Pompeii and the Bay of Naples

It is easy to forget that Pompeii is not just an archaeological site - it is an entire ancient city, once home to an estimated 20,000 people. All of Roman life is here, from the poor tenement blocks to wealthy villas, from the culture of the theatre and the spectacle of the arena, to the dark cells of the brothels...

It was not clear from which mountain the cloud was rising, but it was like an umbrella pine... Ashes were already falling, hotter and thicker, followed by bits of pumice and blackened stones. On Mount Vesuvius broad sheets of fire and leaping flames blazed at several points... They debated whether to stay indoors or take their chance in the open, for the buildings were now shaking with violent shocks, and seemed to be swaying to and fro as if they were torn from their foundations.

Pliny the Younger who had witnessed the eruption from across the bay with his father, who then died in attempting to rescue survivors.

Nowhere in the world could give a deeper insight into Roman life than the dramatic seaside towns and villas of the Bay of Naples, where life came to an abrupt halt with the eruption of Vesuvius in AD79. The devastating impact of the volcano affected not only in city of Pompeii, but the entire surrounding region. Towns, farmsteads and opulent seaside villas were all submerged under a blanket of ash or mud that would remain in place for almost 2000 years.

Over the last two decades, we have introduced thousands of guests to the landscapes around the Bay of Naples. Here is a taste of what we offer on tour, an archaeological snapshot of these extraordinary sites, each one a unique glimpse into life as it was lived over 2000-years ago...

Why Choose Us?

Real History. Real Holidays.

Every year we take thousands of guests on tailor-made archaeological tours all over the world in the company of experts.

Our journeys are meticulously planned and often unique, they frequently include special entrance to difficult-to-access sites. Destinations range from 'must-see sites' to off-the-beaten-track adventures.

Anyone with an enquiring mind will enjoy our holidays.

Expert Guides

Our tours are planned, conceived and accompanied throughout by experts.

Archaeologists, historians, professors, writers and broadcasters: no other company has more specialised or highly-qualified guides.

Experts with a light touch, whose unmatched knowledge, passion for their subject and skilled communication breathes new life into ancient sites.

SPECIAL OFFER FOR ANDANTE GUESTS

30% off Guide Lecturer Oliver Gilkes' new comprehensive Archaeological Guide to Albania - recently published by Taurus.

Different ways to explore Pompeii and understand Roman life.

Testimonials


	
		

									
				This was my first visit to Sicily: if I go again it will be tempting fate to enjoy it as much. We were there at the peak of the wildflower meadows, the weather was perfect, the sites amazing, the company genial, and the Andante touch iced an already perfect cake...
			
												
				Pompeii was a childhood dream, that was more than realised on this trip
			
												
				Andante Travels can be relied upon to come up with something unusual, whether it is peering at stone-age cave paintings in the Pyrenees, joining in Venice’s carnival, or following in the desert tracks of T E Lawrence in Syria.

			
												
				Travelling with like-minded people to places well off the beaten track... To see an original Roman bridge and such a superb Roman theatre at Merida was unforgettable. The photos do not do it justice. You had to be there.
			
												
				Andante Travels, founded and run by archaeologists, attracts travellers of many ages – from the 30s to the late 70s - but one shared passion.

			
												
				A new destination. An excellent team to take care of us. A fabulous opportunity to travel with such a knowledgeable lecturer for whom doors are opened, and who is delightful unstuffy company.
			
												
				Feeling secure and provided for in such wonderful and exotic but possibly dangerous environments and so free to enjoy the expert guidance that revealed this magnificent civilisation. Choice of hotel rooms with balcony/gardens enhanced it all brilliantly.

Focus On:

Pompeii and the Bay of Naples

It is easy to forget that Pompeii is not just an archaeological site - it is an entire ancient city, once home to an estimated 20,000 people. All of Roman life is here, from the poor tenement blocks to wealthy villas, from the culture of the theatre and the spectacle of the arena, to the dark cells of the brothels...

