Pompeii: 6th century BCE-1st century CE; House of the Vettii: 1st Century CE
Description
This is believed to be the house of A. Vettius Restitutus and A. Vettius Conviva, whose signet rings were discovered during the excavations; they are thought to have been freedmen and may have been wine-merchants. The ornate and formal garden would have been glimpsed through the front door of the house, allowing passers-by a glimpse of the wealth and taste of its owners. The statuary, and some of the household artifacts that were uncovered were restored to their original contexts within the house, rather than being removed to the museum in Naples so that modern visitors could see what the house would have looked like before it was destroyed.
Pompeii, founded in the 6th century BCE by the Oscans (an Italic people), it came under Roman rule after the Samnite wars. By the first century CE it was a prosperous provincial capital with a population estimated between 20, 000 and 25,000 people. In 62 CE Pompeii experienced a major earthquake which resulted in heavy damage. The town was rapidly reconstructed and restored. The people and the administration used the damage as motivation to enrich their town with abundant architectural and artistic projects. Mount Vesuvius suddenly erupted in 79 CE, burying the town with approximately 20ft of pumice and ash. Excavations began in the 17th century. A large part of what we know about the daily life of ancient Romans is attributable to these excavations.
The Archivision Collection of Ancient Sites was funded by the Jack Martin Balcer Library Endowment.
Keywords: Italy, Campania, Napoli, Pompeii (deserted settlement), Mediterranean. Photographed by Scott Gilchrist, Archivision.
