Museum of Antiquity: A Description of Ancient LifeYaggy, L. W. (Levi W.)
History
Museum of Antiquity: A Description of Ancient Life
Yaggy, L. W. (Levi W.)
Civilization, Ancient; Classical antiquities
From the Street of the Baths and that of Fortune, which bound these
islands on the south, two streets lead to the two corners of the
Forum; between them are baths, occupying nearly the whole island.
Among other buildings are a milk-shop and gladiatorial school. At the
northeast corner of the Forum was a triumphal arch. At the end of the
Street of the Baths and beginning of that of Fortune, another
triumphal arch is still to be made out, spanning the street of
Mercury, so that this was plainly the way of state into the city. The
Forum is distant from the gate of Herculaneum about four hundred
yards. Of it we shall give a full description in its place. Near the
south-eastern corner two streets enter it, one running to the south,
the other to the east. We will follow the former for about eighty
yards, when it turns eastward for two hundred yards, and conducts us
to the quarter of the theatres. The other street, which runs eastward
from the Forum, is of more importance, and is called the Street of the
Silversmiths;[1] at the end of which a short street turns southwards,
and meets the other route to the theatres. On both these routes the
houses immediately bordering on the streets are cleared; but between
them is a large rectangular plot of unexplored ground. Two very
elegant houses at the southwest corner of the Forum were uncovered by
the French general Championnet, while in command at Naples, and are
known by his name. On the western side of the Forum two streets led
down towards the sea; the excavations here consist almost entirely of
public buildings, which will be described hereafter.
[Illustration: VIEW OF POMPEII. (_From a photograph._)]
The quarter of the theatres comprises a large temple, called the
Temple of Neptune or Hercules, a temple of Isis, a temple of
Æsculapius, two theatres, the Triangular Forum, and the quarters of
the soldiers or gladiators. On the north and east it is bounded by
streets; to the south and west it seems to have been enclosed partly
by the town walls, partly by its own. Here the continuous excavation
ends, and we must cross vineyards to the amphitheatre, about five
hundred and fifty yards distant from the theatre, in the southeast
corner of the city, close to the walls, and in an angle formed by
them. Close to the amphitheatre are traces of walls supposed to have
belonged to a Forum Boarium, or cattle market. Near at hand, a
considerable building, called the villa of Julia Felix, has been
excavated and filled up again. On the walls of it was discovered the
following inscription, which may serve to convey an idea of the wealth
of some of the Pompeian proprietors:
IN PRAEDIS JULLE SP F. FELICIS
LOCANTUR
BALNEUM VENERIUM ET NONGENTUM TABERNÆ PERGULÆ
CŒNACULA EX IDIBUS AUG PRIMIS
IN IDUS AUG. SEXTAS ANNOS CONTINUOS QUINQUE
S. Q. D. L. E. N. C.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account