It was not clear from which mountain the cloud was rising, but it was like an umbrella pine... Ashes were already falling, hotter and thicker, followed by bits of pumice and blackened stones. On Mount Vesuvius broad sheets of fire and leaping flames blazed at several points... They debated whether to stay indoors or take their chance in the open, for the buildings were now shaking with violent shocks, and seemed to be swaying to and fro as if they were torn from their foundations.

Pliny the Younger who had witnessed the eruption from across the bay with his father, who then died in attempting to rescue survivors.

Nowhere in the world could give a deeper insight into Roman life than the dramatic seaside towns and villas of the Bay of Naples, where life came to an abrupt halt with the eruption of Vesuvius in AD79. The devastating impact of the volcano affected not only in city of Pompeii, but the entire surrounding region. Towns, farmsteads and opulent seaside villas were all submerged under a blanket of ash or mud that would remain in place for almost 2000 years.

Over the last two decades, we have introduced thousands of guests to the landscapes around the Bay of Naples. Here is a taste of what we offer on tour, an archaeological snapshot of these extraordinary sites, each one a unique glimpse into life as it was lived over 2000-years ago...
A brief history of Pompeii

8th century BC
Pompeii founded, probably by Italic people descended from the ancient Oscan tribe of the Central italian Penisula.
6th Century BC
During this period Pompeii was strongly influenced by the nearby Greek settlements of Cumae and Neapolis. Recent archaeological excavations strongly suggest that the walls and the whole gridded layout of the town also date from this period.
Late 5th to early 1st centuries BC
This period is often referred to as ‘Samnite Pompeii’, but it was in reality a troubled period during which both Samnite and Roman influences were strong.
Late 3rd century BC
By this time, Pompeii had been admitted into the Roman federation. The defences were elaborated as the town had expanded, and public buildings such as baths, forum, theatre and more temples were added.
92-88 BC The Social Wars
Pompeii sided with Italic League during the 'social wars' - a conflict between Rome and her former allies on the Italian penisula. It was at this time that the towers were added to the defences, which helped the town to withstand a siege by Sulla’s forces in 90 BC.
80 BC
Region returns to Roman control and a new colony Colonia Veneria Cornelia Pompeii was founded. Over the next 100 years Roman Pompeii grew in importance as trading centre. A number of public buildings were constructed including temples, baths and theatres; an amphitheatre and, a little later, an aqueduct
AD 59
Riots in the amphitheatre caused its closure for 10 years
AD 62
A terrible earthquake shook the city, soon afterwards, perhaps as compensation, the emperor Nero bestowed the honour of his name on the town, Colonia Neroniana.
AD 79
Eruption of Vesuvius, population estimates for ths date range from 12,000 to 20,000. The number of people killed in the disaster will never be known. Many bodies have been found during excavations in the town, but many more must have died in the surrounding countryside whilst trying to escape. Titus had become emperor only two months before, and initiated a relief fund for survivors. Some attempts were made to disinter the town, but the task proved too great, and too dangerous - pockets of escaping gas caused further deaths. The site was abandoned, although a small settlement called Civita did grow up over the ash, just to the north. Further eruptions of Vesuvius led to its desertion in the 11th century, and the exact position of Pompeii was forgotten.
The Villa of the Mysteries

A short distance from Pompeii’s Herculaneum Gate stands the Villa of the Mysteries, first discovered in 1909, buried under 7.5 metres of mud and volcanic debris. Eventually, excavation revealed a lavish country villa, whose construction has now been dated to the middle of the 1st century BC.

Among the villa's many rooms are a number of beautifully decorated staterooms, built facing the sea. The villa was damaged during the earthquake of AD62, and was still undergoing refurbishment in AD79 when Vesuvius erupted. During excavation, furniture was found in storage in two rooms off the Villa's atrium, awaiting the end of the refurbishment, and a well had been dug down from the new ground surface immediately after the eruption in an attempt to retrieve it.

