It has been high on my bucket list to visit Pompeii. I decided a long time ago when we were planning this adventure, that matter how much it would cost, or how far the detour on our travels, I was going to go their and that was that! Ever since I was a child and my dad used to fall asleep on a Sunday afternoon watching documentaries, I have wanted to visit Pompeii.
I can recommend a really good documentary to watch, it is by the BBC with Mary Beard presenting. It explains the history really well and breaks it down so it is easy to understand. Plus, she is an absolute goddess in the documentary world.
To give you its history in a nutshell, Pompeii, along with four other archaeological sites are the remains are Roman cities, which were preserved under volcanic ash, when Mount Vesuvius erupted in AD 79. Making the sites over 2000 years old! If you are a history geek like me, you will be getting hot under the collar at that last sentence! When archaeologists started digging at the sites they made some interesting discoveries, shops, theatres, bakeries and even a brothel! Complete with 2000 year old pornography on the walls! They have unearthed thousands of artifacts. They even found perfectly preserved loafs of bread! 2000 year old loads of bread! Are you kidding me!? I bought a loaf of bread from the supermarket last week and it was mouldy within a few days! 2000 years! Wow!
After unearthing these treasures, archaeologists have been able to piece together the puzzle of Roman life 2000 years ago. After experiencing them myself, I don't think that life has changed all that much in 2000 years. On their days off from work they went shopping, to the theatre and to the bathes. Just as we enjoy a swim or a movie on the weekends today!
Despite the 2000 gap, the only real difference I saw was that they didn't have the technology that we have now. After seeing how advanced the Roman cities were, with their underground drainage systems and the building techniques that they used, I wonder just how further advanced we would be if the Roman empire had not collapsed. They were extremely skilled and highly intelligent people.
Within the last 24 hours, we have visited two of the archaeological sites, Pompeii and Herculaneum. As I have said before, I want to post whilst the trips are still fresh in my mind and I am still high off what I have experienced that day!
The train from Naples central to Herculaneum (Ercelano Scavi station) cost €4.40 return per person and is roughly a twenty minute train ride. The entrance to Herculaneum was €11 each.
Naples central to Pompeii (Pompeii station) was €11.20 return for the train, which took forty minutes. The entrance price for Pompeii was €13.
Slightly pricier, because it's a larger site, more sort after and further away from Naples central.
I recommend getting on the train at the stop before Naples central as it is less busy and pretty much guarantees you a seat before it gets to the busy central station.
HERCULANEUM
I decided to write this post as two separate sites, rather than writing it as one big site, as they were separate cities. They are completely different, but are both equally as awesome! It would be extremely hard for me to say which one I favoured as they both offer different views of Roman life.
A few unique points to see at Herculaneum is the following…..
1.The skeletons of the civilians who were killed when the volcano erupted. They had fled to the sea and were killed by thermal shock.
2.Summer Triclinium of House of Jupiter. Civilians lacked space in their properties, so this square has been turned into a makeshift garden.
3.The grand houses and villas. There are so many different ones to see. This was one of my favourites. Located near the bath house.
Herculaneum was a much smaller, more intimate view into Roman life. It was where the rich lived, which you can tell by such grand houses! The city used to sit at the edge of a beach and was further away from mount Vesuvius when it erupted. Meaning it's more preserved. They are still excavating and restoring a lot of the site, but don't let that put you off!
I recommend doing an audio tour, just so you get a general idea of what things are. Also, don't forget to collect your free map at the information desks, this applies at both sites! It is easy to speculate what things are. At first thought, I thought that this fast food style shop counter, was a public toilet!
POMPEII
The big daddy of the sites! It's truly humungous! I strongly advise following the audio guide and map to see the main features. After this, go and GET LOST! GO ON! GO!
No! Don't leave! I wasn't being rude. I was telling you our travel Moto! The BEST way to see this site, is to zigzag through and get lost. It is easy to find your way back to the main Street. So go and poke your head through windows, crawl through tiny spaces and be noisy in other people's houses!
After a while of doing this, it's not hard to imagine that you are a Pompeii citizen, walking the streets thousands of years ago, buying bread from one of the neighborhood bakeries….
Or going to visit your friend, but 'beware of the dog'.
Or even visiting a brothel, complete with stone bed and painted pornography.
But after doing so, you may need to visit the tavern for well earned pint…
But don't get in a fight and land yourself in trouble, or you might need help from this law firm (complete with desk in the back office) to bail you out!
Overall, I've left Pompeii with nothing but admiration for the people who lived in the Roman empire. They were strong-willed, adaptable people, whom the human race have learned so much from. They struggled, especially women and slaves, were treated very badly by men, but they remained strong and persevered for the sake of themselves and their children.
What happened at Pompeii is a tragedy for the civilians who lived there on that fateful day when the volcano blew her top. From the perspective of the here and now, it is one of the best archeological finds. They are still excavating and finding out new information, every single day and hopefully, will be for years to come. If the disaster hadn't of happened, I feel the cities would of been teared down and used the materials for newer builds. Meaning, it wouldn't be as rich with history as it is today if the disaster hadn't of occurred.
Scientists predict that mount Vesuvius will erupt, once again, within the next 25 years. All over the sites you can see that they are desperately trying to secure the ruins before this happens. The population of Pompeii in 79 AD was 20,000. Today the mountains surrounding areas has a population of over 3.5 million. Mother nature usually gives us small indications when a volcano is going to erupt, in the form of earthquakes and increased levels of heat and gas. But we never know exactly when it will happen. Today, the people can be evacuated and protected from the ash. But, a volcano eruption can never be prevented. In the fight between humans and mother nature, mother nature always wins. It's a painful lesson that the people of Pompeii learnt too late. They didn't know that the ground tremors, which were happening days before, were warning signs.
I hope for the sake of the people, the stunning areas which surround mount Vesuvius and for history, Pompeii is still standing in years to come. There is still so much more treasure to unearth from one of the most fascinating time periods since humanity began…..
Since we got back to our accommodation,I've been googling Pompeii for hours on end and sampling a Naples local dish...fried pizza! If you visit Naples, definitely try it and you'll see how good it is! It's not for the healthy! It's deep-fried-deliciousness-heart-attack-on-a-plate-full-of-grease, kind of food! Perfect hangover food, is another good description!
Peace out.
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