Thirty Feet Under

Death and new life near Pompeii

Imagine Villa Oplontis, the archaeological site between Herculaneum and Pompeii, like the Versace mansion in Miami Beach. Locals call it Villa Poppaea because of the chance it once belonged to Nero’s second wife, Poppaea Sabina, who was a native of nearby Pompeii. It was a super luxe vacation home with all the amenities for hosting imperial Rome’s elite. It boasted an infinity pool, private beach, opulent guest rooms, and an army of enslaved people to take care of every whim or need. Hungry for some fresh seafood? Done, the villa has its own fish farm. Want to unwind in a hot steam bath? Senator, follow me to our private calidarium.

The villa was empty when Vesuvius erupted in 79 AD covering it in 33 feet of volcanic material, and destroying all the Vesuvius Coast towns south of Naples. Maybe it was still being renovated following the earthquake of 62, maybe it was recently sold and the new owners hadn’t yet moved in. The site was first discovered in the 16th century, but not meaningfully excavated and studied until the 1980s, but was abandoned once again. In 2005, work was reignited with The Oplontis Project which brings together cross-disciplinary teams who are making some of the most exciting discoveries in the history of archaeology.

The most history changing finds have been made inside the ancient warehouse adjacent to Villa Oplontis, discovered by accident in 1972 when ground was broken for a high school. Officially referred to as “Villa B”, the warehouse seems to have been a shipping depot for wine, very much active as shown by over 50 skeletons found together in a sea-facing room, likely awaiting a rescue ship. These bones are a trove of information for bio-archaeologists who are studying the diet and health of the Romans.

Also discovered were hundreds of pomegranates and stacks of amphorae filled with new wine, both fruit of a fall harvest, making the widely accepted date of August 24th highly implausible as the day Vesuvius erupted. Finally, a coin found in a lock box proves that the eruption most likely took place in October.

For people who would like to see Pompeii, but would prefer a smaller, more intimate, yet complete experience, consider this more off-the-beaten-path site in Torre Annunziata. You can learn more about the fascinating discoveries at Oplontis in my class “The Real Housewives of the Vesuvian Coast” on Friday January 21st at 5pm EST. The class will also be recorded and available to watch for 2 weeks. In the meantime, enjoy these photographs from my most recent research trip in late August 2021.

View of Villa Oplontis from street level. The villa was buried under approximately 33 feet of volcanic debris. More ruins are certainly beneath the modern town of Torre Annunziata that immediately surround the villa.

The interior of the villa is filled with frescoes from multiple styles of Roman painting and include both decorative and figurative designs.

Roman homes always sought to integrate nature within the structure, especially in Campania where the climate is temperate and the ground is fertile year round.

The swimming pool at Villa Oplontis may have had a 40 foot drop off into the sea. (Note the steps to enter the pool in the far right corner.) Archaeologists believe the villa was once directly on the sea front, but the land has been reshaped since then due to volcanic activity and bradyseism.

Zebra print patterns likely mark the servants paths throughout the villa so as not to interrupt the experience of residents and guests.

In August of 2021, Villa B was opened to the public for the first time ever for four consecutive Friday evenings. I eagerly made an appointment for one of the coveted spots and took these photographs.

Villa B is also underneath the modern city of Torre Annunziata. It was excavated in the 1970s and 1980s, but meaningful study is only now being published.

The stone of the pillars suggests the warehouse may have been built long before the villa. The upper quarters would have been private rooms and there are frescoes that were disposed of during Roman times that have been found by archaeologists.

Great stacks of amphrorae, shipping containers for liquids, were found in Villa B. Scientists have studied the residue inside the amphorae and concluded they were filled with wine just made from the fall harvest. Campania produced the best wine in the Roman Empire and it was exported directly from warehouses like this one.

An ornate lockbox likely fell from the upper floors during the eruption. It contained coins included one which confirms that Vesuivius did not erupt in August 24th as it was minted after that date. Pompeii and the adjacent towns were likely destroyed in October.