Ruins of Ancient Cities (Vol. 2 of 2): With General and Particular Accounts of Their Rise, Fall, and Present ConditionBucke, Charles
History
Ruins of Ancient Cities (Vol. 2 of 2): With General and Particular Accounts of Their Rise, Fall, and Present Condition
Bucke, Charles
Cities and towns, Ancient
They occupy a considerable space, and are divided into three separate
apartments. One of these was set apart for the fire-places and the
accommodation of the servants, and the other two were each occupied by a
set of baths, one of which was appropriated to the men, and the other to
the women. The apartments and passages are paved with white marble in
mosaic, or alternate white and black squares. The chambers are
ornamented with various devices, and highly finished. Above one thousand
lamps were discovered during the excavation.
There have been two theatres excavated, a large and a small one; both of
which display the remains of considerable magnificence. They are
constructed after the usual plan of a Roman theatre. The theatre is
formed upon the side of a hill, the corridor being the highest part, so
that the audience, on entering, descended at once to their seats. There
is space to contain about five thousand persons. This theatre appears to
have been entirely covered with marble, although only a few fragments
remain.
The smaller theatre nearly resembles the larger one in plan and
disposition of parts; but there is this remarkable difference;—it
appears from an inscription to have been permanently roofed. It has been
computed that it accommodated one thousand five hundred persons.
The amphitheatre of Pompeii does not differ in any particular from other
Roman buildings of the same kind. Its form is oval; its length is four
hundred and thirty feet; and its greatest breadth three hundred and
thirty-five feet. There were paintings in fresco—one, representing a
tigress fighting with a wild boar; another, a stag chased by a lioness;
another, a battle between a bull and a bear. There were other
representations besides these; but the whole disappeared upon exposure
to the atmosphere[127].
Adjoining to the theatre[128], a building has been excavated, called,
from the style of its architecture, the Greek temple; otherwise, the
temple of Hercules. The date of its erection some have supposed to be as
far back as eight hundred years before the Christian era. It is in a
very dilapidated state. Before the steps in front there is an inclosure,
supposed to have been a pen to contain victims for the sacrifice; and by
its side there are two altars.
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