Puglia to Pompeii - Classical Southern Italy
Academy Travel
Thursday, 23 October - Friday, 7 November 2025
Thursday, 23 October
Academy Travel's comprehensive 16-day Classical Southern Italy tour, led by internationally acclaimed archaeologist and expert on Pompeii - Dr Estelle Lazer, explored this fascinating region, taking us along the Adriatic Coast through to Puglia, then followed a road less travelled across Basilicata, where we discovered the layers of history left by ancient Greek settlers, Byzantine Emperors and Norman Kings.
From there, we toured the panoramic surroundings of the Bay of Naples, where, in the shadow of Mount Vesuvius, we visited world-famed archaeological sites such as Pompeii and Herculaneum and saw some of the most outstanding Greco-Roman art and architecture in the Mediterranean. The tour ended in the vibrant and exciting city of Naples. Throughout the touring program, we enjoyed the region's superb food and wine culture.
We commenced our tour at Rome Fiumicino Airport, where we met our widely acclaimed Tour Leader, Dr Estelle Lazer, Tour Manager, Ilaria Gentiluomo, and our convivial group of fellow travellers. From there, we flew for just over an hour to Brindisi.
Arriving in Brindisi, we travelled by coach to our hotel in Lecce and had dinner at a local restaurant.
Lecce
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| Our accom - Patria Palace Hotel |
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| Basilica di Santa Croce opp our hotel |
this artistic flair in the hotel lobby and dining room caught my eye
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The hotel's very Art Deco interior
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| Our room with a view |
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close up
below
I expect a gladiator to come around the corner...
Friday, 24 October
Lecce
This morning, Dr Estelle gave a talk and showed us slides. We then set out on a walking tour of Lecce.
A walk through Lecce
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| Geoff is preparing to take a movie |
Anfiteatro Romano
Dating back to the 2nd century, during Emperor Hadrian's rule, it was not discovered until 1901.
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As with all the other excavation sites in Italy, having modern dwellings built on top seems quite incongruous.
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Another of the narrow passageways
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| any narrower possible? |
Sant'Oronzo Square, Lecce
Saturday, 25 October
Today, we left at 9 am to take a full-day coach excursion of the Salentine Peninsula.
Harbourtown of Otranto
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| Otranto |
Castello Aragonese
The earliest fortifications on this castle's site are likely to date back to the Roman era. The site is strategically positioned to guard the harbour of Otranto, a crucial link between the East and West.
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| Castello Aragonese |
Following the fall of the Roman Empire, Otranto, like much of Southern Italy, came under Byzantine rule. The Byzantines, recognising the city's strategic importance, further strengthened the existing fortifications, laying the groundwork for the castle that stands today. These early defences consisted of simple walls and towers, forming the nucleus of the later, more elaborate structure.
In the 11th century, the Normans conquered Southern Italy, wresting control from the Byzantines. Under Norman rule, Otranto experienced a period of growth and prosperity, becoming a significant port for trade and cultural exchange. Known for their military prowess and architectural achievements, they undertook substantial expansions of the existing Byzantine fortifications, adding a moat, rampart, and cylindrical towers, characteristic of Norman military architecture.
This significantly enhanced the castle’s defensive capabilities, transforming it into a formidable stronghold.
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In 1480, the Ottoman Empire, at the height of its power, launched a massive invasion of Otranto. The city, and the Castello, despite its fortifications, was ill-prepared for the scale of the Ottoman assault. The Ottomans captured Otranto in one of the most brutal episodes in the city’s history.
After the Ottoman conquest, Otranto remained under Ottoman rule for a year before being recaptured by Aragonese forces in 1481. The recapture of Otranto marked the beginning of a new chapter for the city and its castle. The Aragonese, recognising the importance of securing Otranto against future threats, undertook a major reconstruction of the castle.
The medieval structure was reinforced and adapted to the evolving nature of warfare, incorporating features such as angled bastions and artillery platforms to withstand cannon fire. These additions, while serving a practical military purpose, also significantly altered the castle’s appearance, giving it the distinctive profile we see today.
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Over the following centuries, the Castello Aragonese continued to play a vital role in the defence of Otranto, witnessing periods of peace and conflict.
Today, the Castello Aragonese, has been transformed into a cultural hub, hosting exhibitions, events, and offering visitors a glimpse into its captivating past.
Cattedrale di Otranto
The cathedral is built on the remains of a Mesapian
village, a Roman domus and an early Christian temple. It was founded in 1068 by
the Norman bishop William. Like Castello Aragonese and other structures we were to visit, it is a synthesis of different architectural styles,
including Byzantine, early Christian, and Romanesque elements. It was consecrated on 1 August 1088, during the papacy of
Urban II.
