Briefly about Pompeii. How Pompeii died

Pompeii is an ancient Roman city near Naples, in the Campania region, buried under a layer of volcanic ash as a result of the eruption of Vesuvius on August 24, 79.
Now it is an open-air museum. Listed world heritage UNESCO.

Recent excavations have shown that in the 1st millennium BC. e. there was a settlement near modern city Nola. A new settlement - Pompeii - was founded by the Oscans in the 6th century BC. e. The name of the city, most likely, goes back to the Oscan pumpe - five, and is known from the very foundation of the city, which indicates the formation of Pompeii as a result of the merger of five settlements. The division into 5 electoral districts was preserved in Roman times. According to another version, the name comes from the Greek pompe (triumphal procession): according to the legend about the foundation of the cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum by the hero Hercules, he, having defeated the giant Gerion, solemnly marched through the city.
The early history of the city is poorly known. Surviving sources speak of clashes between Greeks and Etruscans. For some time, Pompeii belonged to the Cum, from the end of the 6th century BC. e. were under the influence of the Etruscans and were part of the union of cities headed by Capua. At the same time, in 525 BC. e. A Doric temple was built in honor of the Greek gods. After the defeat of the Etruscans in Kita, Syracuse in 474 BC. e. the Greeks again gained dominance in the region. In the 20s of the 5th century BC. e. along with other cities of Campania were conquered by the Samnites. During the Second Samnite War, the Samnites were defeated by the Roman Republic, and Pompeii around 310 BC. e. became allies of Rome.
The city participated in the uprising of the Italic allied cities of 90-88 BC. e., during which in 89 BC. e. was taken by Sulla, after which it was limited in self-government and made a Roman colony of Colonia Cornelia Veneria Pompeianorum. occupied important place on the trade route "Via Appia" (Via Appia), connecting Rome and southern Italy. Many noble Romans had villas in Pompeii. There is evidence that about 2,000 Roman veterans were housed in a large fenced area in the southeastern part of the city with their families. It is not known whether these parts of the city were taken from their owners for this purpose.
According to Tacitus, in 59 A.D. e. there was a fierce massacre between the inhabitants of Pompeii and Nuceria. Starting with a squabble during gladiator games in the Pompeian arena, the conflict escalated into a fight in which the Pompeians prevailed, and many people died or were injured among the Nucerians. After a long trial, the Senate sent the perpetrators into exile and banned the games in Pompeii for 10 years. However, already in 62 the ban was lifted.

Agree that there are places in the world that you want to visit no matter what .. One of these places for me was ancient city Pompeii in Italy.

And in today's article I will tell you a lot of interesting things about the city of Pompeii, about what is invented and exaggerated and about what is shocking in reality, we will walk (video at the end of the article) through the streets, we will discover secrets that you could collect for a long time on Runet , and now you can find out from my article. It will be informative and interesting, pleasant reading and viewing.

Pompeii today photo

Pompeii destroyed the volcano

Perhaps this is the most famous tragedy in the world associated with a volcano, so it’s no secret to anyone that it was Mount Vesuvius that caused the death of the city of Pompeii. But only around this story there are a lot of legends and exaggerations, which we will understand along the way ...

Volcanic eruption in Pompeii

In fact, Pompeii is far from the crater, so I understand the inhabitants of the city, who found it difficult to believe that the consequences of a natural disaster could take their lives. Moreover, people did not know such a thing as a volcanic eruption and did not understand the danger of such a neighborhood.

What does Pompeii mean in translation?

Pompei - just like that Italian word was the name of the city, which was founded in the 6th century BC by Osci (ancient Italian people). The city was formed as a result of the union of five settlements.

Pompeii where is located:

Pompeii location relative to Vesuvius

If you pay attention to the map above, you will see that Vesuvius is located between Pompeii and Napoli (the city of Naples), so the tragedy that claimed the lives of the city of Pompeii in 79 could have done the same to the inhabitants of Naples. And judging by historical chronicles, then not only should but could, since the direction of the wind played a big role in the fact that the eruption went to Pompeii. Usually the wind blew towards Naples, but on this particular day, everything was different.

