Pompeii

South of Rome lies the gorgeous city of Naples where I was able to begin my discovery of the ancient city of Pompeii. In 79AD Mount Vesuvius erupted, burying Pompeii and the surrounding cities in 13–20 feet (4–6m) of poisonous volcanic ash.

Under the Ash, the city was frozen in time and perfectly preserved, offering a unique insight into the early Roman Lifestyle. Unfortunately, some of the cities rich histories were lost during early excavations. But what remains today allowed me to discover much of the culture and way of life the people here experienced those two thousand years ago.

Roaming the ancient streets of Pompeii, with a tour guide in my ear explaining the significance of buildings and structures, I realized how similar our societies are. The luxurious private houses I saw were adorned with elaborate works of art and decoration. Each dwelling was distinctively unique and indicated individual homeowner’s tastes and preferences. Public buildings were eerily similar to places I have found in many cities today, including theatres, inns, bars, public pools and baths, and of course bakeries and cafes.

While the remarkable architecture and decor were exclusively that of ancient Rome, the day-to-day lives of the people living here in 79AD seemed almost ordinary. The magnificent discovery of history here is solely due to the large tragedy of the eruption and I felt the weight of this as I wandered through the empty streets, appreciating the snapshot of life I was able to see uniquely in Pompeii.

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