DEFENSIVE WALLS - POMPEII

Along the wide perimeter of the walls, still recognizable, opened no less than seven doors. Only of two we know the ancient denomination, but to the other has been ascribed a conventional name that express well their function and their placement in the general topography: Porta Marina Gate, Porta Ercolano Gate, Porta Vesuvio Gate, Porta di Nola Gate, Porta di Sarno Gate, Porta Nocera Gate and Porta di Stabia Gate. At the moment of the eruption the doors had lost their strategic or defensive role for let space to more wide and convenient doorway useful for commercial traffic and exaction of tribute. The eruption has crystallized them in a transformation that has never really happened
Porta Marina Gate is actually the most famous and frequented because from it is possible to enter in the archaeological area, but in the past it was not a very busy gate and so it was less monumental that others; but it gave rapid access to the civil and religious hearth of town: the Civil Forum.
Porta Ercolano Gate (the ancient Porta Saliniensis or 'Door of Salt') opened to Vesuvius slopes, Ercolano and to all villas and suburb of neapolitan gulf. The structure and the stucco covering, so similar to a private building, make it one of the most “modern” gate of the area.
Porta Vesuvio Gate at the moment of eruption was in complete remaking; situated at the end of the principal way, it was burdened by commercial traffic. Between Porta Ercolano Gate and Porta Vesuvio Gate there are three of the most imposing tower of the defensive walls: particularly the Tower XI of Via di Mercurio, where is possible to have a wonderful view on the town and the valley.
Porta di Nola Gate belong to the pre-roman age and is the most monumental, it’s typically defensive.
Porta di Stabia Gate, at least, is the oldest; from it was possible to arrive directly to the harbour of Pompei, on Sarno river. The paving so worn-out certify the intense traffic on that way.

 

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This covered theatre situated near the Large Theatre was mainly used for concerts, although it was also the chosen venue for poetry recitals. It was built by the same two duumviri responsible for the construction of the Amphitheatre during the early years of the Roman colony in an area which had originally been developed by the Samnites. The tiered seating was cut away to one side to allow the construction of a perimeter wall designed to support the foursided roof. The first seats in front of the orchestra hemicycle, which was paved with slabs of coloured marble chips, were reserved for the decurions and were laid out on top of four rows of wide tuffstone steps. The ti ... continue

(Apic. 2, 1, 7) Ingredients:

• 500g minced meat
• 1 french roll, soaked in white wine
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper
• 50ml Liquamen (can be replaced by 1/2 tsp salt + a little white wine)
• some stone-pine kernels and green peppercorns
• a little Caroenum
• Baking foil

Instructions:
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Mix minced meat with the soaked french roll. Ground spices and mix into
the meat. Form small burgers and put pine kernels and peppercorns into
them. Put them into baking foil and grill them together with Caroenum.

Love was a common topic of conversation in Pompeii. Feelings, passions, poetic love, sex, homosexuality, prostitution and so forth were all part of daily life and not a source of prejudice. The concept of “obscenity” seems to have been unknown. Love and sex were considered earthly practices of a man’s life that were encouraged by the benevolence of Venus. The thousands of examples of graffiti found on the town’s walls are unequivocal proof of what the people of Pompeii thought about love and sex.