Pompeii how to get from Naples

The distance between cities is less than 25 km. You can get there in many ways, ranging from a taxi or car rental to the cheapest one - an electric train. We are familiar with this train firsthand, as we rode it from Sorrento to Naples. The route just involves a stop in the city of Pompeii.

Further in the section of sights of the city of Pompeii, I posted a photo of one of the main streets. These streets are remarkable for many nuances, ranging from high curbs to strange infantry crossings. In the photo, as you understand, this cannot be depicted, so again I suggest you see and hear everything in the video.

Many tourists, having arrived in Pompeii, are in a hurry to see a small house with a strange name Luponarium. This is a public house of that time. I don’t even know how to explain such a rush of tourists in this direction ... Perhaps this is due to the fact that, according to one version, Pompeii did not die by accident and the volcanic eruption was God’s punishment for the depraved lifestyle of its inhabitants, who indulged in love joys too much and lost true values ​​... After such legends, tourists can't wait to see what this depravity was because of which the whole city died .. As for me, these are just tricks to lure tourists and exaggerated stories, because, you see, that at all times and in all the cities of the world have such institutions and there are those who visit them regularly, but this does not mean that curses and natural disasters should be sent to them. The only thing I agree with is that many tourists are simply interested in seeing what brothels were like in ancient times. In order not to torment you in expectations, I tell and show the main thing (the rest is on the video).

Lupanar photo

The photo below is an image on the wall of a lupanarium. There are many such images here (above eye level along the entire perimeter of the corridor inside). It's not just depraved pictures - it's a menu. Well, yes, the menu, because if you come to a restaurant, then you have to choose from what they are ready to offer you, and so, sorry for frankness, but everything is the same here: you choose how you want to indulge in love pleasures from pictures.

The building of the lupanaria is small. In the middle there is a corridor with a menu, and on the sides are rooms with stone beds, on which everything happened. In addition to the fact that the beds are stone, there is another striking feature here - the length of the beds is no more than 170 cm. This is because the height of people at that time rarely exceeded 160 cm. Yes, this is interesting) For me personally, this was the most interesting in our visit to the luponarium, the rest is more interesting for those who have something to compare an institution of this kind with.

Pompeii people in ashes

When you walk around the city, there is no feeling of celebration and fun, because you initially understand that you are walking along the streets, along which people ran in agony, who suffered death. Thanks to the voids that were discovered during the excavations of the city, it was possible to restore the poses to which people died and even the expressions of their faces, disfigured by horror. Behind bars on one of the main squares, finds are exhibited as museum exhibits, from which goosebumps go. For example, this figure of a boy who curled up in the element of hopelessness and died here. On the right in the photo you see a bowl that is now filled with coins, but I didn’t throw it over the lattice fence, because, to be honest, this idea jars me ... I don’t know for what purpose this bowl was installed next to this poor young man, but I don't like the way tourists adapted it at all. I am for the tradition of throwing coins into fountains, but people, this is not a fountain, this is the face of death and a city in which 2,000 people died ... Why are you throwing coins? Do you want to come back here? Or is it charity for a dead child? Excuse me for being emotional, but this is blasphemy .... A show that I support the masses. I did not support him, but you decide for yourself, but just be aware of why you are sticking your hand through the bars and trying to get a coin into this bowl ...

Pompeii photos from excavations

Archaeologists continue their work tirelessly and another quarter of the way to explore the city has not been completed. Maybe new finds will surprise us and open up new facets of the life of the city, we will look forward to it.

pompeii finds

In addition to figures of people, there are figures of dead animals, as well as dishes and interior items of that time.

After visiting the city of Pompeii, we went to Villa Mystery, which recently opened after restoration. It is truly a great pleasure to see one of the richest and most beautiful houses that has preserved stunning art and luxurious interiors to this day. I will not describe Villa in the article, but I propose to finish and watch a video that will answer questions not covered in the article.

I really enjoyed our visit to the city and I am very grateful to our guide, who wished to remain behind the scenes, but who plunged us into wonderful world with interesting history of which we have become a part.

See you on the pages of the AVIAMANIA website and the AVIAMANIA YouTube channel.

Pompeii video

Tourists visiting Southern Italy and its pearl, the city of Naples, have the opportunity to enjoy beautiful views, including the majestic mountain, located just a few kilometers from the city limits.

