First Triumvirate

Pompeii and Herculaneum

Pompeii and Herculaneum are two cities in Italy that were buried by the debris of the volcanic explosion of Mt Vesuvius on the 24th August

79 A.D. Before the eruption Pompeii was a prosperous town of ten to twenty thousand people and it was ideally situated for trade. Herculaneum had a population

of about five thousand.

The cities were covered in volcanic ash ( as deep as thirty feet in some places ) and they were forgotten over time. The cities were preserved under the debris.

The cities lay undisturbed for some 1700 years until excavations in the mid 18th century first found Herculaneum then Pompeii.

These early excavators were careless and destroyed many objects that gave clues to the Roman way of life, they were only interested in collecting the paintings, sculptures,

mosaics and other beautiful objects for private collecters. In 1860 Giuseppe

Fiorelli took charge of the excavations and for the first time detailed accounts of the

excavations were kept. In the 140 years since Fiorelli began his diggings a large part of Pompeii and Herculaneum have been uncovered. Whole streets, buildings and even an ampitheatre were found under the volcanic ash revealing an insight to what it was like in a roman city 2000 years ago.

The House Of Pansa

Historical background:

Built early in 2nd century B.C. it belonged to Cnaius Alleius Aligiolius Maius. Family of Arrius Pollio were former owners. Naming of this house is based on the misinterpretation of an election slogan inside the house.

The house had been split up into apartments and shops for rental illustrating a housing trend in Pompeii and Herculaneum. As Aristocrats found themselves less able economically to sustain their large single family homes and as more living spaces for an increasing population were required properties were subdivided. This also reflected the changing social structure of Pompeii as a commercial and industrial economy was replacing the agricultural economy.

Special features:

The house occupies a whole insula ( 2300 m2 ) only the large Atrium and Peristylium remain. The large hortus ( 26.5m x 30.5m) lies at the rear of the house. This garden was laid out in rectangular plots, separated

by paths that were also used as irrigation channels. This was a commercial garden for vegetables and flowers rather than ornamental.

The basic house plan reveals the regular layout of a typical domus. North - South axis runs from the fauces through the atrium and tablinium into the peristylium and finally into a large oecus.

The House Of The Vetti

Historical Background:

Belonged to two freedman brothers, Aulus Vettius Convira and Aulus Vettius Restitutus (Evidence of two seals found in the Atrium). The house was restructured in the early 1st Century A.D, Restoration work was done after the 62 A.D. Earthquake.

Special Features:

The design decoration reflects the imaginative and extravagant style of rich merchants. The house is smaller than others found in Pompeii but has more elaborate decoration. There is a wealth of fourth style decoration, The decoration of the house has been left largely in its original form as the house retains its roof. The lighting shows the paintings more closely