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EXCURSIONS
- HERCULANEUM
As far as we know , Herculaneum
was an italic city founded
around the IVth century B.C.
coping, in the geometric
regularity of his structures,
the lay-out of Naples, to see
how the "decumani" (the main
streets, with an east-west
orientation) and the "cardines"
(narrower streets) identify with
those of the Partenopean city.
There is undeniably a "feeling"
about Herculaneum which is quite
different from what one "feel"
in other ancient world centres
brought to light so far,
including Pompeii.
To a large extent this is due to
the special circumstances of its
interment by Vesuvius during the
eruption of 79 A.D. The city was
not struck by ashes and lapilli,
but by a torrent of mud flooding
down from the slopes of the
volcano. Having solidified and
becoming tufalike, it
constituted for centuries the
best possible defence against
atmospheric agents and against
illegal excavators. Towards the
end of the first century B.C.
the town become a resort center
for the Roman aristocracy.
Unlike Pompeii, Herculaneum
seems a more peaceful town,
especially devoted to navy and
fishing with a lot of greenery
and vineyards. It is said, in
fact, that Herculaneum was
Epicure's favorite place for his
philosophical studies.
Herculaneum had four to five
thousands inhabitants and its
square measure was a fifth
smaller that of Pompeii. It was
destroyed by the 79 A.D.
eruption.
Herculaneum seems more elegant
and refined than Pompeii because
of the original character of
architecture and decoration
(ornaments) and because of the
natural position above the
scenary of the gulf. Excavations
began in 1709, while from 1738
to 1765 systematic explorations
were conducted by order of
Charles III of Bourbons. From
1927 the excavations in the open
of the whole area were begun by
Amedeo Maiuri. |