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| The Tree of Life floor mosaic |
The floor mosaic was made between 1163 and 1165. Composed of approximately 600,000 limestone tesserae, it covers nearly the entire floor of the Cathedral.
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The mosaic depicts the branches of Good and Evil; according to most scholars, it is often interpreted as the tree of life. Around the tree, a multitude of scenes are depicted. They are taken from the Old Testament and other sources.
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The abundance of elements represented, which include numerous symbols from different cultures, is further evidence that Otranto's geographical position has favoured exchanges and encounters between cultures and peoples, between the West and the East.
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On 11 August 1480, a terrible carnage occurred when the Turks conquered the city, exterminating the 800 civilians and the clergy, who had taken refuge. It was transformed into a stable and then into a mosque.
All frescos, except those depicting the Madonna, dating back to the 13th century, were destroyed.
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In 1481, after the liberation of Otranto by the troops of Alfonso, Duke of Calabria, it was remodelled and the façade built.
Between 1680 and 1690, the bishop Francesco Maria De Aste
had the cathedral completely decorated in Baroque style. Further interventions were carried out between the 18th
and 19th centuries and the 1920s.
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Otranto harbour
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Galatina
Santa Caterina D'Alessandria
One of the most notable Gothic monuments in Puglia is Santa Caterina D'Alessandria in the historic centre of Galatina.
The building was constructed on a pre-existing Byzantine church of Greek rite dating back to the 9th-10th centuries, traces of which are visible on the external wall of the right nave into which the apse was incorporated.
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| Cloister of Santa Caterina D'Alessandria |
The entire interior is covered in amazing, colourful frescos. Walls, pillars, arches and vaults are decorated with wall paintings commissioned during the first half of the 15th century.
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| mean or friendly? |
Sunday, 26 October
Today we departed at 9 am by coach to Matera via Brindisi and Taranto.
Brindisi
The city has historically played an essential role in trade and culture due to its strategic position on the Italian Peninsula and its natural port on the Adriatic Sea. It is still a major port for trade with the Balkan Peninsula, Greece and the Middle East. Local industries include agriculture, chemical works, and electricity generation.
Interesting snippet: from September 1943 to February 1944, Brindisi was the provisional seat of the Kingdom of Italy, making it one of five capitals in Italy's history.
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| Brindisi |
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| Brindisi Taranto |
Doric columns from the Temple of Poseidon
From its origins as a Spartan colony in Magna Graecia (the historical Greek-speaking area of Southern Italy) to a powerful maritime republic and later a seat of princely and imperial power, Taranto has also been shaped by diverse civilisations, including the Greeks, Romans, Byzantines, Normans, and the Bourbons.
National Archaeological Museum
This museum houses a fantastic collection of Apulian Greek-Roman precious artifacts. Rooms are dedicated to marble sculptures, mosaics, and epigraphs dating back to the Hellenistic age.
Pottery features pink-and-black clay vases depicting characters and scenes from mythology and athletics.
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| stone head from the Roman period |
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| late 4th C BCE |
female (lt), group with Eros and Psyche (rt), couple on a kline (bed) (ctr)
The highlight is the Ori of Taranto (golds of Taranto) room, which holds sublime objects of extraordinary craftsmanship from Greece.
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| boat-shaped earring |
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| moulded gold leaf oak leaves, 4th-2nd BCE |
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| stunningly worked |
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| courtyard of the museum |
We arrived in Matera, for me, a place whose incredible landscape oozes an air of eternity out of its stones.
Matera has a continuous occupation dating back to prehistory (8,000 BCE), making it the third-oldest city in Europe. It is renowned for its rock-cut urban core, whose twin cliffside zones are known as the Sassi. It lies on the right bank of the Gravina river, whose canyon forms a geological boundary between the hill country of Basilicata (historic Lucania) to the southwest and the Murgia plateau of Apulia to the northeast.
We entered Sextantio Grotto, our home for the next few days.
Breakfast room
Our cave dwelling for the next few days, Freddi and Wilma Flintstone, eat your heart out...
romantic candlelight
Bathroom with all the comforts, including a cave bidet ...
...no, there's a proper one
stone sink
our courtyard
Monday, 27 October
Morning rise
We met our local guide and commenced a walking tour of the Sassi of Matera.
The city began as a complex of cave habitations excavated in the softer limestone on the western Lucanian face of the gorge. It took advantage of two streams that flow into the ravine, reducing the cliff's angle of descent and leaving a narrow, defensible promontory between the streams.
The central high ground, or acropolis, supporting the city's cathedral and administrative buildings, came to be known as Civity, while the settlement districts, scaling down and burrowing into the sheer rock faces, became known as the Sassi.
