Herculaneum: Around Town

Let’s look around town a bit, shall we?

Buildings in Herculaneum were multi-level and some of the upper levels were accesible directly from the street.

There was also evidence, through the way the buildings were constructed, that some people lived over their shops, like this tavern below.

Herculaneuns didn’t eat at home much at all. Instead, they went either to bars (casual, counter-service type eateries) or taverns (sit-down restaurants). Bars were more common for lunch, taverns for dinner.

Extra seating at a bar (the iron trellis is a new addition).

There are iron grooves at the top of the entryway to this tavern. Archeologists think there were iron doors shopowners pulled down to seal the doorway at night (sound familiar?). I find all these similarities to modern culture VERY cool…

All of the taverns had colorfully-mosaic’ed bars around which patrons would sit to eat. Plates of food would cover those holes in the top of the bar, under which a small fire was built to keep the food warm.

In this photo you can see the clay jars that held the fire.

Boys club. This was the athletic field at the male gymnasium They had cold baths, hot baths, massage rooms, sporting groups, saunas…

…locker rooms!

Oh, yeah, and public bathrooms. That couldn’t've drained very well…

It’s the ancient version of Rodeo Drive – a line of storefronts! Farthest away from the ocean where rent was probably cheapest.

This sign states that this shop sold terracotta pots, and then at the bottom advertises a play. The name of the playright is mentioned, eternally remembered, even if his play is not.