Which city in Italy was buried alive by a volcano?

POMPEII (Latin: Pompeii), or translated as Pompeii, is an ancient city with a long history in Campenia in the southwest corner of Apennine Peninsula, which is located about 240 kilometers northwest of Rome, near Naples in southern Italy, and 10 kilometers southwest of Mount Vesuvius. About 20 kilometers west from the beautiful Bay of Naples, it is a summer resort with its back to the sea. It was built in the 6th century BC and was destroyed by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD. However, due to being buried by volcanic ash, the street houses are well preserved, and archaeological excavations have continued since 1748, providing important information for understanding the social life, culture and art of ancient Rome.

1, introduction of the ancient city

Pompeii is the second prosperous and wealthy city in ancient Rome. Around 600 BC, Pompeii built a city on a hill on both sides of the Sano River in Italy. This place had become a good port for Greeks and Phoenicians at that time. The local Greeks were very powerful at that time. Samnites occupied Pompeii and its vicinity in the 5th century. The architecture of Pompeii is deeply influenced by Samnett people. Samnites also expanded the city. In the first 89 years, the army of Roman ruler Sura surrounded Pompeii. In the first 80 years, Rome occupied Pompeii and Pompeii became a Roman colony. Because Pompeii is a good seaport, and it is located near the ancient road of Biya, the main traffic artery, it soon became a prosperous commercial city. 1963, a strong earthquake caused great damage to Pompeii, but Pompeii was quickly rebuilt. In 79, a week after several earthquakes and other signs of volcanic activity, Vesuvius erupted and buried the ancient city of Pompeii alive under volcanic ash overnight.

2, the ancient city planning

The ancient city of Pompeii was built in the 7th century BC, with a distance of 0/0 km from Mount Vesuvius/Kloc. On August 24th, 79 AD, Mount Vesuvius erupted and Pompeii was annihilated. Pompeii, who had been sleeping for thousands of years, was finally discovered. The unearthed Pompeii is 1200m long from east to west, 700m wide from north to south, with an area of 1.8km2 and 7 gates. Four streets in the city are criss-crossed. The main street is 7 meters wide, paved with stone slabs, and there are drains along the street. The most magnificent buildings in this city are concentrated around a rectangular public square in the southwest. There are temples, public markets, municipal center halls and other buildings around the square, which is the political, economic and religious center of Pompeii. The southeast of the square is the seat of Pompeii's official government, and the northeast of the square is a bustling market. In addition, there are public baths, gymnasiums and large and small theaters in the city. On the east side of the market, there is an amphitheater that can accommodate more than 65438+100000 spectators.

3. Architectural features

The ancient city of Pompeii is slightly rectangular, surrounded by walls and gates. The streets in the city are criss-crossed, and the block layout is like a chessboard. According to records, Pompeii was built by the Oskanis tribe, and it is already a small town with dense population and business travel. In 89 BC, Pompeii was occupied by the Romans and became a vassal state of Rome. Until 79 ad. It has become a paradise for the rich, and rich nobles come here to build luxury villas and have fun. With a population of more than 25,000, Pompeii has become a famous city of wine and color. Important buildings surround the municipal square, including the Temple of Jupiter, the Temple of Apollo, the Great Hall, the bathing place and the shopping center. And the necessary facilities of Roman municipal buildings such as theater, gymnasium, Colosseum and aqueduct. There are many workshops and shops, which are set up in the block according to the industry, plus a large number of residential buildings. It constitutes an important physical object for studying Roman civil architecture. Wealthy families generally have gardens, and the main house is decorated with a hall and bedroom around the central patio. There are classical colonnades and marble statues in the park, and many murals (see Pompeii murals) are important remains of classical murals. These murals are of high level and have a great influence on European neoclassical art after being discovered.

