It last erupted in 1944, wiping out five villages, but the havoc it wreaked nearly 2000 years ago and the historical snapshot of life it has since provided is what brings nearly 2 million visitors to the excavated ruins of ancient Pompeii each year.
The Roman poet Pliny the Younger, whose letters survived the eruption, tells of a column of smoke “like an umbrella pine” coming from the mountain on August 24, 79AD. Instead of prompting a mass evacuation, the locals saw the smoke as merely cause for curiosity rather than an indication to flee.
“They had no idea what was to come,” our guide Patricia says.
“That one eruption was the equivalent of two atomic bombs exploding. About 8000 people managed to run away, but 2000 others — mainly slaves — were killed as they were made to stay and protect the city.”
Poisonous gases travelling at speeds of up to 100km/h swept across Pompeii, killing those who were left behind before 5m of ash and pumice stone covered them.
At the time Pompeii was a holiday haven for wealthy Romans, and today you can still walk the streets they laid out, past an ancient takeaway shop and bakery and into the city’s houses where mosaic floors and frescoed walls remain intact.
The advanced double-walled heating system used in the sauna room and a sophisticated drinking water set-up suggest a society well ahead of its time.
Further down lies the most visited site of the excavated city: the Lupanare, Pompeii’s brothel. It has only been reopened to the public (no longer operating, of course) for two years after extensive restoration, and is thought to have been the city’s only purpose-built house of ill repute. Frescoes on the ceilings depict various erotic positions, said to inspire customers.
Pompeii’s prostitutes were known as she-wolves as they stood at the end of the street howling to attract customers. Local dogs barking created confusion, and no doubt got plenty of customers lost.
The amphitheatre, which would have held 20,000 spectators, provided Pompeii’s large-scale entertainment. It was where the gladiators competed, often against animals. While their battles have been glorified in film and literature, they only had short life expectancies, given it was an occupation usually filled by slaves.
One-fifth of the 160-acre city is yet to be excavated, and while you could spend a day taking it all in, you should allow yourself at least three hours. If you want to look around when it’s less crowded, visit in the afternoon. For more Roman ruins head for the smaller, lesser-known ancient cities of Herculaneum and Stabie and the Villa Poppaea, all close to Naples and Pompeii.
Most of the art and artefacts from Pompeii have been placed in museums. The Museo Nazionale Archeologico in Naples has the most extensive collection and is well worth the visit.
Arguably the most eerie reminders of the devastation caused by the explosion in 79AD are the cement casts of people who were killed around Pompeii and Herculaneum. Casts of families cowering from the onslaught can be seen in the Garden of the Fugitives.
Despite the imminent threat of another eruption, more than 700,000 people continue to live and prosper on the rich soils around the base of Vesuvius.
“The next eruption is predicted between 2009 and 2019,” Patricia says. “Between 79AD and 1944, Vesuvius erupted 42 times, so the longer we have to keep waiting, the greater the next eruption will be.”
The spell between eruptions has either lulled the locals of the Campania region into a sense of blissful ignorance or simply spurred their vibrant attitude to life.
When we remind our driver of the sleeping giant’s expected awakening he shrugs and replies, as we expect, “che sera”: whatever will be.
“Everything we need is here — good food, good wine, the bay and the sun.” And who could disagree? Only next time, you’d hope a column of smoke sparks more than curiosity.
» Dan Imhoff travelled to Pompeii with Campania Region Tourism (www.turismoregionecampania.it).
That’s amore
If it’s difficult to grasp why anyone would live near an active volcano, one need only sample the cuisine Naples has to offer.
Being the home of pizza, your opinion of even the simplest Margherita will be enhanced after tasting the quality of ingredients made with recipes perfected by generations of Neapolitans.
Pomodorini (cherry tomatoes) grown in the area lay claim to being the best in Italy, while buffalo mozzarella is another speciality of the region.
Fresh octopus and fish from the Mediterranean only bolster the Neapolitans’ belief they serve up the finest food in Italy.