POMPEII, an ancient town of Campania, situated about 13 miles S.E. from Naples, in a plain at the foot of Vesuvius, through which runs the little river Sarno. The town appears to have been once close to the sea, and much resorted to as a bathing-place by the wealthy citizens of Rome. It is now nearly 2 miles from the sea in conse quence of the physical changes which have taken place in the district.
It stood on an eminence formed by a bed of lava, which seems to have been thrown up from the ground in this spot, and in several other places round the foot of Vesuvius, long before any of the eruptions recorded in history. Pompeii, as well as the neighbouring town of Ilerculaninm, is said by Strabo (p. 247) to have been ori5inally pos sessed by the Oaci, and then by the Tyrseni and Pelasgt. It after wards fell under the power of the Greek colonies of Camas and Parthenope, and lastly of the Sarnnites (about B.C. 440), who made themselves masters of this coast as far as the river Silents. About 80 years later the inhabitants of Campania threw off the yoke of the Sarnnites, and placed them elves under the protection of Rome. In the second Punk war the Campanians joined Hannibal, but were severely punished for it by the Romans, who brought the country under subjection. In the Social War (s.e. 90) the Campanian towns revolted, and Pompeii, among them, joined the Menden Confederacy.
A fearful earthquake threw down a great port of Pompeii, .a.n. 63. In the year A.D. 79, in the month of August, the first recorded eruption of Vesuvius took place, which is well known from the letter of Pliny the Younger, whose uncle lost his life on the occasion. In this eruption Pompeii was buried under showers of stones, cinders, and ashes, which in course of time became a bed of earth, and corn was sown and the vine Will planted above the buried town, whose existence was forgotten until 1659, when the ruins protruding above the ground were first noticed. In 1755 the excavations began. They have been continued at intervals, and are still being carried on under the superintendence of the Neapolitan government. About a fourth part of the city along the western side of the walls has been excavated and cleared of the rubbish. This portion, which appears to have been the finest part of the town, contains about eighty houses and numerous small shops, two theatres, a basilica, nine temples, three forums, the amphitheatre, the baths, the prison, and other public) buildings of less note. The city was anciently surrounded by walls, of which the greater portion bas been traced, including six gates and twelve towers. The walls had a parapet on each side. The circuit of the walls is nearly 2 miles, and the area within measures about 161 acre*. There were however suburbs, one of which, at the north western or Herculanintn gate, is partly excavated, and is called the street of tomb., from a number of handsome tombs which line the road leading to the town. The suburban villa, called the villa of
Diomedes, is In this quarter. On entering the gate the visitor finds himself in a long tortuous street leading to the great forum. To the left of this street is the house called that of Sallust, which occupies a square of about 40 yards; and near It is the house of Pans*, which, with it. court and garden, is about 100 yards long by 40 yards wide. Nearer to the forum are the baths, in very good preservation, which appear to have been finished a short time before the destruction of the town. Upon entering the forum the spectator finds himself in a large oblong area, about 120 yards long and 40 yards wide, surrounded by columns, pedestals which ouco supported statues, the ruins of temples, triumphal arches, and other public buildings. Around the west, south, and east sides there runs a Grecian Doric colonuade, some of the columns of which are standing; they are 2 feet 3 inches in diameter, and 12 feet in height ; the interval between them is 6 feet 10 inches. At the north end of the forum stand the ruins of a build ing, which has been called the temple of Jupiter, 120 feet long and 43 feet wide : when entire, it must have been 60 feet high. The columns are of the Corinthian order, and 3 feet 8 inches in diameter. On the west side of the forum is the temple of Venus, which stood in an open area surrounded by a wall and portico. Beyond it, to the south, is the basilica, or court of justice, the largest building in Pom peii, 220 feet long and 80 feet wide : the lateral walls remain, but the roof and upper gallery have fallen in. On the eastern side of the forum, towards its northern end, is the Pantheon, so called from 12 pedestals placed in a circle round an altar in the centre of an extensive area.
The other public buildings of Pompeii which have been excavated are the two theatres, the larger of which is capable of containing about 5000 persons; the temple of Hercules, which is the oldest building ill the town, and the amphitheatre. The latter, which is at the eastern extremity of the town, separate from the other excavated parts, is 430 feet long and 335 feet broad, and is estimated to have been capable of accommodating 10,000 persons.
A description of these buildings is given iu the work entitled 'Pompeii; in the 'Library of Entertaining ' and in the elaborate works of Mazois, Sir William Gell, and Donaldson. The numerous statues, medals, and other moveable antiquities found at Pompeii have been deposited in the Royal Museum of Naples, and are described in the work entitled '3Iuseo Borbonico,' published at Naples. An interesting view of the character of the architecture and antiquities of Pompeii is presented in the Pompeian Court in the Crystal Palace, Sydenham, and the descriptions and plans given in the ' Official Handbook' by Mr. O. Scharf, illustrate the subject in a very satisfactory manner.