4. Disappear overnight

As early as the 8th century BC, the ancient city of Pompeii gradually developed into a city based on Pompeii, a small fishing village with a natural harbor in the Mediterranean. Hundreds of years later, its merchants gathered and became the second largest city after Italy and ancient Rome. It is 300 kilometers away from Rome in the north, bordering the famous Sicily in the west and Nantong in Greece and North Africa. Pompeii's magical temple of the sun, huge Colosseum, grand theater, effective wizard hall, novel steam bathroom, numerous shops and entertainment places have attracted many wealthy businessmen and nobles in the Mediterranean city-state. In addition, the strange magma soil, volcanic rocks and geothermal hot springs brought by the repeated eruption of Navi Suwei volcano in the north of the city for hundreds of millions of years. Pompeii's reputation spread far and wide: that vast fertile magma soil, with a slight burnt taste, made Pompeii's grapes extremely sweet and well-brewed, becoming the top grade of nobles everywhere; That day and night geothermal hot springs. Bathing is not only attractive, but also attracts many nobles and wealthy businessmen to Pompeii to build gardens and villas, and develop entertainment places one after another. Pompeii soon became a place full of smoke and willows. Especially the bright red volcanic rocks in black are possessed by everyone because of their magical effects of relieving pain, calming the nerves and stopping bleeding. However, who would have expected that the volcano next to Pompeii would suddenly wake up one day and swallow the famous Pompeii with an open mouth!

Mount Vesuvius in Pompeii is1277m above sea level. According to the research of geologists, this is a typical active volcano, which has been erupting continuously for thousands of years. Pompeii was built on the hard lava after the eruption of ancient Vesuvius volcano. However, before the beginning of A.D., the famous geographer Strappo concluded that Vesuvius was an extinct volcano according to its topographical features. At that time, people completely believed his story and didn't care about volcanoes. Green crops are planted on both sides of the volcano, and the plains are full of lemon forests and orange forests, as well as other orchards and vineyards. They never imagined that this "extinct volcano" was brewing a devastating disaster. On February 8, AD 62, a strong earthquake struck this area, causing many buildings to collapse. Many damaged buildings seen in Pompeii today were caused by that earthquake. After the earthquake, Pompeii rebuilt the city and pursued luxury. However, before Pompeii could recover from the earthquake, Mount Vesuvius suddenly erupted on August 24th, 79 AD.

In an instant, thick black smoke, mixed with boiling volcanic ash, flooded the whole city, and the air was filled with suffocating sulfur smell. Soon, the volcanic ash with a thickness of about 5.6 meters ruthlessly wiped Pompeii from the earth.

It was the first Sunday in August 79 AD. The wife of a big wine merchant in ancient Rome was praying, when suddenly she had a severe chest pain and hemoptysis, and her daughter Sophia began to cry. Just then, Carlo, the unmarried son-in-law, heard the news and volunteered to ride a fast horse to Pompeii's hometown to get the hemostatic stone. Rome is more than 300 kilometers from Pompeii. The wooded mountain roads are rugged and robbers are everywhere, which makes the enthusiastic Sophia choose a dilemma. Carol understands the concerns of his fiancee Sophia. He said: "I have been riding for more than ten years. I am a strong soldier." I'm good at this. I'll be back in two days and two nights! " Before Sophia obeyed, Carlo in uniform left with several assistants!

The mother of Pompeii has been hemoptysis for two days, and Sophia hasn't slept for two nights. She's been thinking about Carlo coming back. The next day, she has been leaning against the door, expecting the familiar sound of hooves in her ears, but I don't know why her fiance didn't appear in front of her until the fourth, fifth and sixth day. Only after Christmas did she vaguely hear a terrible news: one night in August, Mount Vesuvius opened its crater, spewing bloody magma, and Fiona Fang suddenly became a sea of fire for hundreds of miles! ……

The ancient city of Pompeii disappeared overnight! It took a long time to cool down after the volcano erupted. After the catastrophe, the Italians found that hundreds of thousands of hectares of forest farms, grasslands and bustling Pompeii, which were very familiar in the past, were gone. Only the long scorched earth area like a river left by the cooling of volcanic magma is silent around, which makes people worry about their lives!

Calculate the time of the disaster, which is the night when Carlo arrived in Pompeii to get the hemostatic stone. My fiance never came back. Since then, the folk song "Broken-hearted Sophia" has sounded in every corner of the Mediterranean. ...

5. Excavate the ancient city

The ancient city of Pompeii gradually faded out of the world with the passage of time. Later, immigrants from Rome to the south and from Greece and Sicily to the north found that the foot of the volcano was covered with dense forests. People cut down trees and exposed black land, so they developed and planted grapes on them.

