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Path: Photos > Photos > The Ruins of Pompeii > A Day in Pompeii
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A Day in Pompeii

 

(vero;2025-Feb-12)

We have brought back many photos from our visit to Pompeii and the two galleries below show some of the highlights with a few explanations in the order we saw them. We have by no means seen everything, the site is too huge for that. We spent a whole day and were well prepared with a planned itinerary but keeping to it proved difficult (we saw most of what we wanted though and even more): there was too much to explore and too many diversions, stepping from one building to the other and losing ourselves in the streets. Check our blog entry to read how we prepared for this one day in a lifetime.

Follow us and enjoy the visit!

Basilica, the Forum, the Forum Baths, the House of the Faun and the House of the Golden Cupids (and more)
Rests of the thermopolium of Flavus Nicephorus (Regio VII Insula: 16.7): our first photo of the day. A thermopolium was a kind of fast-food place where drinks and hot food were served: you could either eat on the spot or order as take-away. They were mostly patronised by poorer Pompeiians who could not afford expensive food and by visitors to the town. The standard dishes were mostly bread with salty fish, lentils, baked cheese and wine. Food was kept in dolia (plural of dolium): they are jars as shown on the picture, a recurrent view when strolling through the ruins. Many of them contained garum, a fermented fish sauce which was used as a condiment. The first room was used for cooking and serving, the rear room was where customers would sit and have their meals.
House of Tryptolemus (Regio VII Insula: 7.5): in front is the impluvium (basin for the collection of rainwater). The steps lead to the peristyle (courtyard surrounded by porticoes) and behind it to the tablinum (main room of the house). House of Tryptolemus: rear peristyle with water basin. House of Tryptolemus: rests of a mosaic with sea animals, among others a dolphin. House of Tryptolemus. Basilica (Regio VIII Insula: 1.1): the basilica seen from the forum. It housed the town's law courts. It was also a place where people did business. Basilica: stumps of columns in the courtyard of the basilica. Basilica: capital of a Corinthian column. Forum (Regio VII Insula: 8): double colonnade in the forum opposite the entrance to the basilica with Mount Vesuvius in the background. The forum was the main square in Pompeii, the very heart of the city's daily and public life. It was pedestrianised and stood at the intersection of the city's main streets. The town's most important temples (the temple of Jupiter among others), the basilica, some public baths and a few markets were all located around the forum. Forum: inscription on a colonnade of the forum. Temple of Jupiter (Regio VII Insula: 8.1): it is located on the north side of the forum with Mount Vesuvius in the background. Forum: pedestal base for a statue. The latin inscription reads: To Marcus Lucretius Decidianus Rufus, three times duumvir (once as quinquennial duumvir), priest, military tribune by popular decree, military aide-de-camp, in accordance with a decree of the decuriones after his death (CIL X 789). Forum: statue of a Centaur in the forum. House of Pansa (Regio VI Insula: 6.1): this house is a typical example of a Roman aristocratic home. A street: the ruts left by carts and chariots are simply fascinating. Bakery (Regio VI Insula: 6.17): there were many bakeries in Pompeii (around 30) and they are a recurrent view when strolling through the ruins. On the left of the oven is a counter with holes where jars containing hot food were placed. In the forefront is a lava millstone used to grind grain. The milling machines were operated by slaves or donkeys, who pushed wooden beams inserted sideways into the upper piece. Bar of Fortunata (Regio VI Insula: 3.20): here again, a nice counter with the typical holes where the jars containing warm food were placed. A side street, proof that it is easy to escape the crowds. Mosaic in the entrance of a house in Regio VI (Insula: 1.6). House of the Anchor (Regio VI Insula: 10.7): entrance to the house which was closed to the public. The anchor is a symbol of peace and safety for the