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Sculpture of a tree by Italian artist Andrea Roggi
A narrow promontory between the stream
frescos in one of Matera's cave churches
Matera street scenes
street art
courtyard à la Matera
This ancient Casa Grotta shows the living arrangements of a typical Matera peasant family until the 1960s, when these caves were abandoned. Some, such as ours, were recently converted into luxury abodes.
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| how small can you go? |
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| staircase |
Tuesday, 28 October
We left the magical Matera for Trani via Alberobello. Arrivederci Matera ...
Alberobello
Alberobello is famous for its unique trulli, which have been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1996.
The first occupation of the area started only in the 16th century, at the initiative of the regional Count. He allowed about 40 peasant families to settle and cultivate the land, with an obligation to give him a tenth of their crops.
In 1635, his successor began the urbanisation of the forest by building a few small houses. The expansion of the urban area was helped, first, by the abundance of calcareous limestone from the surrounding karst landscape, and second, by the Count's requirement to build houses only with dry stone walls, without mortar, which would give rise to the peculiar trulli.
This obligation to have houses built only of drystone with a removable keystone in the middle was an expedient of the Count to avoid paying taxes to the Spanish Viceroy of the Kingdom of Naples. When the tax inspectors arrived, the farmers pulled out the keystones, causing the building to collapse, thus avoiding paying tax.
Alberobello is the only inhabited centre with an entire district of trulli and is considered the cultural capital of the Itria Valley.
Trani
Approaching our Hotel San Paolo al Convento.
View out of our window.
Wednesday, 29 October
Trani
Sunrise
We met our local guide and commenced a walking tour of Trani.
Under Byzantine rule, the town was already a fortified centre and episcopal seat. With the arrival of the Normans, it enjoyed greater commercial autonomy and became a point of embarkation for the Holy Land.
Trani is proud of its significant medieval maritime statutes, the Ordinamenta Maris, drawn up in 1063 by the order of Pietro di Trani, which is still considered one of the oldest naval codes at the basis of Italian maritime law.
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| musical renditions always |
Thursday, 30 October
Today we did a full-day coach excursion to Barletta, Cannae, and Castle del Monte.
Cattedrale di Barletta
The castle of Barletta
The castle of Barletta is the architectural result of successive stratifications by different dynasties that ruled from the 11th century to the 18th century.
Once a fortress for defensive purposes, surrounded by the sea, with the moat encircling the castle and isolating it from potential enemy attacks, it constituted a strategic point in the life of the city as well as an essential urban cornerstone.
Travelling around this region, you inevitably hear about this Renaissance man - Frederick II.
Presumed bust of Frederick II in limestone, dating back to the 13th century.
Today, Barletta Castle is home to the municipal library, the civic museum and a conference and exhibition hall.
We left the Castle for our visit to Cannae.
Cannae - archaeological Park
The site of the Battle of Cannae, where the Roman Republic and Carthage fought on 2 August 216 BCE, is near the ancient village of Cannae. The Carthaginians and their allies, led by Hannibal, surrounded and practically annihilated a larger Roman and Italian army. It is regarded as one of the most extraordinary tactical feats in military history and one of the worst defeats in Roman history. It cemented Hannibal's reputation as one of antiquity's greatest tacticians.
ongoing excavations for the medieval citadel
Head of Medusa in the Museum
*oinochoe - wine pitcher or jug characterised by a curved handle extending from the lip to the shoulder, and a round or trefoil mouth.
This wonderfully preserved smiling face can be seen here in Australia. Where? You may ask? At the RN Milns Antiquities Museum at The University of Queensland. See if you can spot any more treasures. 
Castel del Monte
Castel del Monte is a citadel and castle built during the 1240s by King Frederick II, who inherited the lands from his mother, Constance of Sicily. The castle is famous for its bold octagonal plan and classicising architectural details.
Having heard so much about Frederick II, I want to talk about this remarkable man. Frederick was the second of Emperor Henry VI of the Hohenstaufen dynasty (second son of Emperor Frederick Barbarossa) and Queen Constance I of Sicily and the Hauteville dynasty. He was born on 26 December 1194, and lived until 13 December 1250. He was King of Sicily from 1198, King of Germany from 1212, King of Italy and Holy Roman Emperor from 1220 and King of Jerusalem from 1225.
Contemporary portrait of Frederick II from the 'Manfred Manuscript'
Frederick was one of the most brilliant and influential figures of the Middle Ages and ruled a vast area, beginning with Sicily and extending through Italy to Germany.
For his many-sided activities, dynamic personality and talents, Frederick II has been called the greatest of all German emperors, perhaps even of all medieval rulers. He built upon the work of his Norman predecessors and forged an early absolutist state bound together by an efficient secular bureaucracy. He was known to his contemporaries as Stupor mundi for his incredible accomplishments, enjoying a reputation as a Renaissance man and polymath, a visionary statesman, an inspiring naturalist, scholar, mathematician, architect, poet and composer. Not only that, but he also spoke six languages.