In the spring of 1748, a farmer named Andre was digging deep in his vineyard. He raised his hoe with a bang, as if he had found a boulder, but he couldn't pull it out no matter how hard he tried. He quickly called his brother and sister-in-law for help. They dug up dirt and stones and found that the hoe had penetrated a metal cabinet. So too many cooks dug out the cabinets and opened them. It turned out to be a lot of melted and semi-melted gold and silver jewelry and ancient coins. When the news spread, the farmers who planted grapes in this land suddenly remembered the legend of Pompeii's disappearance handed down from generation to generation, so treasure thieves swarmed, and later attracted a group of historians and archaeologists to come here for archaeology. Later, at the suggestion of experts, the Italian government began to organize scientists to excavate the ancient city of Pompeii in an orderly manner. After seven or eight generations of experts 100 years of continuous work and thousands of staff's hard maintenance, this thrilling scene of Pompeii finally reappeared in front of the world. Vanya, a historian who participated in the excavation of Pompeii, said, "What a shocking sight! Many people died in their sleep, while others died at home. They held their arms high and gasped. Many people's bread is still in the oven, and the dog is still tied to the chain by the door; The slaves still carry ropes; There are books made of papyrus on the shelves of the library, and election slogans are posted on the walls, with words of love painted on them ... "These scenes fully show how tens of thousands of creatures in the ancient city were suddenly torn alive! I felt a panic when I saw the bodies of men, women and children in various forms (mostly fossils) displayed in the sealed glass of Pompeii. Facing the eternal universe and nature, people should first respect nature, protect ecology and compete with nature. How small and powerless people are!

6. Volcanic engulfment

Sudden disaster

The ancient city of Pompeii disappeared in the eruption of Vesuvius more than/kloc-0.000 years ago. Today, a thousand years later, I have witnessed a moment in history. The ancient city of Pompeii was built in the 8th century BC. In the middle of the 3rd century BC, the Romans brought Pompeii into their territory, and Pompeii became powerful with the prosperity of the Roman Empire. However, one day in August 79 AD, the disaster of Pompeii came, and the magma of Vesuvius flowed to Pompeii, burying the whole city mercilessly, and Pompeii solidified at that moment.

Pompeii, located 23 kilometers southeast of Naples, Italy, was once a perfect and difficult city.

1900 years ago, Pompeii was one of the most beautiful and prosperous cities in the world. The people who live in it have solid chariots and democratic politics. They have no worries at home and enjoy family happiness. However, the fate of Pompeii was decided by heaven.

At noon on August 24th, 79 AD 1, the sun was blazing and the weather was sultry. Mount Vesuvius, which has experienced several small earthquakes, can't carry it anymore. A grotesque cloud rose from the top of the mountain, like a giant pine with a flat top, branching into the sky, blocking the sun. There was a loud noise, deafening, the crater was opened, magma gushed out thousands of meters, steam clouds soared tens of thousands of meters, and the world was shrouded in darkness. Lightning-like flames occasionally illuminate the earth, and volcanic ash, pumice and gravel fly down like a downpour. Thirty minutes after the volcano erupted, Pompeii was covered with a frivolous layer of volcanic ash, and the hot sulfur gas was unbearable. Four hours later, the lid was heavy enough and the roof of the house collapsed.

The city disappeared.

1000 years later, people rediscovered the ancient city of Pompeii and found that the environment at that time was barrier-free. It seems that everything has gone back to the past, but the scenery is still gone, leaving an empty city for people to mourn.

On August 24th, 79 AD, the most prosperous city of the Roman Empire, Pompeii, was erupted by Mount Vesuvius and disappeared after 18 hours.

Mount Vesuvius is1280m above sea level. In 79 AD, Pompeii, the most prosperous city of the Roman Empire, was located in the south of this volcano. The sarno River, which flows to the Bay of Naples, bypasses the city of Pompeii, connecting the trade between the ancient Roman Empire and the rest of the world, making the shadow of businessmen and the voice of trading float in Pompeii all day long. The soil here is fertile, the climate is pleasant and the products are rich. Among the rows of vines and olives, Pompeii people grow grains, vegetables, figs and rosemary.

