Herculaneum was an ancient Roman town near the Bay of Naples in southern Italy. Smaller and wealthier than nearby Pompeii, it contained elegant houses, shops, public baths, temples, and busy streets.
Daily Life
The people of Herculaneum worked in shops and workshops, visited public baths, worshipped Roman gods, and gathered in public spaces. The town’s coastal location supported fishing, trade, and travel across the Bay of Naples.
Homes and Art
Many homes were decorated with colourful wall paintings, detailed mosaics, marble floors, courtyards, and fountains. These buildings reveal the comfortable lifestyles of wealthy residents and the artistic tastes of Roman society.
The Eruption of Vesuvius
In AD 79, Mount Vesuvius erupted and buried Herculaneum beneath extremely hot volcanic material. The town disappeared under deep layers of ash, rock, and mud, and many inhabitants attempting to escape were killed.
Remarkable Preservation
The volcanic material preserved wooden doors, furniture, food, buildings, and other organic objects that rarely survive at Roman sites. Archaeologists have even discovered carbonised scrolls in a luxurious residence known as the Villa of the Papyri.
Rediscovery and Importance
Herculaneum was rediscovered in the eighteenth century and has provided valuable evidence about Roman architecture, art, food, work, and family life. Its exceptionally preserved remains offer a vivid view of an ancient Roman community frozen in time.