As an avid patron of science and the arts, Frederick II played a significant role in promoting literature and poetry. He was also the first monarch to formally outlaw trial by ordeal.
Frederick II's complex political and cultural legacy has continued to attract fierce debate and fascination to this day.
View through the window
So many arches and not forgetting comfort...
...Fireplace
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In Medieval times, when the fire was lit, condensation formed on the marble walls, dripped into the groove at the base of the wall, then over the steps into a hole in the ground, from which the water was collected. |
executed with great skill and foresight
and not forgetting the plumbing, as in the toilet
One last look out of this unforgettable castle
Goodbye, Castle del Monte
In 1996, Castle del Monte was named a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, which describes it as 'a unique masterpiece of medieval military architecture'.
Friday, 31 October
Today, we visited Bari and continued to Bitonto.
Bari
from octagonal to pointed -
Castello Normanno-Svevo
This Norman-Swabian castle has stood on the edge of the old city of Bari since 1131. Its imposing fortress walls are armed with large bastions, and surrounded on three of its four sides by a deep moat. The castle is encircled by the picturesque gardens of Isabel of Aragon.
from pointed to rounded -
Cattedrale di Bari
Bari street atmosphere
Cattedrale San Nicola
Bari seaside
arches and underground walkways
Bitonto - Angioina Tower
The Angioina Tower of Bitono is the only remnant of the castle built by the Angioina dynasty in the 13th century. The tower represented a strategic point both militarily and economically. It primarily served a defensive function and was part of the fortification system surrounding the city. It was also a symbol of Angioin power, built to assert the king's presence and control over the territory.
Duomo di Bitonto
This early Christian basilica has been used continuously until the 7th-11th centuries.
The floor mosaic depicts a mythic monster whose double nature stands out (a bird's head and wings and a feline body), symbolising, in Christian art, the divine and human.
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| early Christian mosaic of the 5th-6th CE |
Basilica pilar of the early Christian Age
early grave
Goodbye, Trani
Saturday, 1 November
We departed Bari by coach for Vietri sul Mare via Venosa and Melfi Castle.
Venosa
Vernosa, another historic town, is known for its Roman ruins in the Parco Archeologico, a medieval abbey, and its connection to the poet Horace.
Parco Archeologico
The public baths complex, only partially excavated, consists of a series of rooms arranged along an axial plan, as was typical during the early imperial period. The current layout is the result of a complete restoration in the 2nd century.
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| floor mosaic |
The frigidarium, the cold room for cold baths, has a pool with a semi-circular exedra and a rich mosaic floor, dating back to the late 3rd-4th century.
The tepidarium (heated room), the laconicum (dry-sweating room), and the caldarium are still visible. These rooms still retain portions of their suspensurae, the floors suspended on brick stacks or pillars (pilae) that enabled the circulation of hot air generated in the praeafurnia (furnace).
Abbey of Santissima Trinità
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| staircase |
the old Church
The construction date of the old monastery is unknown, but some elements may date from the 8th century.
interior of the old monastery
remnants of floor layers from different centuries
Melfi
The centrality of the Melfese area in the communication system among the different regions of Southern Italy, along with the fertility of the fields and the availability of water, encouraged the settlement of the Italic population on hills since protohistoric times.
By the end of the 7th century BCE, the population in this area had increased, and new settlement types had emerged. The inhabitants scattered shanties along the land for agriculture, remnants of which can be seen in Melfi Castle.
Current-day instructions on children's education
approaching Melfi Castle
Treasures from the 6th-5th centuries BCE
Plate with Female Face, Terracotta, Apulia, 500 - 400 BCE
This plate with the Female Face appears to be part of the Melfi Castle collection. Alas, it is housed in Brisbane, at the RN Milns Antiquity Museum.
Two marble sarcophagi testify to the prosperity and sophistication of the major landowners in imperial Rome. They allow a reconstruction of a multi-faceted picture of social, political and economic ties in the region under the Emperors Marcus Aurelius and Commododus in the final decade of the second century.
Sarcophagus from Atella
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| episodes from the myth of Achilles at Skyros decorate the coffin Sarcophagus from Rapolla |
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| 1. Apollo, 2. Ares, 3. Selene, 4. Achille, 5. Agamemnon Tombs of two warriors
    approaching the coast with the background of Mt Vesuvius |
Vietri sul Mare
View from our balcony at Hotel Lloyd's Baia
Sunday, 2 November
We started with a guided visit to Tenuta Vannulo, the first organic producer of bufala (water buffalo) milk, and its mozzarella production.
