On August 23, 79 AD, first the ground shook with cracking sounds, then a pitch-black cloud obscured the August sun, turning day into night. Ash began to fall from the sky. The people of Pompeii were accustomed to the monster’s occasional grumbling. Therefore, they were unbothered at first; they continued their daily lives, their pleasures, their love affairs. A few days later, the giant mountain trembled one last time with a terrifying rumble, transforming into the mouth of a giant, fire-spewing dragon. Vesuvius, in a series of violent eruptions, unleashed lava and rocks, instantly wiping out the city with its 200,000 residents. People died from lava, rocks, and mostly suffocating from poisonous gases like sulfur dioxide. At the moment of the massive eruption, no one had the chance to move or escape. Some were caught while kneading bread, others while in a brothel. The sour scent of dough and sweat hung in the air, mingling with the scent of sulfur. The city turned to stone; it petrified and fell silent. Its silence lasted for nearly 2,000 years…
Two thousand years later, when Pompeii was discovered and excavations began, people were found petrified in their final moments, as well as the last loaf of bread left in the oven.
Pompeii spans a vast area. It’s hard to navigate without a map… You can pick up a map at the entrance.
We enter Pompeii from Porta Marina. The city is laid out in a grid, with wide main streets and narrow alleys. With a slight climb, we pass through the Temple of Venus and the Basilica, reaching the Forum area. The ground is paved with stones, with small white stones interspersed among them. These are called “moon stones,” which served as reflectors at night, lighting up the streets in the absence of streetlights by reflecting the moonlight.
We learn that during Pompeii’s vibrant days, household waste and sewage would flow outside. This system was established to allow people to walk comfortably and cross the streets easily. The city was naturally ventilated by the sea breeze with salty, oceanic scents coming from the port area, preventing any stench. We’re at the top now. Under the February sun, the breeze from the port carries the salty scent of the sea and sailors.
Turning left from the Forum area, you’ll find Granai del Foro and Mensa Ponderaria, where petrified human remains are displayed. Most have been moved to the National Museum of Naples, where they are exhibited. Continuing left, you reach Terme del Foro, the Forum baths. Before reaching Lupanare (the brothel), at the intersection of two main streets, you’ll find Terme Scablane, which is another bath and spa center. Immediately to the right, you’ll find a narrow street leading to the 8-room brothel. Each room has a raised stone bed, and above each door, there is an illustration depicting the sexual services provided in each room. Exiting Lupanare and descending from Terme Scablane, you reach the area where Foro Triangulare (the Triangular Forum), the Grand Amphitheater, the Temple of Isis, the Theater Portico, and the Odeon are located. From the amphitheater, if you go left and climb up, the villas and the House of the Painters, with well-preserved frescoes and wall paintings that once belonged to the city's wealthy, will mesmerize you.When you exit the station and, with the station behind you, enter the Corso Via Emanuelle 1 on the left, then turn right at the first intersection and take the parallel Corso Fiora, you will reach the Naples National Archaeological Museum at the end of this street in a large, old stone building.
At the Naples National Archaeological Museum, we start in a hall featuring a large map and model of the city of Pompeii, moving through galleries displaying frescoes, surgical tools, kitchenware, ornaments, and jewelry. By the time we finish, it’s 12:30. We then explore the mosaic gallery and the secret room on the intermediate floor. Only then do we realize that, without visiting this museum, the experience of Pompeii would indeed feel incomplete. Seeing the frescoes, artifacts, jewelry, and mosaics brings to life the splendor and wealth of Pompeii. In the secret room, encountering erotic art—even beyond erotica into the realm of sexuality and debauchery—makes one wonder if this society was truly punished by the gods.
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