Excursions > Hercolaneum
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.