A mountain of only 1281 meters does not look intimidating, especially if you do not know its name - Vesuvius. It's the only one active volcano continental Europe and one of the most dangerous volcanoes known to mankind.

To those who appearance Vesuvius will not seem intimidating, locals advised to go to the coast of the Gulf of Naples to the east of Naples. There are three ancient cities - Pompeii, Herculaneum and Stabiae, life in which ceased on one day on August 24, 79, when the volcano spoke in full force.

In the 1st century AD, serious and systematic observations behind volcanoes, including behind Vesuvius, did not lead. And they would hardly have helped - Vesuvius did not show activity with bronze age and was considered extinct.

In 74 BC Spartacus and the gladiators who joined him at the very beginning of their uprising hid from their pursuers precisely on Vesuvius, covered with lush vegetation.

Local residents did not feel any threat from the proximity to the volcano.

"Ancient Roman Rublyovka" was founded by Hercules

The largest of ancient cities, adjacent to Vesuvius, was the city of Pompeii, founded in the VI century BC. In the city, which, after the capture of the Roman dictator Sulla in 89 BC, was considered a colony of Rome, lived, according to modern estimates, about 20 thousand people. It was an important point on the trade route between Rome and southern Italy, and such a favorable location was one of the reasons for its heyday.

In addition, Pompeii can be called something between an ancient resort and the “ancient Roman Rublyovka” - many noble citizens of Rome had their villas here.

The nearby Herculaneum, like Pompeii, was founded in the 6th century BC. Its foundation was attributed Hercules, who performed one of the feats in these places and “marked” this event by founding not even one, but two cities (the second was just Pompeii).

The city, located directly on the seashore, was used as a port for a long time and developed successfully. However, by 79 the best time for Herculaneum it was already in the past - the city was badly damaged by a powerful earthquake that occurred in 62, and by the time new disaster no more than 4,000 people lived there.

By the year 79, Stabiae was considered a city only conditionally. The once rather large settlement was actually completely destroyed during the "visit of Sulla" in 89 BC, as a result of which Pompeii lost its independence.

They did not begin to restore the city, however, representatives of the Roman aristocracy from among those who did not make their way to the "Rublevka" in Pompeii chose it for their villas.

End of the world in the afternoon

Less than 20 years before the eruption of Vesuvius, a large-scale earthquake occurred in this area. Whole line villages near Herculaneum and Pompeii were completely destroyed, in the cities themselves there were very serious destruction.

Human memory, however, can quickly erase unpleasant memories. For 17 years, much of the destroyed was rebuilt. This is especially true of the city of Pompeii, which has become even better than before. The sights of the city were the temple of Jupiter, the forum and the amphitheater, capable of accommodating almost the entire population of Pompeii.

Life in Pompeii, Herculaneum and Stabiae went on as usual until August 24, 79. Moreover, on this day, people flocked to the Pompeian amphitheater to watch the gladiator fights.

The eruption began in the afternoon of August 24 and came as a complete surprise to residents of nearby towns and villages. Vesuvius threw a huge cloud of hot ash into the sky. Thermal energy, released by the volcano during the eruption, was many times greater than the energy released during the bombing of Hiroshima. A cloud of stones, ash and smoke reached a height of 33 kilometers. The western part of the volcano exploded and fell into an expanded crater.

Despite all the horror of what is happening, for the inhabitants of the cities, the disaster was not at all lightning fast. Ash fall, although it made it difficult to breathe and made it difficult to move around the city, was still not a fatal phenomenon. Everyone who was able to assess the impending threat began to rapidly leave the cities that were in danger. But not everyone could objectively assess the degree of danger.

Save yourself who wants

Famous Roman writer Pliny the Elder, who in 79 held the post of commander galley fleet in Misen on the coast of the Gulf of Naples, with the beginning of the eruption, attracted by its grandiosity, he went to Stabiae in order to observe the violence of the elements and help the victims. Arriving in Stabiae a few hours later, he could not leave them because of the low tide. Calming the frightened inhabitants and expecting a change in conditions at sea, Pliny the Elder suddenly died. According to one version, sulfurous fumes became the cause of his death.

