Pompeii

This was our first glimpse from the outside of the city of Pompeii that was destroyed when Mt Vesuvius erupted in 79AD.

This was the gymnasium or exercise area for gladiators.

The big amphitheatre that was used for plays. It could seat 25000 people.

Walking the streets

The sidewalks were built up as proper drainage could not be constructed due to the hard rock base underneath.

The streets used to flood during rain so these big stepping stones were used to cross from one side if the street to the other. They were carefully spaced so the chariots and carts could still get down the street.

This is the oven of the bakery

The decorated ceiling in the public bathhouse.

Pompeii was a very wealthy and important trading port and had many foreign visitors. Many did not speak the language but this carving on the roadway pointed them in the direction of the brothel. There were other similar signs on  walls of buildings to point the way.

The tiled entrance way to a villa.

This was the forum, the public meeting place. Markets were located here as well as the courts of justice and a temple dedicated to Juno, Jupiter and Mars.

This temple was dedicated to the sun god Apollo and his sister Diana.

The stone in front is the altar stone where animal sacrifices were made . 

The white column on the left has a sundial on the top.

On the road up from the harbour there were chips of white marble embedded into the road. These were the first cats eyes reflectors. They caught the light if torches and helped guide the way from the port at night.

Imagine the amount of ash that was produced by the volcano to cover all these buildings completely. 

It was a fascinating morning.