Pompeii: Gladiator Quarters

 The Gladiator's Quarters, also known as the Quadriporticus of the Theater, is behind the theater's stage. It was excavated between 1766 and 1769 and is a spacious area surrounded by porticoes.

 Numbered 44 on the map, it was built at the end of the second century BC. I am standing near the main entrance at the northeast corner, the theater 90 degrees to the right of this photo.

 On several sides all the remains are the columns with the roof long since gone.

 On a few sides, however, the structure is largely intact. There were a few common rooms on this single-story side such as a kitchen, storage rooms and a dining room.

 A small prison was also found on the single-story side. The shackles were mounted low, maybe the men shackled could only lay down. The skeletons of four men were found in the prison.

 An apartment was found on the second floor near the kitchen.

 The open area in the middle was probably for gladiator exercises. This shot is looking back towards the theater.

 Wooden chests were found in ruins containing cloth, presumably for gladiator costumes. It appeared that some gladiators lived with their families, or at least had visitors, since the skeleton of a baby was found here. Another skeleton was that of a well dressed female.

 The gladiator's quarters were narrow spaces laid out on two floors with a wooden gallery. Each space accomodated two to three men. The rooms were not connected and apparently the men slept on straw mattresses as no beds were found.

 Besides the stairs leading to the triangular forum, the skeleton of a horse and a man were found - probably a stable boy.

 This is one of the few places within Pompeii where you can look directly out into the city surrounding the ruins.

 Weaponry was found including 15 helmets, metal belts, shin guards, a shield, a dagger and a lance.

Pompeii: Casa dei Ceii

 This home, also commonly called "Casa dei Cieli", number 50 on this map, was owned by Lucio Ceius Secundus who held the offices of aedile and dummvir in the period of roughly 76AD to 78AD.

 The front exterior still contains original Roman writings on the similated stone block finish. I assume that this writing is some of the electoral writings I read about in this area.

 The home was excavated between May 1913 and August 1914, though tunnelers had disturbed almost the entire home at least 5 times by then.

 Upon walking through the entrance, this dark flooring with white insets is the first thing to greet you.

 In typical Roman fashion, the central room has the ceiling opening for air, light, and water. The floor has the typical catch basin. Note how high the ceiling is.

 The catch basin is in fairly poor shape, but it does give you an idea of what it must have looked like.

 Throngs of tourists were viewing this home while we were there.

 This is the stairway to the second floor...note Italy's attempt to keep the wall from falling. Even after the lootings, items found in this home include a silver water heater, crystal chalice, bronze brazier, lamps, lanterns, scales, and a Vespasianic coin.

 This hunt scene is on the north wall of the garden. Note the holes lined up horizontally through the middle - there was some sort of shelf or balcony at that level.

 Notice the artwork above does not match the artwork below and that the upper artwork is significantly more faded than the lower artwork.

 A quick shot of another wall within this house.

 Looking through to the garden area.

The skeleton of a tortoise was found in the garden.

Pompeii: Walking Along Via dell'Abbondanza

 And finally, we reached the main street in Pompeii: Via dell'Abbodanza. Not only was it the main drag 2,000 years ago, it still is today. Throngs of people can be found walking the stones of yesteryear.

 Amazingly, some of the original artwork still adorns the street.

 I don't remember what this structure was, I don't think we ended up going in.

 There were absolutely hoards of people in certain spots in Pompeii, and it grew worse as the day went on. Though I didn't capture it on my camera, there were many tour groups and an especially large number of tour groups of 20 to 30 school kids, all dressed in matching strong colors so their guides could keep track of them.

Though it doesn't capture the school kid tour groups, this shot gives you some idea of what the busier sections were like. An inscription excavators found on a wall somewhere in Pompeii: "Nobody is 'smart' until he has loved a young woman."