We visited the cheese-processing area, the stable, and the agricultural museum, and concluded our visit with an exquisite mozzarella-tasting lunch.
contented buffalo enjoying back rubs
Buffalo milk production
happy workers in the process of mozzarella production
vintage 1945 in the museum
Paestum
Quoting Nietzsche on seeing Paestum:
'It is as if a god had built his house here with huge blocks of stone.'
We spent the afternoon visiting the archaeological site of Paestum, a site totally open to the public. Paestum contains three of the best-preserved ancient Greek temples in the world. This includes the two Hera Temples below.
Paestum was a major ancient Greek city on the coast of the Tyrrhenian Sea, in Magna Graecia. Its ruins are famous for their three ancient Greek temples in the Doric order, dating from about 550-450 BCE. They are in an excellent state of preservation, which has me unable to stop taking photos. Perhaps you might share my exalted indulgence.
Temple known as the Basilica
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Temple of Neptune
Temple of Neptune interior
Shifts in trade routes and the onset of flooding and marsh formation caused Paestum's decline. The town became a bishopric, but was abandoned in the Early Middle Ages, left undisturbed and largely forgotten until the 18th century.
a road less travelled
until Geoff's discovery
Today, the remains of the town are part of the Province of Salerno, in the region of Campania.
amazing arches
a happy fellow traveller
in need of a rest
The National Archaeological Museum of Paestum
This Museum holds highlights from the mouth of the Sele river: the Sele Archaic metopes, relief panels of the temple dedicated to Hera, from around the 6th century BCE. The displays also show large painted terracotta architectural fragments from the temples and other buildings, Greek Terracotta figures, incomplete larger terracotta statues, and pottery, including painted vases.
Locally made statuettes of a goddess (Hera?) seated on a throne with her right hand on her chest holding a lotus flower (late 6th-5th century BCE)
Sanctuary of Hera on the river Sele (late 5th C BCE)
Zeus and Hera, the divine couple and the symbol of sacred marriage,
seated on a single throne.
Paestum is renowned for its painted tombs from the Lucanian period. However, the most famous dates to the Greek period: the Tomb of the Diver (Tomba del tuffatore), dating to the middle of the 5th century BCE, the Golden Age of the Greek town.
Tomb of the Diver, covering slab, c 470 BCE
The tomb was found on 3 June 1968, in a small necropolis, some 1.5 km south of the ancient walls. The tomb is painted with an accurate fresco technique; its importance lies in being the only example of Greek painting with figured scenes from the Orientalising, Archaic, or Classical periods to survive intact. Among the thousands of Greek tombs known from this time (roughly 700-400 BCE), this is the only one found to have been decorated with frescoes of human subjects.
Scholars are divided on the meaning of the diver; it would appear that the celebration of life may include a suggestion of the afterlife. As such, the diver could be suspended between heaven and earth.
hedonistic celebration of life
Following the flute player
While the National Archaeological Museum of Paestum holds the most extensive collection, many significant pieces were removed from the site before modern conservation methods were implemented. Statues, vases and painted pottery are held in the Louvre, in Madrid, Berlin, and other museums in Europe and America.
The Antikensammlung Berlin holds this Paestum bell krater:
Odysseus and Sirens, painted by Python, c 330 BCE
The RN Milns Antiquities Museum holds this Campanian bell krater:
Maenad*, Terracotta, c 375-350 BCE
*maenads - female followers of Bacchus
I see dead people...Gaudo culture (3,500-2,500 BCE)
The Gaudo culture is one of the most important cultures in Italian prehistory and played a key role in Campania between the mid-4th and the first half of the 3rd millennium BCE (the Copper Age). Tombs are the main form of evidence left by the Gaudo peoples. They are collective burials cut into the bedrock ('grotticella' tombs) containing individuals who were not always linked by kinship ties. The tomb was not just a commemorative monument for the deceased but also a space to celebrate the community's cohesiveness.
Female Statuette, made of Terracotta, Neolithic, Paestum, (5,000-4,500 BCE)
This statuette portrays a 'Neolithic Venus'. The preserved parts of the abdomen and legs suggest that this figurine was seated.
'Neolithic Venuses' are marked by large breasts and wide hips. These figurines were widespread during the Neolithic and are often found in ovens or hearths to emphasise their function as protectors of the home, or beneath floors as part of a foundation ritual. 'Neolithic Venuses' are generally interpreted as cult images, closely linked to the fertility and fecundity of both humans and the fields.
I recently came across this female pottery with red paint figurine from Iran at the Abbey Museum in Caboolture, Qld.
If you are interested in 'Neolithic Venuses', I touched on them in my U3A presentation: https://hspresentations.blogspot.com/p/storytellers-of-past.html
Back at our hotel
view into the other direction
Monday, 3 November
Before we reached Naples by coach, we visited Herculaneum and Oplontis.