The most extraordinary finds from the Villa of Mysteries are a vivid and enigmatic group of paintings depicting devotees of the Cult of Dionysus. The Greek god of wine (Roman Bacchus), Dionysus was the focus of one of the most favoured mystery religions. The liberating effect of the fruits of the vine, releasing the irrational and irrepressible elements of man, offered escape from wordly reality into mystic communion, and to the initiate, the promise of blessed life after death.

Evidence from the town of Pompeii indicates that there were many devotees locally. The paintings in the Villa of Mysteries occupy three walls of a small room, measuring 5 x 7 metres. Unfortunately the central motif - that of Bacchus and Ariadne, his wife, or Semele, his mother - is damaged, but the nine groups of figures that surround them, including a Silenus and a satyr, a woman about to be scourged by a whip, and a woman in bridal yellow attended by Cupids, all appear to represent the path towards initiation. It is a powerful and enclosed world depicted here, with no sign or significance, no glance or gesture, for the outside observer.
Herculaneum

Herculaneum was a small town, about 10 miles North of Pompeii around the Bay of Naples. Its population was probably around five thousand (as opposed to Pompeii's twenty thousand). The town was a favourite retirement spot for rich patricians, who built substantial elegant houses from which they could enjoy a sea view. Artisans set up workshops here, presumably to be near their rich patrons; another important source of livelihood was fishing.

As in Pompeii, substantial damage was caused by the earthquake of AD 62, and considerable reconstruction was necessary afterwards. The eruption of AD 79, however, completely removed the town from view. A layer of volcanic matter between 12 and 25m deep covered everything, hardening into a sort of tuff (porous volcanic rock).

Subsequent eruptions deepened the deposits over the town to 39m, and a new settlement, Resina, grew up in this location. Excavations have taken place intermittently from 1709 to the present. Damage to the the town varied – in some areas statues were hurled across buildings; in others the levels rose gently, leaving small objects in place on tables and benches. Preservation in Herculaneum is quite exceptional, upper storeys of buildings still survive in some areas, as do wood and foodstuffs, carbonised by the extreme heat.

Until relatively recently it was thought that most of the population of Herculaneum had had sufficient warning to escape the eruption - in more than 200 years of excavation only a dozen or so skeletons had been found. In 1980, however, workmen digging a drainage ditch stumbled across several skeletons on what had been the town beachfront. Further exploration has revealed more than 300 men, women and children, who had taken refuge in 12 boat chambers along the shore. Scientific study of the bones has provided unparalleled information about the Roman population, and it appears that, mercifully, they died instantly from ‘fulminant shock’ before they had time to display a defensive reaction to the pyroclastic surge which engulfed them at 500°C.
Pompeii FAQ's
The Via Consolare Project

In 2008, we awarded our annual Archaeological Award to the Via Consolare Project in Pompeii: a joint research venture by the University of San Francisco and the University of Bradford examining the archaeology surrounding a major roadway on the western side of ancient Pompeii.

Since 2005, the Via Consolare team have undertaken a series of excavations examining the urban development and growth of Pompeii from first settlement to destruction in AD79. The team have focused on two areas: one in the economic and social centre of Pompeii close to the Forum and the other a suburban villa just outside the city walls in a row of shops. So far, results of research and excavations have indicated that Pompeii may have been a bigger and more urban centre than was previously thought.

In 2009, with the support of the Andante Travels Archaeological Award, the project was able to carry out its most successful field season to date. This helped to cover the purchase of equipment and supplies vital both for excavation and architectural recording and analysis - everything from cameras to trowels to drawing frames to buckets and artefact storage. The equipment was used to produce exciting, previously unknown information about the urban development of the city and the processes of construction during its final days.

Over the years we have taken 1000s of visitors to Pompeii and were glad to be able to contribute to archaeological work there. We also hope to interest all visitors, and especially our own guests, in a more deep and “intimate” understanding of the workings of the city by involvement in this project.

More information on the project is available at the Via Consolare Project website.