Herculaneum is regarded as one of the UNESCO world heritage sites.The ancient Roman city was founded around the sixth to seventh century BC by the Oscans, also known as Etruscans, after the conquering of the Samnites in the fifth century BC. The city, named after the mythical Greek hero, Hercules, is located north west of Pompeii, and outside Naples, Italy.Its streets and famous boat houses were engulfed as the ash fell from Mount Vesuvius, trapping people from the ground floor to the upper floors of their houses and businesses as they went about their daily lives.The well-preserved ruins were discovered during the 16th century, by an architect named Domenico Fontana but weren’t excavated for another 200 years. When historians realized the enormous significance of this once great city in the ancient world, in 1738, they proceeded with excavations of the ruins to learn in detail about the untold stories of war and peace in Herculaneum. The ancient Roman city, discovered and named after its legendary hero, was a large ancient Roman town in the Campania region which is located on the west coast of central Italy.The city of Herculaneum has proven to be an excellent source of history. The large ancient town had a booming harbor and beautiful climate. And for these specific reasons the ancient Roman city was occupied by many wealthy landowners who constructed and preserved villas, estates, and boat houses. It is also though that its largest villa, known as the Villa of the Papyri, was owned by the father-in-law of Julius Caesar, Lucius Calpurnia Piso Caesoninus.However, the beautiful city was shaded by a huge volcano. It saw a catastrophic eruption in 79 CE history, of the active volcano called Mount Vesuvius, in which the cities of Herculaneum, Pompeii, Stabiae, and Oplontis were destroyed. Nearby Ercolano is now a resort town near to Herculaneum built on volcanic material that was left behind in the ruins.The History Of HerculaneumAccording to numerous Greek myths in history, the city of Herculaneum was founded by the Greek legendary hero, Hercules. But Strabo, another prominent Greek geographer, states that the Oscans discovered it, thenceforward Etruscans and Greeks.When the Greeks occupied it, they utilized this collection of houses with close accessibility to the Gulf of Naples, making it a trading post. It was not until the occupation of Samnites and after the Romans, that the ancient Roman town was renamed a ‘municipium’, or town, in 89 BC. Herculaneum flourished commercially and became a major port.Although smaller in size than neighboring Pompeii, the city’s historical significance is not any lesser. During Roman times, it became an exclusively popular seaside port, making it commercially successful, attracting many wealthy people who built luxurious houses there. The location of Herculaneum was such that the people who occupied the city took complete advantage of the climate, which was perfect, possessing abundant fish, and with soil fertile enough for the flourishing of agriculture. Ironically, ash from the nearby Vesuvius added to the soil quality.The geographer Strabo referred to the region as the fruitfulness of the country, for its geographical and agricultural perfection. During the time of Greek settlement, nearby Naples was also founded. These relatively new Roman towns eventually thrived in the rich cultural atmosphere of the Greek kingdoms. Naples is still a thriving city today.However, during the influence of Samnites, the city became an ally of Rome. The numerous pieces of evidence gathered from the excavations show us that houses with growing architectural style were built; Oscan houses with mini windows and doorways were built efficiently making up spaces for gardens on the ground floor, with a second floor and upper floors. During the advent of the Romans, the city was provided with modern-day amenities such as sewers, theaters, paved streets, and the basilica.Romans saw the city of Herculaneum as a center of pleasure and rejuvenation. The city quickly became a holiday spot for elite Romans to retreat. Spectacular views of its coastline attracted numerous wealthy Romans.The central bath houses at Herculaneum, and other cities, were divided into bigger bath house for men, and smaller bath houses for women, each with its own changing room (apodyterium), warm room (tepidarium), and hot-chamber (caldarium). The rooms in the bath houses were heated by hypocaust, can early central-heating system. It was encased in a wooden barrel-vaulted structure in the second century and comprised the caldarium (hot bath houses), tepidarium (lukewarm bath houses), and frigidarium (cold bath houses).However, just when the city was flourishing, it was catastrophically hit by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius, around 79 AD. By numerous historical accounts, it was realized that around midnight, the city was hit by hot gas emerging from Vesuvius. The heat was so extreme that it was