Herculaneum
Depending on the source, the origins of Herculaneum are attributed to either the Greek hero Heracles or the Oscans around the 7th century BCE. The Etruscan took control of the area and were later overthrown by the Greeks. The Greeks named the town Heraklion and used it as a trading port because of its proximity to the Gulf of Naples. In the 4th century BCE, Herculaneum came under Samnite domination.
In the 2nd century BCE, the city walls were built (between 2 and 3 metres thick), primarily of large pebbles, except for the coastal section.
Herculaneum participated in the Social War (91-88 BCE) on the side of the 'Allies' against Rome and was defeated by Titus Didius, a legate of Sulla. Following the war, the walls lost their protective purpose and were integrated into houses and adjacent structures.
Herculaneum became a Roman municipium in 89 BCE. The eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 buried Herculaneum under approximately 20 m of ash. Pompeii, which we will visit on Tuesday, 4 November, was primarily buried by a thick layer of volcanic ash and lapilli. Herculaneum disappeared under pyroclastic surges and flows. These sites have been progressively excavated and made accessible to the public since the mid-18th century. However, a large area of Herculaneum still lies under the modern town of Ercolano.
military dinghy, over 9 m long, 2.2 m wide
Herculaneum is the only city in the Roman world with a practically preserved ancient seafront. Today's remains are a testimony to the luxurious living arrangements of its inhabitants.
bathing culture
spectacular mosaic flooring
central baths - men's section tepidarium -
mosaic floor with Triton and dolphins
central baths - women's section
shelves and a bench, made of rosso antico marble -
to leave clothes and objects
mosaic floor with meander motifs
frescos
The College of the Augustales interior
detail of the interior decoration of one of the arches -
and arch leading into the area of the Forum
Excavations continued sporadically up to the present, and today many streets and buildings are visible, although over 75% of the town remains buried.
archaeological work in progress
street paving stones
interior decorations
frescoes in the House of the Grand Portal
House of the Wooden Screen cubiculum
Grande Taberna sales counter
courtyard with a well
central pool in the atrium of the House of the Bicentenary
Samnite house atrium with impluvium (pool for collecting rainwater)
House of Neptune and Amphitrite - summer triclinium
The floor was designed to accommodate the banquet beds, arranged around a rectangular pool with water spouting forth to provide a cooler environment.
grocery store
2013 sculpture in ancient setting
new excavations
steps
sophisticated interior
wine, dine, be merry...
Today, the towns of Ercolano and Portici lie above Herculaneum.
Ercolano was called Resina until 1969, when the modern name was adopted in honour of the old city.
Goodbye Herculaneum
We'll spend the afternoon in Oplontis, present-day Torre Annunziata.
Oplontis
Known as Villa Poppea, this grandiose maritime villa was first built in the 50s BCE, and then expanded in stages. The oldest part centres around the atrium with the triclinium (dining room) and other reception rooms. It is believed that Nero's second wife, Poppea, resided here when away from Rome.
hidden well below Torre Annunziata
the villa's colonnade
Geoff had enough
it's a long way up
corner of the triclinium
frescoes
detail of a tragic mask and a peacock
sculpture without head
storage area
Atrium
Goodbye, Oplontis
We arrived in Napoli, where our evening concluded with a delicious dinner, courtesy of Academy Travel.
Buonasera, Napoli
view from our balcony -
Grand Hotel Santa Lucia
view towards Mt Vesuvius -
Tuesday, 4 November
Full-day excursion to Pompeii
Pompeii
While Pompeii needs no introduction, it is interesting to note that the ancient city developed from a small town that already existed in the 8th century BCE. To avoid falling into the hands of the Etruscans in the 6th century BCE, Pompeii entered into an alliance with the Cumaeans of Greek origin. However, the Etruscans still conquered Pompeii, which they dominated from 525 to 474 BCE, when they were defeated by the Greeks at the battle of Cumae. The influence of these great civilisations is clearly visible in the architecture, pottery and art.
The House of Venus in the Shell
Pompeii was next conquered by the Samnites, an Italic population from the interior of the region. In the following century, Roman troops conquered Campania, and by the end of the Samnite Wars (343-290 BCE), they dominated the entire region. Various conflicts and revolts led to Pompeii becoming a Roman municipality and later a Roman colony, which soon adopted Roman customs, replacing the hitherto Italic customs.
Unlike Herculaneum and other towns in the area, which were buried under a river of mud when Vesuvius erupted, Pompeii was hit by a gigantic cloud of poisonous gases, ash, lapilli and white-hot stones that buried monuments and human beings alike under a layer of debris as much as 7 m deep.
The Vettius House: lararium
some skills don't change
Reconstruction of a warp-weighted loom. The existence of this kind of loom has been recorded since the Early Bronze Age.
