do you dream of visiting Florence, one of the most romantic cities in Italy? Then you should look at the main architectural structure of the city - Palazzo Vecchio. Detailed information .

Tragedy of the city

The first “alarm bell” rang in 62 AD, when the major earthquake. Many houses and temples were destroyed. But the city residents managed to restore everything in a short time and life again flowed along its usual course.

The peak occurred on August 24, 79. On this day, a strong eruption of the Vesuvius volcano occurred, subsequently the city was buried for centuries under a multi-meter layer of ash.

The day before, flakes of ash began to fall on the city, and there was so much of it that they had to constantly shake it off their clothes. The volcano was considered dormant for a long time, so at first none of the residents paid attention to the cloud of smoke and fire escaping from the vent.

Stones began to fall from the sky, and the ashes settled on the houses in such a thick layer that the roofs began to collapse, burying the people remaining in the premises.

More astute townspeople left Pompeii immediately after the first rainfall, and fled to nearby villages. The eruption lasted for about a day. The city was completely destroyed.

It was discovered by accident in the 17th century during the construction of a water pipeline. The honor of discovery belongs to the Italian architect Domenico Fontana, who, while excavating, came across the remains of a wall and well-preserved frescoes near the river. Moreover for a long time they could not imagine that these pitiful remains were the ruins of the mighty Pompeii.

And only when a sign board was found(border pillar), it became clear that here the once majestic ancient Roman city was buried under layers of earth.

Full-fledged excavations began a century later, in the 17th century, and continue to this day, as well as scientific research.

For more information about the Pompeii tragedy and excavations, watch the video:

Sights and interesting places

Today, on the site of the legendary city, you can see only remnants of its former greatness. You can find the Pompei excavation site near Naples. Open-air museum city attracts many tourists every year.

Pompeii is not only a mass of interesting sights in Italy, but also unique witness to history. Due to the fact that the city was almost instantly covered with ash, all surviving buildings, frescoes, mosaics, sculptures and objects are very well preserved. So, what can you see today in the place where Pompeii is located?

• Forum.

  This building can be called the heart of the ancient Roman city, its social and economic center. At first, on the site of the Forum there was only a trading area, then the market was significantly expanded, and residents began to gather at the market not only for shopping, but also for discussing city events.
  



• Lupanarium.

  “A hot place” in the city, where townspeople came in search of carnal pleasures. The name itself is translated from Italian as “she-wolf” - it was with the help of a wolf-like howl that women of easy virtue attracted their clients. The priestesses of love of that time were quite easy to recognize - hair collected and raised at the back of the head, and a wide red belt on their clothes.

  All rooms for love dates were painted with erotic frescoes. Today some of these frescoes can be seen in the Archaeological Museum of Naples. By the way, this was not the only brothel in the city (there were about 30 of them in total), but Lupanarium was the most famous.
  



• Amphitheater.

  A large-scale structure on two levels was intended for gladiatorial fights and various spectacles. Only the outer walls and seats were preserved, but the steps were completely destroyed - they were made of wood and simply did not survive the eruption.
  



• Residential buildings.

  All buildings and residential buildings are very well preserved, almost in their original form (if, of course, you make an allowance for the past tense). The interior decoration of the houses did not differ in aesthetics, but externally they were very richly decorated, painted with frescoes or decorated with mosaic patterns.

  There were almost no windows in the houses (unlike the palaces and houses of rich nobles); they were replaced by narrow openings. There were no street signs either; the name of its owner was simply written on each house (some of these signs are kept in the Archaeological Museum). On the territory of each house there was a stone pool to collect rainwater (such water was considered sacred).
  



• Frescoes found during excavations.

  They contain historical scenes and scenes of Roman entertainment. Almost all of them were transferred to the Naples Museum, and in the restored city you can only see skillfully made copies.
  

• In addition, you can also see Temple of Jupiter, Small Theater, Bolshoi Theater, Stabian Baths, triumphal arches and other surviving buildings of Pompeii.

During excavations it was found a lot of gold jewelry, ceramics. The ceramics were generally well preserved, although the designs and patterns on the pots and jugs were damaged by fire and time.

Several bakeries found – huge stoves, kitchen utensils and other equipment, as well as the so-called thermopolia - taverns. Rarely did any house in Pompeii have kitchens with ovens, so food was delivered from such thermopolia.

Opening hours, ticket prices

• During high season(from the beginning of April to the end of October) you can get to Pompei from 8.30 am, and the closing time is 7 pm (the ticket office closes at 5.30 pm, an hour and a half before closing).
• Low season(this time is from November to March) Pompeii can be viewed from 8.30 (9.00) in the morning until 17.00 (the ticket office closes at 15.30).
• Ticket price – 13 euros. They can be purchased at the box office.

There, at the ticket office, you can pick up a guide map, otherwise it’s easy to get lost in all the intricacies of the ancient streets.

• An excursion to Pompeii can be combined with a visit to other ancient cities - Herculaneum, Boscoreale, Villa Stadia and others. In this case the ticket will cost at 22 euros (with discount).
• Groups of schoolchildren and students can visit Pompeii by appointment. None There are no restrictions on the number of groups here.

You can check ticket prices, find out about the schedule of excursions, and also get acquainted with other background information about Pompeii on the official website of the attraction - www.pompeiisites.org

Throughout its history, humanity has experienced many disasters. However, the most famous of them is the death of Pompeii. History introduces us to numerous facts of this disaster, which happened in 79 in Italy. Here, in the very center of the state, the eruption of Mount Vesuvius occurred. And although it can hardly be called the most powerful, this event shocked many people who firmly believe in the exclusivity of their homeland. After all, as a result of the eruption, a large prosperous city - Pompeii - was destroyed. What people have experienced can be compared to the disaster when the Twin Towers in the United States were destroyed as a result of a terrorist attack. And this despite the fact that the time distance between these two tragedies was 1922.