From his nephew's letters Pliny the Younger it is known that the catastrophe developed over a long period of time. Pliny the Elder, for example, died on the night of August 26, that is, more than a day after the start of the eruption.

According to researchers, a fatal blow to Pompeii and Herculaneum was caused by pyroclastic flows - a mixture of high-temperature (up to 800 degrees Celsius) volcanic gases, ash and stones capable of reaching speeds of up to 700 kilometers per hour. It was pyroclastic flows that caused the death of most of the people who remained in Herculaneum.

However, these flows hit the cities not earlier than 18-20 hours after the start of the disaster. All this time, the inhabitants of the city had the opportunity to avoid death, which, obviously, the majority took advantage of.

It is very difficult to establish the exact number of victims of the disaster, because numbers of a different order are called. But, according to modern estimates, most likely, out of 20 thousand inhabitants of the city of Pompeii, about two thousand died. In Stabiae and Herculaneum, the number of deaths was less due to the fact that they themselves were much smaller than Pompeii.

Pliny the Younger did not witness what happened in Pompeii and Herculaneum, but he left evidence of a panic in Myzene that survived during the disaster: than her own) pressed down on us in a dense mass, pushing us forward when we left ... We froze in the midst of the most dangerous and terrifying scene. The chariots, which we dared to take out, shook so violently back and forth, although they stood on the ground, that we could not hold them, even by placing large stones under the wheels. The sea seemed to roll back and be pulled away from the shores by the convulsive movements of the Earth; certainly the land expanded considerably, and some marine animals ended up on the sand ... Finally, the terrible darkness began to dissipate little by little, like a cloud of smoke; daylight reappeared, and even the sun came out, although its light was gloomy, as it happens before an approaching eclipse. Every object that appeared before our eyes (which were extremely weakened) seemed to have changed, covered with a thick layer of ash, as if with snow.

Canned History

After the first impact, a second wave of pyroclastic flows followed, which completed the job. Pompeii and Stabiae were under a layer of ash and pumice 8 meters deep, in Herculaneum a layer of ash, stones and dirt was about 20 meters.

Who died in Pompeii, Herculaneum and Stabiae?

Among the victims of the eruption were many slaves, whom the owners left to guard the property. Elderly and sick people who could not leave the cities because of their condition died. There were those who decided that they could wait out the disaster in their own home.

Some of the victims of the eruption, having already left the city, remained dangerously close to it. They died from gas poisoning released during the rampage of Vesuvius.

Huge masses of ash and pyroclastic flows "mothballed" the cities and those who remained in them, in the state in which they were at the time of death.

The surviving residents did not try to excavate at the site of the tragedy, simply moving to a new place.

The dead cities were remembered only in the 18th century, when, after a new eruption of Vesuvius, workers in this area stumbled upon ancient Roman coins. For some time, the territory became a paradise for gold miners. Later they were replaced by rarity hunters in the form of statues and other historical relics.

Full-fledged excavations of the city of Pompeii began Italian archaeologist Giuseppe Fiorelli. It was he who discovered that in place of the bodies of people and animals buried under a layer of volcanic ash, voids formed. By filling these voids with gypsum, it was possible to reconstruct the death poses of the victims of the eruption.

With Giuseppe Fiorelli, the systematic work of scientists in Pompeii, Herculaneum and Stabiae began, which continues to this day.

As for Vesuvius, 2014 marks the 70th anniversary of its last major eruption. However, scientists are convinced that the longer he is silent, the more powerful his next blow will be.