It was not until the moment of the disaster that Pompeii realized that the fertile soil under their feet was actually a gift from a volcano not far away. What Pompeii people don't know is that once this volcano, which has accumulated its strength for hundreds of years, erupts, everything they have will be destroyed beyond recognition in an instant-the disaster of Pompeii has really come.

See the sun again-free from oppression/persecution

1594, people found a stone engraved with the word "Pompeii" when building a drinking canal on the sarno River. 1707, when people dug wells in a garden at the foot of Mount Vesuvius, they dug up three beautifully dressed female statues. People think that these are just cultural relics in ancient sites along the coast of Naples Bay. No one realized that an ancient city is now completely enclosed in pyroclastic rocks covering an area of nearly 65 hectares under its feet. 1748, people dug up human remains wrapped in volcanic ash, only to realize that Mount Vesuvius erupted in 79 AD and buried a city!

Archaeologists dug up volcanic debris layer by layer, and Pompeii buried deep underground was "excavated"-there were piles of fish scales in the corner of the market, and Pompeii always washed the fish before selling it; The wall of the bar also says, "Boss, you will pay for your tricks. You sold us water to drink, but left good wine. " A family's back garden is full of oleanders, there is a pot on the iron stove in the kitchen, and there is a little doll next to the eggs on the dining table. In 79 AD, a Pompeii died under a mural with flowers and leaves of plants. Thousands of years later, when people dug up his bones, they found an inscription on the mural: "Nothing can last forever." Although every volcanic eruption in the history of the earth has changed the landform, the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD did make a city immortal-Pompeii failed to escape the disaster of the volcano, but was buried and sealed in the gradually cooling, solidification and hardening volcanic ash, and finally escaped the erosion for thousands of years.

Ode to life

The sudden catastrophe brought Pompeii's life to an abrupt end and was frozen forever at the moment of destruction. Pompeii has thus become the greatest site of ancient civilization that can still be appreciated today. The most fascinating thing about this site is that it truly retains the face of Pompeii before the disaster-the arena can accommodate 20 thousand spectators, which shows that Pompeii will come out soon; 30 bakeries, 100 bars, 3 public baths, a trading pedestrian street, and a theater that can accommodate 5,000 people; In the pub on the street, the Dionysus painted on the wall is covered with grapes, and every fruit is so full that it seems to burst. On the walls of wool workshops, shops, printing and dyeing shops and inns, there are traces of Pompeii's indulgence everywhere: "Oh, Jess, may your pustule crack again, which is more painful than last time." "There is no doubt that my lover and her lover have had a tryst here."-Pompeii's unrestrained personality and the joyful amorous feelings of the whole city have fascinated human beings after 1000 years. After seeing Pompeii, Goethe, a German poet, said: "Among the many disasters in the world, there has never been a disaster that brought such great pleasure to future generations like Pompeii." French historian Tanner sighed after returning from Pompeii: "At that time, people lived with their whole bodies."

"Enjoy life, tomorrow is unpredictable." Such words were engraved on a silver drinking cup unearthed in Pompeii. I believe the Pompeii who carved this sentence didn't know that death was imminent. The silver cup was excavated in the room where the wine was stored, and the remains of a woman lying next to the glass were also excavated. This is Pompeii, which has gone through thousands of years at the expense of instant painful destruction, and it is telling the world why we should enjoy the happiness of life.

7. marvel at the ruins

Present situation of ancient city

Today, the ancient city of Pompeii has been designated as a world cultural and natural heritage by UNESCO. Tourists call it "Natural History Museum", which attracts thousands of tourists from all over the world every day. Shuttling through the streets of the ruins of the ancient city, entering and leaving the half-destroyed houses, villas, trade markets, shops, bakeries, hot spring baths, warehouses, theaters, Colosseum and sports fields, you can imagine that you don't feel ups and downs.