thought to be impossible for its inhabitants to survive. People were also suffocated by the ash from Mount Vesuvius. Practical Advice For Visiting HerculaneumVisiting Herculaneum is easy. You can take a trip back in time to visit both Pompeii and Herculaneum almost any day. Here is some useful practical advice for visiting Herculaneum:You will need an authorized pass for entering the ancient site, so go through the official Pompeii website. It is worth visiting both Pompeii and Herculaneum.The opening hours of these sites are 8.30 AM to 5 PM, from November to March, and 8.30 AM to 7.30 PM April to September.However, if you find yourself possessing the Campania Arte card, you will not be charged entry.The ancient sites of both Pompeii and Herculaneum are large and if you are thinking about exploring them in a single day, the journey will leave you exhausted. So it is advised to take your time and plan the visits over two days.Start your day as early as possible, from about 5.30 AM, as it can get very hot and, as the sites are cities, they cover large areas.The Restoration Of HerculaneumThe first excavation of the once-great cities started around 1738 at Pompeii. Although what was then considered to be a productive restoration and conservation process actually began without having a strong foundation or proper planning.The excavations were beset by problems, including financial. However, excavators unearthed significant treasures, such as the Villa of the Mysteries in Pompeii.However, the cities were so well preserved because of the nature of the Mount Vesuvius pyroclastic blast. They were encased in ash, and famously casts were taken of human forms preserved for history.Vesuvius blasted volcanic material hundreds of meters into the sky. The top of Vesuvius flattened when the volcanic ash reached a height of 17-21 mi (27–33 km), causing Pliny to depict it to Tacitus as a stone pine tree. The prevailing winds were blowing with intense heat against the northwest at the time, forcing the hot ash from Vesuvius to fall mostly on Pompeii and the surrounding region.These ancient cities are now part of the World Monuments Watch, which preserves ancient heritage sites of great significance. The Ministry of Culture in Southern Italy has also arranged partnerships to sponsor restorative projects. While the excavations process has brought back some promising findings of the wealth and structure of the ancient Roman town, it has also unveiled other aspects of deterioration.It is estimated that current funding is inadequate and additional funding is needed to save the cities. Humidity, natural light, and climate change have been acting as agents of mass deterioration. In Herculaneum, when the carbonized organic and skeletal remains were exposed to sunlight, some degenerated within days. Another hurdle in the house and city restoration process is, perhaps surprisingly, pigeons. Or, more importantly, their droppings, which are acidic and deteriorate the organic remains and important structures.However, Amedeo Maiuri, who was the director of Pompeii and Herculaneum between 1924 to 1961, decided to enable the process of reconstruction of the structures which were lost due to the eruption.Concrete and steel are some of the materials used in the restoration process. But since there was extensive damage during initial excavations, reconstruction might take many more years than anticipated. Also, many of the public spaces have been destroyed by tourists and vandalism, and water damage from modern Ercolano has weakened many of the building foundations.In recent times, comprehensive scientific research has found suitable procedures and methods which can be used in conserving Herculaneum’s structures, wall paintings, and public buildings.The Heritage Of HerculaneumThe once-popular seaside port city, ancient beach, and beautiful summer retreat for wealthy Romans ended as abruptly as it began. Although it is known as the sister city of Pompeii, Herculaneum is, in itself, a unique visitor experience.The hustle and bustle of the city one day came to an end when Vesuvius erupted, but there remains the peaceful ruins, the calm only shattered by the chatter of modern-day tourists.Exhibits at both sites display artifacts and precious gems, like emeralds and pearls. Just like the nearby city of Pompeii, Herculaneum was preserved mostly by ash during the eruption, protecting the town against natural light before the excavations. Compared to Pompeii, the city of Herculaneum was a little more wealthy although smaller in size. This is the heritage of the once-legendary retreat of the wealthy Roman elite.It’s a good idea to plan to stay for several days. The Naples National Archaeological Museum, for example, houses a great quantity of Herculaneum relics. And finish off by visiting the beautiful coastline of Sorrento, and relax after cultural tours of the historic area.
Herculaneum is regarded as one of the UNESCO world heritage sites.