A pretty mountain, located just a few kilometers from the linecities Naples , 1281 meters high, at first glance it looks harmless, until we know its name, -Vesuvius . The only active volcano on mainland Europe is one of the most dangerous on our planet. Especially unbelievers, the inhabitants of the city of Naples will recommend a trip to the coast of the Gulf of Naples, where three ancient cities rested under meter layers of ash for centuriesHerculaneum , Stabiae andPompeii , whose violent activity was interrupted on August 24, 79, when the volcano spoke in full force.
20 years before famous earthquake, the volcano raged and pretty much shook the nearby villages so that their inhabitants had to rebuild them. Even in major cities significant damage was observed. But, human memory is too short, lush vegetation and fertile soil on the slopes of the mountain attracted more and more settlers, so with great speed, towns and cities multiplied and expanded. From the year 62, the inhabitants of "Privezuvia" felt regular tremors, but did not seriously show their fear that one day the fire-breathing giant would wipe out Pompeii, which at that time was an ancient Roman metropolis. In 74, Spartacus and his gladiator comrades-in-arms hid from their pursuers among the rampant greenery of the volcano. Not a single person expressed concern about the "troubled neighbor."
Pompeii city was founded inVIcentury BC and in 89 BC. It was taken by Sulla, one of the dictators of the Roman Empire, after which it was considered a colony of Rome. It was located at the crossroads of trade routes connecting South Italy and the capital, and flourished thanks to such a favorable location. There was everything that could indicate major metropolis eraRoman Empire : temples, theaters, baths. Pompeii should even dare to be called the “ancient Roman Barvikha”, since the Roman patricians willingly built villas for themselves and went to rest, or even stayed to live, basking in such an ancient resort.
Founding of a neighboring cityHerculaneum attributed to Hercules, who accomplished his feat not far away, and decided to capture this with the foundation of two cities (the second was Pompeii). The city was located directly on the coast, took over the port function of nearby cities and also developed safely and quickly. But, by 79, no more than 4,000 people lived in the city, since in 62 it suffered severe destruction, and most of residents left it.
Stabiae called the city conditionally, becauseroman emperor sulla destroyed it in 89 BC, and it remained just a settlement. They did not begin to rebuild the city, however, those from among the Romans took root here, to whom a place in the “Pompeian barvikha” was “ordered”.
Life in these ancient cities went on as usual. And on a warm August day, on the 24th, when the townspeople who went to the market for shopping, who went to the temple of Jupiter, who played with children, who went to the local amphitheater, in scale capable of accommodating the entire populationPompeev , look at the fights of gladiators, how, quite unexpectedly, the eruption of the volcano Vesuvius began to occur. A huge cloud of red-hot smoke with stones and ash, reaching a height of 33 kilometers, rushed into the sky. “Yes, a terrifying sight. Yes, it’s hard to breathe, but it’s not so tragic, ”the townspeople thought at that moment and continued to go about their business. After the explosion of the western part of the volcano and its collapse into the crater, accompanied by an incredible sound effect, those who were able to appreciate the tragedy of the situation began to leave the city. And, many left the city, leaving mostly only slaves to guard the houses, old people who were unable to move, and of course, those who simply decided not to leave their homes, but to wait out the natural cataclysm behind the wide walls of their home.
A well-known ancient Roman writer at that time,Pliny the Elder , commander of the galley fleet, went to locality Stabiae, watch the raging elements. But he could not sail back because of the low tide, in anticipation of an improvement in the situation at sea and helping, calming the frightened citizens, he suddenly stopped breathing. According to his nephew, Pliny the Younger, he suffocated in sulfur dioxide on the night of August 26.
According to the existing opinion of scientists, an irreparable blow to the cities was caused by pyroclastic flows from high-temperature (800 degrees) volcanic gases, ash, stones, capable of reaching speeds of up to 700 kilometers per hour. It was they who caused the death of most of the inhabitants of Herculaneum, although they overwhelmed the city only 18-20 hours after the start of the eruption. All citizens had the opportunity to leave dangerous place like most did.
How many inhabitants of Pompeii died? There are no exact statistics. But, it is assumed that the number of victims reaches 2000 people. ATStabiae andHerculaneum there were fewer of them, because they themselves were much smaller.

Pliny the Younger , the nephew of the deceased Pliny the Elder, later described: “The panic-stricken crowd followed us and (like any soul distraught with horror, any proposal seems more prudent than its own) pressed on us in a dense mass, moving forward when we left ... We froze in the midst of the most dangerous and terrifying scene. The chariots, which we dared to take out, shook so violently back and forth, although they stood on the ground, that we could not hold them, even by placing large stones under the wheels. The sea seemed to roll back and be pulled away from the shores by the convulsive movements of the Earth; definitely the land has expanded significantly, and some sea animals have ended up on the sand ...

Finally, the terrible darkness began to dissipate little by little, like a cloud of smoke; daylight reappeared, and even the sun came out, although its light was gloomy, as it happens before an approaching eclipse. Every object that appeared before our eyes (which were extremely weakened) seemed to have changed, covered with a thick layer of ash, as if with snow.