Although only one third of the ancient city of Pompeii is open to tourists, the rest is still buried underground. However, from the land of 1.8 square kilometers, dozens of streets and lanes paved with white and cyan boulders have been seen. The streets are square and uniform, ranging in width from two meters to four or five meters, as if they were Chang 'an in China in the Tang Dynasty. Every sidewalk here is 10 to 20cm higher than the horse path. A closer look shows that the ancient Roman carriages were very developed, leaving a deep rut in the middle of the road and being worn out by an inch or two. It seems that at that time, the big carriages of warriors and nobles always galloped in the middle of the road, while slaves and humble townspeople with bowed heads and eyebrows could only walk beside them. At all intersections, I didn't expect that, like today's zebra crossing, every intersection was set with a raised "parting stone" about 30 cm high. When the galloping carriage saw the "parting stone" near the intersection, it naturally slowed down, and the vehicle could only slowly pass through the gap of the boulder. At this time, I thought that the zebra crossing on the road today was invented by the ancient Romans, right?

At many street corners and intersections, there are also large stone troughs engraved with relief. The reliefs on the stone trough, or gods, animal heads or fish mouths, are all connected with bronze pipes at the back, and there are rotating faucets. As long as it rotates, there will be gurgling mountain springs flowing out for pedestrians to drink or wash. At present, many stations, docks, airports, parks, sports fields and streets in developed countries also have tap water, which can be directly drunk. At this time, I was thinking: was this setting in many big cities inspired by ancient Pompeii more than 2,000 years ago?

In Pompeii, in addition to all kinds of murals and exquisite mosaics left by houses, shops and villas, there are also all kinds of pottery and glassware with strange shapes, which make people intoxicated and fascinated. What's more, the 5,000 amphitheaters, 3,000 Colosseum and 40,000 large stadiums built in marble surprised the author, and reverence came to me: the humanistic quality and social development vision of the ancient Romans, today after 2000.

Among them, why the red color of Pompeii city wall can remain bright after more than 2000 years is a question that scientists have been asking.

Looking at it today, the bright red in the mural is still touching. Some of them are still hanging on the wall intact, as if leaving a brilliant mystery.

8. The miracle of this place

Ancient city reappearance

Pompeii's discovery was entirely accidental. /kloc-in the 0 th and 7 th centuries, an architect built a canal near Mount Vesuvius and stumbled upon a stone carving buried underground, which later proved to be a relic left by Pompeii. 1750, the excavation plan of Pompeii was formally implemented. Nowadays, what people see in Pompeii is no longer a living Pompeii with prosperous economy and people coming and going. It has become a real specimen of a page in history, from temple buildings to unburned carbonized cakes in urban corners ... giving people rich, vivid and far-reaching economic history, cultural history and art history.

city construction

Pompeii's municipal construction is the perfect embodiment of Roman engineering and Roman lifestyle. Pompeii Square, the widest square in the city, is the most lively place two thousand years ago, and it is also the place that best reflects the social situation, public opinion and customs of Pompeii. There are many streets in this city. Fengshou Street, Lucky Street and Archon Street radiate from the main avenue in a network, which is very similar to the street layout in Greece. There are many raised stone steps on the sidewalk of the street. When it rains, there is water in the world, and people can walk on raised stones without getting wet. Pompeii's water conservancy system is very complete, and the diversion canals extend in all directions. Springs drawn from the mountains are for the public to drink. Fountains in the streets can also provide water, as well as wells and reservoirs.

central hall

When Pompeii was destroyed, the population of this city was only 20,000. However, the great hall in the city center is a huge public building, which can accommodate thousands of people. There are five entrances in front of the General Assembly Hall, an open-air vestibule and two-story three-entrance halls (main hall and side halls on both sides) supported by 32 large pillars. Deep in the hall, a higher platform is the judge's court, and there are two wooden ladders that can directly walk up from both sides of the hall. The Great Hall of the People occupies the first place in the political and economic life of this city. People hold large-scale administrative meetings here, hold public legal trials, issue decrees and instructions, and solve some important legal and economic problems in the city here. On the wall of the auditorium, there are many decorative paintings in Greek style. The most valuable are all kinds of inscriptions carved on the wall, with satirical content, humorous words, political opinions and pornographic expressions, reflecting the open and active communication state of Pompeii at that time.