people living in the house. House of the Tragic Poet: this house was closed to the public, we could only see the famous mosaic of the dog in the entrance. Cave Canem: beware of the dog. Forum Baths: the courtyard. Forum Baths: decorative wall stucco in the men's changing room. Forum Baths: the tepidarium (lukewarm bath). It was covered with a semicircular barrel vault, decorated with reliefs in stucco. Around the room is a series of niches divided from one another by Telamones (Atlantes) serving as columns. All other halls were grouped around the tepidarium and it was probably the place where bathers first assembled before entering the various hot baths (caldarium) or taking the cold bath (frigidarium). Forum Baths: detail of the barrel vault and its stucco decoration. Forum Baths: large marble basin or labrum inside the caldarium, note the opening in the roof to allow natural light. The inscription around the basin reads: When Gnaeus Melissaeus Aper, son of Gnaeus, and Marcus Staius Rufus, son of Marcus, were duumvirs with judicial power for the second time, they saw to the making of the basin, by decree of the town councillors, at public expense. It cost 5,250 sesterces. Temple of Fortuna Augusta (Regio VII Insula: 4.1): this temple was not only dedicated to Emperor Augustus (31 BC-14 AD) but also used as a place where the ruling emperors were celebrated by the local elite. Temple of Fortuna Augusta: detail of a marble Corinthian capital. House of the Faun (Regio VI Insula: 12.2): it is one of the larger houses of Pompeii with two atriums and two peristyles around which decorated reception and family rooms are located. House of the Faun: the house got its name from the small bronze statue of a dancing faun found standing in the impluvium of the main atrium. The statue on display is a copy, the original can be seen in the archeological museum of Naples. House of the Faun: decorated floor of the tablinum. A tablinum is the room that opens on the atrium, opposite the entrance, and separates it from the peristyle. It is the main reception room of the house. House of the Faun: mosaic of doves pulling a necklace from a jewellery box. Again a copy, the original being kept in the archeological museum of Naples. House of the Faun: another highlight of this house is the famous mosaic of the decisive battle of Gaugamela in 331 BC between Alexander the Great and the Persian king Darius. It can be found in the exedra (living room) between the first and second peristyles but it is a copy, the original being in the archeological museum of Naples (it is unfortunately currently being restored so we could not see it). A nice feature in Pompeii's streets: stepping stones set across the road allowing pedestrians to cross without getting wet feet or without having to step down and up again. The town has been built on a slope and when heavy rain fell, it used to flow through the streets, making it difficult to cross them. The House of Vettii (Regio VI Insula: 15.1): one of the many frescoes still visible in this house. We loved this house so much that we created a separate gallery for it. House of the Golden Cupids (Regio VI Insula: 16.7-30): the elaborate garden in the peristyle. House of the Golden Cupids: fresco showing Jason, with one sandal only, stepping in front of Pelias. Jason was the son of Aeson, king of Iolcos in Thessaly. His half-uncle Pelias usurped the throne and imprisoned Aeson, killing all his descendants except Jason who was saved and sent away to be raised by the centaur Chiron. An old prophecy had warned Pelias of a man wearing only one sandal. Many years later when Pelias was holding games in honour of Poseidon, the grown Jason arrived in Iolcos to claim the throne. Having lost one of his sandals while helping an old woman (actually the goddess Hera in disguise) to cross a river, Jason was introduced as the man with one sandal and when he challenged Pelias, the king remembering the prophecy told Jason that he would only give him the throne if he brought back the Golden Fleece, a task which he believed to be impossible and which would keep him far away from Iolcos. House of the Golden Cupids with a fresco of a seemingly flying woman. House of the Golden Cupids. This decoration puzzled me, it looks so out of style, reminds me of a 1970s kitchen or bathroom decoration.