Two Homes: Paquius Proculus and Vetutius Placidus

 This magnificent mosaic floor is in the entryway to the home of Paquius Proculus. Obviously it is a chained dog, a common theme for mosaics in entryways. A sort of "beware of dog" sign of ancient times.

 Paquius' name is found quite regularly in election materials of the era, so he apparently was an influential resident of Pompeii.

Paquius, a baker, was apparently the mayor or magistrate (duumvir juri dicundo) of Pompeii at one point. Paquius' bakery is next door.

 In this house was found this very famous portrait, apparently of Paquius Proculus and his wife though this is in dispute. He is holding a papyrus roll, she is holding wax tablets and a stylus. Another school of thought is that this a portrait of Terentius Nero, a lawyer, and his wife. The truth will likely never be known.

 A close-up of a wall on the left side of the entryway. During excavations in 1925, the Sator-Rotas Square was found etched in the bathroom wall of this home, apparently having been there prior to the 79 AD eruption.

The Sator-Rotas Square is a palindrome of Latin words including SATOR, AREPO, TENT, OPERA, and ROTAS written in a square that can be read in any direction:

SATOR

AREPO

TENET

OPERA

ROTAS

The meaning of these words and this square vary depending on the teller, I'll let your google searches tell the tale.

 During excavation, seven infant skeletons were found on the north side of the peristyle. The eruption claimed the next generation of Pomeiians in this home.

 I have not been able to determine what this building was or what is going on with the enormous metal cover next door...some sort of restoration project, no doubt. In a tavern somewhere in Pompeii was found this inscription: "Guest house. Dining room to let, with three couches and furnishings."

 This is the restaurant/snack bar of Vetutius Placidus located on Via dell'Abbondanza. It has the typical L-shaped counter and this fantastic painting on the back wall depicting Mercury (the god of commerce) and Bacchus (the god of wine). Stairs lead to a cellar. The door on the left leads to a dining room, the door to the right a garden.

Eleven clay jars contained the food for purchase. Behind the counter were found coins totaling approximately two day's income.

Pompeii: Amphitheater

 As we approached the amphitheater, number 60 on this map, I noticed this field of Italian poppies springing to life in the bright sunshine...

 ...and then there it was. The Pompeii amphitheater that I had read about for so long. Those seated nearest ground level would have entered through the taller arches via a ground-level passageway. Those seated near the top would have used the stairs to either side.

 Let's enter via the passageway, shall we? Here is a quote from a document from Roman times: "In honor of Safety of the Emperor Vespasian Caesar Augustus and his House, on the occasion of the dedication of the altar, the gladiator troupe of Gnaeus Allius Nigidius Maius will give games at Pompeii on July 4. Beast hunt. There will be awnings."

 As with modern stadiums, there are halls that lead visitors around under the seats. I wonder where modern stadiums got the idea? Here they are looking to the left in the passageway.

 ...and to the right. A quote from another document: "A hunt, and 20 pairs of gladiators belonging to Marcus Tullius will fight at Pompeii on November 4-7."

 ...let's keep walking into the center of the amphitheater.

 Beautiful! This stone amphitheater was built in 70 BC, or approximately 150 years before the eruption. Soil excavated from the arena was used to form the seating area which backed up to the city walls on the south and east sides.

 There is no underground structure here, unlike the Colosseum in Rome that was built 150 years later. A third quote, from another city: "Twenty pairs of gladiators belonging to Aulus Suettius Antenio and his freedman Niger will fight at Puteoli on the 17th, 18th, 19th and 20th of March. There will also be a beast hunt and athletic contests."

 The inscription that dedicated this amphitheater refers to it as a "spectacula" - it wasn't until the time of Augustus that the word "amphitheatrum" became common.

 At this amphitheater in 59 AD, several people died during a fight by spectators to a game with a neighboring town. The Senate promptly banned any further games here for ten years.

A wonderful shot I took after exiting the amphitheater. The Romans must have seen a similar view 2,000 years ago.