Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
of Herculaneum have a wealth of archaeological finds. Indeed, this superbly conserved
Roman fishing town of 4000 inhabitants is smaller and easier to navigate than Pompeii,
and can be explored with a map and audio guide (€6.50, €10 for two). Archaeological
work began again in 1927 and continues to this day.
From the site's main gateway on Corso Resina, head down the wide boulevard, where
you'll find the ticket office on the left. Pick up a free map and guide booklet here, then
follow the boulevard right to the actual entrance into the ruins themselves.
With Vesuvius erupting above them, thousands of people tried to escape by boat but
were suffocated by the volcano's poisonous gases. Indeed, what appears to be a moat
around the town is in fact the ancient shoreline. It was here in 1980 that archaeologists
discovered some 300 skeletons, the remains of a crowd that had fled to the beach only to
be overcome by the terrible heat of clouds surging down from Vesuvius.
CASA D'ARGO &
CASA DELLO SCHELETRO
As you begin your exploration northeast along Cardo III you'll stumble across Casa
d'Argo (Argus House). This noble pad would originally have opened onto Cardo II (as yet
unearthed). Onto its porticoed, palm-treed garden open a
triclinium
(dining room) and
other residential rooms. Across the street sits the Casa dello Scheletro (House of the Skel-
eton), a modestly sized house boasting five styles of mosaic flooring, including a design
of white arrows at the entrance to guide the most disorientated of guests. In the internal
courtyard, don't miss the skylight, complete with the remnants of an ancient security grill.
Of the house's mythically themed wall mosaics, only the faded ones are originals; the oth-
ers now reside in the Museo Archeologico Nazionale (
Click here
).
TERME MASCHILI
Just across the Decumano Inferiore (one of ancient Herculaneum's main streets), the Ter-
me Maschili (Male Baths) were the men's section of the Terme del Foro (Forum Baths).
Note the ancient latrine to the left of the entrance before you step into the
apodyterium
(changing room), complete with bench for waiting patrons and a nifty wall shelf for san-
dal and toga storage. While those after a bracing soak would pop into the
frigidarium
(cold bath) to the left, the less stoic headed straight into the
tepadarium
(tepid bath) to the
right. The sunken mosaic floor here is testament to the seismic activity preceding Mt Ve-
suvius' catastrophic eruption. Beyond this room lies the
caldarium
(hot bath), as well as
an exercise area.
