"pompeii" a Pompeii Travel Page by doug48

pictured is the porta marina, the gateway to the ancient city of pompeii. pompeii was originally founded by the osci an ancient italian tribe. pompeii was also inhabited by the greeks and the etruscans. the samnites enlarged pompeii and built massive walls to defend the city from the 4th to the 2nd century BC. the romans improved the city by building a forum, temples, two theatres, and an arena. they provided water for the city from the aqueduct of serino. an earthquake damaged the city in 62 AD and the city was destroyed by the eruption of mt. vesuvius in 79 AD. this unfortunate event for the people of pompeii today gives us a snapshot of roman life in the 1st century AD.

in order to experience the best examples of the art of pomeii you must go to naples and visit the museo archeologico nazionale. some examples, of pompeii and herculaneum art are, the bust of seneca, the battle of alexander, from the house of faun, the blue vase, the portrait of paquius proculus and his wife, and the sacrifice of iphigenia. the museum has the secret cabinet (room) with a collection of pompeii's erotic art.

a good book to get an overview of the history of italy is, harry hearder, "italy a short history", pub: cambridge press

an excellent guide book, "pompeii 2000 years ago and today", pub: bonechi edizioni, (www.bonechi.com).