Having Dr Estelle guide us through Pompeii added another dimension to our visit, as these digs are her expertise. Pompeii, with its well-preserved buildings in an excavated area of 44 ha, is the only archaeological site in the world to provide a complete picture of ancient Roman life. Avoiding the crowds of visitors, Dr Estelle took us to an area newly excavated and still under work.
the ever-present volcano
Indeed, one of the sites was so recently explored that the former Chancellor of Germany, Angela Merkel, visited. At one stage, she was heading our way. Being so excited to see her, I spontaneously reached out to compliment her. Alas, her young, blond, sturdy X-built minder left absolutely no shadow of a doubt that that was not going to happen. I was so deflated, I didn't even take a photo of her. Here are the photos I took instead:
fresco
in detail
dog grinding its teeth: 'cave cane' (beware of the dog)
shop bench
The bench, covered by opus sectile (segments of polychrome marbles composing a geometrical design), still contains original dolia (terracotta receptacles). In one of them, earnings were found, mainly coins of little value.
On the wall to the right of the bench is a painted lararium (shrine) shaped like a small temple with Corinthian columns. In the middle are the house-gods, and on the two sides are Mercury and Dionysus, protectors of commerce and wine.
tricky irrigation system
Apsidal calidarium
surrounding landscape
a quiet spot where we had lunch
Our tour director, Ilaria, organised a picnic lunch away from the crowd in a beautifully secluded spot near the sites we visited.
near where we had our lunch
House of the Vettii
Freed Pompeii Slaves
typical structure of Pompeiian roads
Mt Vesuvius
The Temple of Jupiter
After a whole day of absorbing the epic Pompeian atmosphere, we returned to our very comfortable suite and another delicious dinner with fellow travellers.
Wednesday, 5 November
Naples
After a morning talk with slides by Dr Estelle, we departed for Naples Underground, San Lorenzo Maggiore Neapolis Sotterrata.
ruins underneath Naples
Naples street scenes...
limone, limoncello...
a reminder of life's brevity
entrance to the underground
San Lorenzo Maggiore is a church located at the precise geographic centre of the historic centre of the ancient Greek-Roman city. The Macellum of Naples was the ancient Roman market beneath the church.
While a specific date for Neapolis' founding cannot be established, archaeological studies indicate a date in the late 6th-early 5th century BCE. The initial settlers came from the city of Cuma, followed by the Calcidesi, Pithecusans (today's citizens of Ischia) and the Athenians. The urban layout of Neapolis is structured in a regular network of streets.
Marcellum of Naples -
ancient Roman market beneath the church
vaulted ceilings
pretending to be local citizens
monument of Dante Alighieri in Piazza Dante
shopping mall in Galleria Umberto
coffee or gelato?
Aperol Spritz!
the dome of the shopping mall
on our way home
the omnipresent mountain
sunset from our balcony
Thursday, 6 November
The National Archaeological Museum of Naples
We spent the morning visiting this impressive museum. Its collection includes works from Greek and Roman antiquities, especially Roman artifacts from the nearby Pompeii, Stabiae and Herculaneum sites. The museum's Mosaic Collection includes numerous vital mosaics discovered in the ruins of the Vesuvian city, dating from 100 BCE. The Farnese Collection forms the core of its art treasures. The museum also houses an extensive collection of Renaissance art.
Io and Argos, Pompeii, House of Meleagro, 62-79 AD
Io, identifiable by the bovine horns, is kept under surveillance by Argos to prevent Zeus from seducing her, as requested by Hera.
Ares and Aphrodite, Pompeii, House of Meleagro, 62-79 AD
The couple of divine lovers, with Cupids holding the god's helmet and the goddess's toilet box.
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| Terentius and his wife, Pompeii, House of Terentius Neo, 55-79 AD |
Portrait of the baker Terentius Neo and his wife in an intellectual pose. It is perhaps the only one of its kind discovered in the Vesuvian cities.
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One of the most famous Pompeian frescos is the medallion of the portrait of Sappho, dating to the Neronian period. It depicts a female face who holds a stylus thoughtfully to her lips, the ideal 'type' of intellectual woman. In this fresco, as in the portrait of Terentius Nero and his wife, the writing implements are used to identify the characters as members of the literate middle class.
Young man holding a roll, Pompeii, House of the Caenaculum, 50-79 AD
The young 'poet' has been awarded a wreath because he participated in a literary competition, as indicated by the word Plato written on the tag hanging from the papyrus roll.
Young man holding a roll, Pompeii, House of the Caenaculum, 50-79 AD
The similarity between their faces suggests that this young man is the 'brother' of the previous one, who appears to be younger. He has possibly been awarded in an epic poetry competition, since the word Homerus is written on the tag hanging from the papyrus roll.
