Northumbrian Gunner: Pompei

Monday, 5 October 2026

Italy 2026 - Pompei

Pompei is an ancient Roman city near Naples that was buried under ash when Mount Vesuvius erupted in 79AD.

Pompei 79 AD

Mount Vesuvius eruption 79 AD

In 1592 architect Domenico Fontana came across ancient walls covered with paintings and inscriptions when digging an underground aqueduct, though he kept his findings a secret. Over the years other findings came to light and in 1693 it was thought that the city of Pompei lay underneath.

After the discovery of Herculaneum in 1738, excavations started on the Pompei site, though it was not until 1763 that it was confirmed that the ruins being uncovered were indeed Pompei. Major excavations occurred when the French occupied Naples in 1799, which continued until the fall of Napoleon in 1815.

After that excavations progressed slowly until 1863 when archaeologist Giuseppe Fiorelli was placed in charge of the work. Fiorelli introduced a more scientific approach, dividing the city into nine regions (Reggio), numbering the buildings and documenting the findings.

Fiorelli's Pompei Regions (Reggio)

Pompei in 18th century

Over the ensuing years more and more of the 66 hectare site was uncovered. Work stopped during World War Two, resuming in 1951. By the 1990's two thirds of the city had been excavated.

Pompei Ruins and Mount Mount Vesuvius

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Pompei became an important trading location for goods arriving by sea for onward passage to Rome or Southern Italy along the Appian Way. It was a prosperous city with around 11,500 residents by the time of the eruption.

The city was enclosed within 3 km circumference of walls with entrances through at least seven gates. It's streets are laid out in a grid system with the main commercial artery, the Via del Abbondanza, running through the city from East to West. The principal North South Axis being the Via Stabiana.

Pompei Map

Along the paved streets were shops, markets, food counters, taverns, workshops as well as houses belonging to ordinary citizens and those of the more wealthy.

Pompei Streets

Pompei Tavern

Pompei Food Outlet

Pompei Bakery

Pompei Street Sign

Pompei Cross Street

An aqueduct provided water to the public baths, street fountains, and to many private houses and businesses.

Pompei Street Fountain

The streets of Pompei consisted of roadways with raised pedestrian walkways. The roadways also acted as drainage channels carrying rainwater and waste downhill out of the city. As the roadways could be wet or dirty stepping stones were placed at intervals for people to walk across the street. The space between the stepping stones was matched to the standard distance between the wheels of Roman carts to allow their passage.

Pompei Roadways and Pathways

Pompei Stepping Stones

Phallic symbols signed the way to Brothels.

Pompei Brothel signnpost

The amphitheatre held around 20,000 people who came to watch gladiatorial competitions.

Pompei Amphitheatre Fresco

Pompei Amphitheatre

Pompei Amphitheatre - Vesuvius in the background

Pompei Amphitheatre South Entrance

A plaque records the building of the amphitheatre.

“Caius Quinctius Valgus, son of Gaius, and Marcus Porcius, son of Marcus, quinquennial duumvirs, for the honour of the colony, saw to the construction of the amphitheatre at their own expense and gave the area to the colonists in perpetuity”.

Pompei Amphitheatre construction plaque

Pompei Amphitheatre IJ

Pompei Amphitheatre

Pompei Amphitheatre tunnels below seating

Pompei Amphitheatre North Entrance

The Casa della Venere in conchiglia, the house of Venus, located in Regio II on Via dell'Abbondanza was owned by wealthy Satrii family.

Casa della Venere in conchiglia IJ

Casa della Venere in conchiglia

The Casa di Octavious Quartrio, House of Loreius Tiburtinu is located in Regio II on Via dell'Abbondanza.

Casa di Octavious Quartrio

The Stabian Baths (Terme Stabiane) are located at the intersection of two main streets in Pompeii: the Via dell'Abbondanza to the south and the Via Stabiana. They were the oldest and the largest of the five public baths in the city

Terme Stabiane

The Forum was the heart of the city where religious, economic, and municipal affairs were conducted. To the North was a two-story colonnaded portico temple dedicated to Jupiter, Juno, and Minerva.

Pompei Forum

Pompei Forum plan

Pompei Forum -Then and Now

Pompei Forum and Mount Vesuvius

Pompei Forum

The Theatre District is located in Regio VIII with a large theatre, a small theatre (the Odeon), and the Quadriporticum, a covered area to the rear.

Pompei Theatre District

Pompei Odeon Theatre

Located near the theatres in Regio VIII is the Gladiator Barracks, the Caserma dei Gladiatori. The quadrangular complex housed the gladiators and it is where they were trained.