Sacred architecture

In the eyes of Pompeii, God is everywhere, and they built a lot of temple buildings in the city. The Temple of Apollo is the largest building in this city. Pompeii believed that Apollo was not only in charge of light, youth, medicine, animal husbandry, music and poetry, but also called the Oracle on behalf of the Lord God to predict the future. Although the temple has been destroyed, its 48 pillars and magnificent steps can still make people feel the glorious momentum of the past. Venus, the legendary mother of Aeneas, the ancestor of the Romans, also occupies a high position in Pompeii's heart, so she loves the temple on a large scale. After entering civilized society from primitive state, the only thing that can maintain the spiritual strength of Roman "state" is the myth of ancestors and the demigod worship of "contemporary" emperors. Therefore, the temples in Pompeii, Jupiter, the Roman god, and the temple commemorating the emperor are also large in scale.

Pompeii market

There was a food market in Pompeii in the 2nd century BC, and now you can still see the remains of goods sold. There is a grain market in the city that is still under construction, but it was swallowed up by volcanic magma before it was built. There are many large pottery pots and stone mills in it. Ou Ma kiya Building, located in the east of the city, is a large comprehensive market. There are two opposite walls at the height of the outer compartment, which is the auction market for auction hosts and price singers, and the inner compartment is a large laundry field. In addition, it is also a wool trading market. Walking in the empty public market, you can imagine the bustling commodity trading scene here.

Huali bath

There are three public baths in Pompeii, of which Stabia Bath is the oldest. This bathing place is quite quaint, built in the 2nd century BC, with dressing rooms, tepid bathrooms and swimming pools. This is the best preserved of the three existing baths unearthed in Pompeii. There are columns in the bathroom corridor, and the sculptures on the indoor walls are very detailed. Even the marble bathtub in the bathroom is priceless. The floor with double-layer design structure keeps the temperature in the bathtub with the steam below. It is said that most of the people who came here in and out in those years were politicians and some important people in the city.

Prostitute culture

Pompeii, like other cities in Rome, is popular with prostitute culture. In the small town of Pompeii, there are 25 brothels, and the most formal one is located in a relatively dense middle and lower residential area east of the city center. In the brothel, there are rooms *** 10 upstairs and downstairs, and there is a portrait of priapus at the gate to show the function of this place. The door of each room is painted with sex murals of different contents, and the indoor walls are covered with pictures and texts left by customers.

Colosseum open-air arena

There are many theaters in Pompeii, such as the Colosseum in Rome. The Colosseum for fighting was built 5 1 year earlier than the famous Colosseum in Rome. Gladiators mainly perform here, including fights between people, people and animals, and sometimes hold sports events. The wall around the amphitheater is more than 2 meters high, and there are many murals of hunting and competition painted on the wall, reflecting the living conditions of people in that year. There are also two theaters in the city, one large and one small, which are mostly used for drama and music performances.

human fossil

Pompeii Antiquities Museum has a special collection, that is, a human statue made by archaeologists based on the unearthed human hard shell. At the moment when the volcano erupted, countless victims were killed by pumice, poisonous gas and volcanic ash. Volcanic ash wrapped their bodies, solidified their last posture, and recorded all the details of Pompeii's dying. These people died in Dachuan with their property, and some of the victims still held idols in their hands, which shows that they did not forget to ask the gods for help in times of crisis. Although these people have passed away for nearly 2000 years, they can still give great shock to everyone who comes here. In fact, these "human fossils" are not fossils, and there were no traces left at that time! Because of the temperature and chemical properties of volcanic ash and other ejecta, it is difficult to preserve the body. At that time, many bodies were wrapped in volcanic ash and rotted for a long time, but the volcanic ash left a hard shell. They used a method, that is, plaster casting, so that it is easy to copy the statue of the dead. This practice began in 1860. 199 1, nine bodies were copied in the same way, which made people more aware of the suffering and misery at the last moment of the disaster.

Repair fossils

20 15 On May 20th, archaeologists and scientists recovered the fossils of Pompeii residents buried under volcanic ash thousands of years ago. In 79 AD, Vesuvius in Italy erupted, and the ancient city of Pompeii in Rome was buried by volcanic ash. It has been 1900 years, and the remains of residents have become fossils. Repairers used plaster technology to preserve the remains of 86 victims before they were buried.

port

In 2002, the port of Pompeii was also discovered. Scientists found that people lived there, too. They lived on a canal similar to Venice today. The research here is under way.