Donna, Stabiae, Ariadne's Villa, 54-69 AD
Seated woman who is pondering.
Akte or Peliade, Herculaneum, 20-10 BCE
Face of a girl, a female figure in a painting depicting a sacrifice scene (perhaps the arrival of Jason at Iolco).
I believe it is of interest to include here an account of how the Greek 'colonisation' of southern Italy and Sicily evolved.
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routes of migration
The Greek 'colonisation' of southern Italy and Sicily
The phenomenon of migration followed in the wake of the experiences of the early Greek navigators who, in the Iron Age, started to rediscover the westward routes in search of raw materials, exploring the fertile lands of what was then called Hesperia, namely the region where the sun sets, and to form complex social and commercial relations with the local populations. The migratory movement was not instantaneous and unified but began, over the course of the two centuries, from individual cities or regions in Greece.
The first settlers to establish themselves in southern Italy and Sicily came mainly from Euboea, the Gulf of Corinth, and the Peloponnese. In less than a century, they founded numerous settlements, from the oldest of Pithekoussai, on the island of Ischia, in the first half of the 8th century BCE, to that of Siris-Polieion in Basilicata early in the following century.
The origins and profound motivations of the phenomenon of 'colonisation' can be traced to internal political crises or to problems caused by overpopulation or the scarcity of agricultural and food resources. Very often, those who left their homelands were forced to do so by the community to which they belonged. In some cases, they were even chosen by lot, ensuring the survival of those who remained.
Once they landed on the coasts of southern Italy, the various contingents of colonists established multiple modes of contact and exchange with the pre-existing local populations, thus contributing to the creation over time of the specific forms of the newly founded poleis (cities).
The Dancers of Ruvo, Ruvo, Puglia, late 5th-early 4th century BCE
moving towards the east?
Procession of eight women, all depicted in profile and dressed in long chitons and cloaks covering their heads in bright, multi-colours (ochre, red, blue, and black). The figures are moving to the right, with their hands interlinked, and each has a foot raised in a dance step.
The scene depicts a very ancient funerary ritual, a threnos. This involved dances and choral laments performed while the body of the deceased was displayed and while the funerary procession proceeded to the tomb. The chorus of women holding hands evokes, on a mythological level, the merry dance that Theseus and the young Athenians performed in Crete to celebrate the death of the Minotaur. If, however, as in this case, it refers to a funerary context, they allude directly to the social and political prestige of the departed. Moreover, the adoption of an Attic-inspired theme in an Apulian burial towards the end of the 5th century BCE reflects the political events of those years, during which Athens collaborated with the indigenous centres of Puglia to stop the dangerous growth of Tarantum's power.
Women's Procession of Offerings, Australia, 1964
moving towards the west?
Procession of Offerings, Greece, 2012
Pair of earrings, Gold, Taranto, second half of 4th century BCE
Necklace, Gold and garnet, Cumae (?), late 4th-early 3rd centuries BCE
Pair of earrings, Gold and garnet, Cumae (?), 3rd century BCE
Head in Luni marble, Faustina, wife of Antoninus Pius, was made during the early phase of his reign. I have a compulsion to include portraits of Faustinas (her namesake is one of the characters featured in my PhD thesis).
Pio Monte della Misericordia
We visited this church, consecrated in 1606, in the historic centre. It is famous for its artworks, including this Caravaggio painted in the year of its consecration.
Caravaggio, The Seven Works of Mercy, 1606
Museo di Capodimonte
This is one of the largest art museums in Italy. It was established by Charles of Bourbon in 1738 to accommodate his mother's, Elisabetta Farnese, art collection. The works include Roman sculptures and works by Caravaggio, Raphael, Titian, El Greco, Artemisia Gentileschi, and others.
staircase to the treasures
Titian, Portrait of Pope Paul III, c 1543
El Greco, A Boy Blowing on an Ember to Light a Candle, c 1570-72
Carravaggio, The Flagellation of Christ, c 1607-08
Artemisia Gentileschi, Judith Slaying Holofernes, c 1612-13
Artemisia Gentileschi, Annunciation, 1630
Artemisia Gentileschi, Judith and Her Maidservant, c 1645-50
Sebastiano del Piombo (attr), Shepherd with Flute, 1508-10
Angelica Kauffman, Ferdinando IV and His Family, c 1783
you have to cherish the famous Neapolitan - Sophia Loren
Classically and artistically enhanced by what we had seen, we farewelled the Museo di Capodimonte to indulge in our sumptuous farewell dinner at a restaurant close to our hotel.
Friday, 7 November
Our archaeological and cultural immersion into Puglia and Naples ended with our transfer to Rome Fiumicino airport. We shared an immensely enriching experience with our fellow travellers, and, for our part, Geoff and I will forever have the fondest memories of this well-organised and magical tour.