Residents who survived terrible tragedy, did not begin to dig up multi-meter layers of ash and lava in order to free the bodies of dead relatives. They were remembered much later, in the XVIII century when the excavations began. Hunters for old rarities and gold began to appear onexcavations ancient cities which are still in progress to this day.
The dying Pompeians got stuck in piles of small stones, then they were covered with a rain of ash and, exhausted, suffocated under it. The hot downpour, which wet the bodies of the dead, formed a mess on their surface, penetrating even into the folds of clothes, into all the depressions on the body, even into wrinkles. After the decomposition of the bodies, hollows appeared, which, on the advice of an Italian scientist Giuseppe Fiorelli, offered to pour plaster. Thus, sculptures were obtained that retained the position of the body at the time of death, even the horrifying expression of their faces, which before World War II were exhibited in a small Pompeian museum at the Sea Gate. And now you can look at the unfortunate and writhing in horror and pain sculptures in Pompeii. A garden once flourished on this site, but now it is called Garden of the Captives.
In 2014, it was already 70 years since the fire-breathing throat Mount Vesuvius did not produce major eruptions. However, according to modern scientists, the longer his silence, the stronger the blow will be and the more tangible destruction.

The word "Pompeii" is known even to those who have never been to Italy in their lives. It has long been a symbol of man's helplessness before the elemental power of nature. The death of a rich and populous Roman city, buried under the ashes of the volcano Vesuvius, is one of the most impressive disasters in the history of mankind. Thanks to the famous painting by Karl Bryullov “The Last Day of Pompeii”, it appears as a vivid tragic performance from the classical theater, where people are like statues, and the elements are inevitable, like rock. Having visited Pompeii, you can touch another dimension of this history - more earthly and concrete.

Pompeii dates back to the 6th century BC. Legend claims that Hercules himself was their founder. In the 5th century, overgrown seaport on the coast of the Gulf of Naples became part of the Roman Empire. He was loved by the Roman nobility, who built many holiday villas here, prospered and grew rich. Geographic location city ​​seemed extremely successful: the Via Appia, passing through Pompeii, connected Rome with southern part countries. But Vesuvius was nearby. August 24, 79 AD the volcano has awakened. A monstrous eruption in two days destroyed Pompeii and two nearby cities - Herculaneum and Stabiae. More than 2,000 inhabitants perished in the rain of lava and ash in Pompeii alone.

The catastrophe did Pompeii a strange service, destroying a prosperous city and at the same time preserving it for eternity. An 8-meter layer of ash “mothballed” Pompeii for many centuries, in order to at some point reveal the city in the very form in which it met its death. During archaeological sites, which began in the 18th century, streets and houses, household artifacts and art objects were resurrected from oblivion. There was a story about horror ancient tragedy, and about Everyday life that used to rage here. The fate of Pompeii shocked the imagination of Europeans: in dead city real pilgrimages of scientists, artists, poets were arranged.

This is not surprising: a trip to Pompeii is a real journey through time. Here you can see all the attributes of a reference Roman city: cobblestone pavements, streets with drains, the remains of a forum, porticos with columns, the Bolshoi and Maly theaters, three municipal buildings, numerous baths and, of course, temples dedicated to various gods - from Jupiter to Isis. But perhaps the strongest impression is made by residential buildings with “talking” names: the Surgeon’s House with medical instruments found in it, the Perfumer’s House, the House tragic poet, House of the Faun, Villa of the Mysteries. They seem to have been abandoned by their owners. However, people and animals did not disappear without a trace: casts from their bodies made by scientists can be seen in those places where death overtook the unfortunate. There is also an archaeological museum, which houses objects found as a result of excavations.

Today Pompeii is visited annually by more than 2.5 million tourists. Here, as nowhere else, one can feel the neighborhood of eternity and decay, beauty and decay. The gentle refinement of the frescoes in the walls of the houses (they are compared with the paintings of Botticelli) is adjacent to the distorted poses of frozen bodies. And the silence of eternity reigns over everything, not broken even by the voices of visitors. And the silhouette of Vesuvius still towers over the city, as if reminding of the fragility of this silence.