Interest for archaeologists

What was Pompeii like? 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, interesting artifacts are still preserved that testify to how majestic this settlement was. Houses and neighborhoods, temples and frescoes... All this remained practically untouched, since for two millennia after the disaster it was under the ashes. Visiting the ruins of this ancient settlement is 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 area. Later, this settlement annexed five small villages and became a single administrative entity. It belonged to the Etruscans, those same ancient tribes whose culture later formed the basis of the culture of the Romans.

What is the further history of Pompeii (briefly)? By the end of the 5th century. BC e. the city was captured by the Samnites. 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 a consumer perspective. Their citizens served in the army of the great state, but were deprived in many material matters, in particular those related to the right to public lands. This was the reason for the birth of 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 city residents did not even feel such changes. For the entire ninety years remaining in the history of the city, they continued to live a free and prosperous life on land that was fertile, near 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 that occurred.

Neighboring settlements

Not far from Pompeii was Herculaneum. This is a city in which 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 place of the Roman nouveau riche. Wonderful villas were built on its territory, which delighted with their luxury and were literally buried in greenery. At some distance from them there were houses where poor people lived - servants, traders, artisans. They all made their living by providing for the needs of rich people.

The history of the death of the city of Pompeii is directly related to Herculaneum and Stabiae. They, too, were buried under the ash erupting from Vesuvius. Of all the residents, only those who abandoned their property and left at the very beginning of the eruption were saved. By doing this, people were able to save the lives of themselves and their loved ones.

Infrastructure

The history of Pompeii, since the formation of the city, was characterized by the construction of a huge number of buildings. Construction was especially active in the last three centuries before the tragedy broke out. Among the infrastructure facilities are:

• a huge amphitheater with twenty thousand seats;
• The Bolshoi Theater, which accommodated 5 thousand spectators;
• Maly 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 - the forum. This is the territory formed from public buildings, where the main trade 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 using 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, the water flowed into a large reservoir, and from it, through a system of pipes, into the houses of wealthy citizens.

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

The baths built in the city were also extremely popular. People not only washed themselves in them, but also communicated and discussed commercial and social news.

Production

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

Volcano neighborhood

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 its history, Vesuvius has had 80 major eruptions. But, according to archaeologists, until 79 the volcano was not active for 15 centuries.

Why, despite the existing danger, was Pompeii built in this very place, 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 posed by the crater next to them.

Predecessors of the tragedy

Pompeii, one of the oldest cities in Italy, felt the tremors of a powerful earthquake in 62. There is practically not a single building left intact. Some of the structures were completely destroyed.

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

Without having time to recover from the consequences of these disturbances in the bowels of the earth, Pompeii experienced a whole series of new tremors. They occurred the day before the eruption of Vesuvius, which occurred 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 connect the tremors of the earth’s interior with the volcano.

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

Death of the city

What was Pompeii's last day like? History can briefly describe it thanks to the available records of the political figure of those times, Pliny the Younger. The disaster began at two o'clock in the afternoon on August 24, 1979. A white cloud with brown spots appeared above Vesuvius. It quickly gained its size and, rising in height, began to spread in all directions. The soil near the volcano began to move. Continuous tremors were felt, and a terrible roar was heard from the depths.

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

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

Death of people

It is believed that about two thousand people were unable to escape from Pompeii. This is approximately a tenth of the city's total population. The rest probably managed to escape. Consequently, the disaster that struck did not take the Pompeians by surprise. This information was obtained by scientists from Pliny's letters. However, it is not possible to know the exact number of deaths. The fact is that archaeologists discovered human remains even outside the city.

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

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

Among the residents of Pompeii there were those who hoped to sit out in closed rooms or in remote cellars. Afterwards, however, they tried to get out, but it was too late.

The next stage of the eruption

What happened next to the city of Pompeii? History, written on the basis of these 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, playing the role of guards of the master's property, and those residents who did not want to leave their farms.

The situation has worsened. At night the next stage of the eruption began. Flames began to erupt from Vesuvius. The next morning, hot lava flowed from the crater. It was she who killed those residents who remained in the city. Around 6 o'clock in the morning, ash began to fall from the sky. At the same time, “balls” of pumice 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 who remained 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 the death of Pompeii occur? Little-known facts that were published relatively recently tell us that the 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 ash, a mass was formed, enveloping everything that came in its way. People trying to escape from imminent death fell exhausted, and were immediately covered with ash. They suffocated, dying in terrible agony. This fact of the history of Pompeii is confirmed by convulsively clenched hands with clenched fingers, faces distorted in horror and mouths open in a silent scream. This is exactly how the townspeople died.

Casts of the bodies of the dead

As a result of the eruption of Vesuvius, volcanic rocks buried the entire area. The lower layer of this layer, the thickness of which reaches 7 m, consists of small pieces of plasma and stones. Afterwards there 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 discovered the bulk of the inhabitants of Pompeii in the upper layer of volcanic rocks. The remains lay in solidified lava for almost 2 thousand years. If you look at the photograph presented above, you can see the position of the bodies taken at the moment 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 where the Pompeians died, voids formed in the solidified lava due to the dense mass that formed from water and ash, clinging tightly to the people. 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 plaster, 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.