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House of Sirico, the Stabian Baths, two theatres, the House of the Ceii and the House of the Menander (and more)
House of Cecilio Giocondo (Regio V Insula: 1.26): the entrance with a mosaic of a dog leading to the atrium with its impluvium.
House of Cecilio Giocondo: close-up of the mosaic of the dog. Another view of the streets with the stepping stones and enough space between them for wheeled vehicles to pass. House of Marcus Lucretius (Regio IX Insula: 3.5): this house has a small unusual garden with an elegant marble waterfall fountain feeding a circular basin surrounded by statues. House of Marcus Lucretius: mosaic and marble floor of the tablinum. A tablinum is the room that opens on the atrium, opposite the entrance, and separates it from the peristyle. It is the main reception room of the house. House of Mars and Venus (Regio VII Insula: 1.40): black and white mosaic in the entrance vestibule. House of Sirico (Regio VII Insula: 1.47): view of an exedra, a room in front of or near the atrium, open towards the peristyle and fitted with removable seats; it was intended as a sitting and chatting room. House of Sirico: detail of the fresco visible on the previous picture. It represents an inebriated Hercules lying on the ground. On an altar, three Cupids bear the hero's quiver on their shoulders while four other Cupids are on the ground playing with his club. Left in the background is Omphale with her attendants and on the right, half way up a mountain, sits Bacchus, surrounded by his attendants. Bacchanalia. Lupanar or Brothel (Regio VII Insula: 12.18): this sounded exciting but was a non-event, the only place where we had to queue just to be rushed through the house with hardly a chance to stop. We could just capture this erotic painting and the one in the next picture. Lupanar or Brothel: another painting. Fountain on Vicolo della Maschera with relief of tragic mask (Regio VII Insula: 11.5). Stabian Baths (Regio VII Insula: 1.8): vaulted decorated ceiling of the vestibule leading to the men's changing rooms. Stabian Baths: decoration in the men's changing rooms. Stabian Baths: the men's frigidarium (cold bath). Stabian Baths: more decoration in the men's changing rooms. Stabian Baths: hypocaust (underfloor heating) system of the calidarium (hot bath). Large Theatre (Regio VIII Insula: 7.20): there was a youth event when we reached it, so we did not go inside. Gladiators Barracks (VIII Insula: 7.16): after the earthquake of 62 AD, the four-sided colonnade located behind the theatre was used as barracks for the gladiators who performed in the town. Along the wings of the colonnade and on the first floor were the rooms which provided accommodation for the gladiators coming from other towns. Small Theatre - Odeon (Regio VIII Insula: 7.19): this small theatre was used for representations of the most popular plays of the time, miming, and could also be used for musical and singing performances. Small Theatre - Odeon: it was richly decorated with multi-coloured marbles and the steps were supported by Telamones (Atlantes) as shown on this picture. Remains of a workshop (Regio I Insula: 3.6). House of the Diadem (Regio IX Insula: 1.20): looking across the atrium from the entrance (the house was not open to the public). View of the ruins from the viewpoint west of the Porta Nocera. Spot the Basilica and the colonnade of the forum in the top left of the picture. View of the ruins from the viewpoint west of the Porta Nocera with Mount Vesuvius in the background. Fullery of Stephanus (Regio I Insula: 6.7): this is the place where clothes and fabric that had just been threaded underwent the process of fulling. As per Wikipedia, fulling involves two processes: scouring (cleaning) and milling (thickening). In Roman times, fulling was conducted by slaves working the cloth by trampling while ankle deep in tubs filled with animal and human urine (such as the one on the picture). House of the Ceii (Regio I Insula: 6.15): the decorations on the walls of the garden depict landscapes with pseudo-Egyptian motifs and scenes of wild beasts hunting such as this one. House of the Ceii: close-up of the fresco of the previous picture showing wolves chasing wild boars, a leopard chasing two rams and a lion pursuing a bull. House of the Ceii: delicate wall decoration with peacocks and birds. House of the Ceii: close-up of one of the birds featuring in the previous picture. House of the Menander (Regio I Insula: 10.4): one of the city's richest houses, it is impressive by its size and is a perfect example of the home of a high-ranking family. House of the Menander: the house contains many paintings, among others this one representing Menander, an Athenian playwright. House of the Menander: mosaic depicting a Nilotic scene with pygmies, a recurring feature in Pompeiian art. They can be seen navigating on small river boats along the Nile amidst animals and plants. House of the Menander: close-up of the mosaic of the previous picture with pygmies navigating on small river boats along the Nile amidst animals and plants. Garden of the Fugitives (Regio I Insula: 21): this area was a vineyard and was also used for outdoor banquets. The bodies of thirteen victims, adults and children, were found at various points inside the enclosure, seized by death while trying to reach Nocera Gate to escape. They were running above an already 3.5 m high layer of pumice stones when they were caught by a pyroclastic flow (a fast-moving current of hot gas and volcanic matter flowing along the ground away from a volcano at average speeds of 80-100 km/h). They died by asphyxia and from exposure to high temperatures. A glass case near the back wall of the garden contains the casts of the thirteen victims. Garden of the Fugitives: casts of the persons trying to escape to Nocera Gate (see previous picture). Amphitheatre (Regio II Insula: 6): it is the oldest of all existing buildings of this kind in the Roman world and is an imposing view. It could seat 20,000 people and was located in an area on the fringes of town to facilitate access of so many spectators. Amphitheatre: about 20,000 people could be seated in its three tiers, performances included bloody fights with gladiators and wild animals. The Amphitheatre. House of Venus in the shell (Regio II Insula: 11.6): this house got its name for the spectacular fresco of Venus located on the back wall of the peristyle. More photos can be found in this gallery dedicated to our favourite villas of Pompeii. Escaping the crowds in this empty street. House of Marco Lucretius Frontone (Regio V Insula: 4.10): this was the last house we visited, one of the villas open only for one day of the week. A bit far away, it was well worth the trek at the end of a hot and long day; more photos of its frescoes can be found in this gallery dedicated to our favourite villas of Pompeii.



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Want to read more? Go back to The Ruins of Pompeii or go on to Pompeii: our favourite Villas

$ updated from: Photos.htxt Fri 28 Feb 2025 14:45:59 trvl2 — Copyright © 2025 Vero and Thomas Lauer unless otherwise stated | All rights reserved $