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Herculaneum: Past and Future
"One could hardly ask for a clearer, more comprehensive, and better illustrated guide to Herculaneum." – Publishers Weekly
Winner of the Felicia A Holton Book Award 2013, from the Archaeological Institute of America
On 24 August A.D. 79, the volcano Vesuvius erupted, burying the cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum under ash and rock and leaving them remarkably well preserved for centuries. While Pompeii has been extensively written about and popularized, the remains of its sister city, a smaller yet wealthier community close to the sea, are less widely known. This significant addition to the few available books focusing on Herculaneum is the first major study of the spectacular archaeological findings there since Joseph Jay Deiss' book, published in 1966 and last revised in 1993. It is based on the latest excavation work and incorporates much new material that has revolutionized our understanding of the site. Illustrated with 300 recent color photographs, it is the definitive overview for the general public of what we know and understand about Herculaneum, of what is still unknown and mysterious, and of the potential for future discoveries in both archaeological and political contexts.
Winner of the Felicia A Holton Book Award 2013, from the Archaeological Institute of America
On 24 August A.D. 79, the volcano Vesuvius erupted, burying the cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum under ash and rock and leaving them remarkably well preserved for centuries. While Pompeii has been extensively written about and popularized, the remains of its sister city, a smaller yet wealthier community close to the sea, are less widely known. This significant addition to the few available books focusing on Herculaneum is the first major study of the spectacular archaeological findings there since Joseph Jay Deiss' book, published in 1966 and last revised in 1993. It is based on the latest excavation work and incorporates much new material that has revolutionized our understanding of the site. Illustrated with 300 recent color photographs, it is the definitive overview for the general public of what we know and understand about Herculaneum, of what is still unknown and mysterious, and of the potential for future discoveries in both archaeological and political contexts.
352 pages, Hardcover
First published May 1, 2011
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
July 2, 2016
One can read about the past, but the experience of actually being there adds a new dimension of understanding. It is more of a feeling than factual details. Pompeii and Herculaneum gave me that experience. However, an expert human guide is necessary to make the ruined old buildings come alive.
Pompeii was large enough that I felt truly immersed in a city with no artificial edges. Herculaneum was a smaller town, and only part of it has been excavated. However, much more detail was preserved. I could go into multi-storey buildings, and see details like the original wooden sliding doors.
This book is the definitive guide to Herculaneum. I read if after I had been there. What it added to my experience is details about the people who lived there, which I did not pick up on my tour. The book is well done, with lots of pictures, though I found it a little difficult to interpret the perspective in the many panorama shots they used. I don’t know how much a reader will get out of this book on its own, but I definitely recommend it if you plan to visit the site. There is also an excellent BBC Panorama program here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3_wfT...
Herculaneum is unique in that organic remains have been preserved. We have skeletons of a cross-section of the population that suddenly died, as opposed to being buried after they died of old age. A lot can be learned about a person's life from the skeleton. We have remains of the food people ate. There are written records of many of the people who lived there, to the point where we can say who lived in what house. Rich and poor lived close together. It is fascinating what all this reveals about slavery. Slaves were reasonably well fed and not too badly treated. More than that, most of the population were actually freed slaves, some of whom we know lived in the nicest houses. Slavery amounted to a form of controlled immigration rather than forced toil unto death. This is a sample of one, and I doubt slaves working in the mines and plantations had it this good, but this is hard evidence that a perception we had about Roman slavery was, at least in this instance, wrong.
I found it fascinating that in each of Herculaneum, Pompeii and Ostia Antica I saw these fast food restaurants (thermopolium) that were almost identical. The guides called them ancient Roman equivalent of Macdonalds.
Pompeii was large enough that I felt truly immersed in a city with no artificial edges. Herculaneum was a smaller town, and only part of it has been excavated. However, much more detail was preserved. I could go into multi-storey buildings, and see details like the original wooden sliding doors.
This book is the definitive guide to Herculaneum. I read if after I had been there. What it added to my experience is details about the people who lived there, which I did not pick up on my tour. The book is well done, with lots of pictures, though I found it a little difficult to interpret the perspective in the many panorama shots they used. I don’t know how much a reader will get out of this book on its own, but I definitely recommend it if you plan to visit the site. There is also an excellent BBC Panorama program here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3_wfT...
Herculaneum is unique in that organic remains have been preserved. We have skeletons of a cross-section of the population that suddenly died, as opposed to being buried after they died of old age. A lot can be learned about a person's life from the skeleton. We have remains of the food people ate. There are written records of many of the people who lived there, to the point where we can say who lived in what house. Rich and poor lived close together. It is fascinating what all this reveals about slavery. Slaves were reasonably well fed and not too badly treated. More than that, most of the population were actually freed slaves, some of whom we know lived in the nicest houses. Slavery amounted to a form of controlled immigration rather than forced toil unto death. This is a sample of one, and I doubt slaves working in the mines and plantations had it this good, but this is hard evidence that a perception we had about Roman slavery was, at least in this instance, wrong.
I found it fascinating that in each of Herculaneum, Pompeii and Ostia Antica I saw these fast food restaurants (thermopolium) that were almost identical. The guides called them ancient Roman equivalent of Macdonalds.
March 15, 2014
The gorgeous photographs in this book alone are worth the time to read it, but the book also contains new, very interesting information about life in ancient Rome. Unlike Pompeii, Herculaneum's ruins portray a smaller, more pastoral picture of life in the ancient Roman Empire. Pompeii attracts millions of visitors a year, in large part due to its reputation as a once rowdy town with many brothels and a great deal of erotic graffiti. Herculaneum, on the other hand, gives a more intimate (and probably more accurate) picture of how average Romans lived - it is a window into the distant past and allows us to see how the rich, middle class, poor, and slaves lived (and died). I've always wanted to see Pompeii, but now I am also excited to see Herculaneum. I just hope the conservation efforts continue and are successful before more of this ancient treasure is lost.
December 19, 2022
This is a brilliant coffee table sized book on Herculaneum by renown historian Andrew Wallace-Hadrill. The large color pictures make you feel like you're there. There's a number of foldouts where you're looking at a 4 page picture of one image. The book covers the history of the site and it's excavations from the Bourbons who were pillaging the site for their own collection to Amedeo Mauri's excavations and restorations which account for most of the present tourist experience, to recent and future excavations.
Wallace-Hadrill's love of the site shines through in his concern for the conservation efforts. Make no mistake, it's difficult and expensive to maintain an ancient city once it has been excavated. The treasures and arts and buildings inevitably decay and without constant and ongoing conservation efforts the site won't leave much for the future tourist. That is the challenge the site faces. Wallace-Hadrill does well in educating the reader about the full picture, of how complicated conservation is (and the mistakes of well intending predecessors) and how politics and funding are not simple problems with simple solutions.
The next time I go to Italy, I'm going to Herculaneum and I'll need to re-read this treasure.
Wallace-Hadrill's love of the site shines through in his concern for the conservation efforts. Make no mistake, it's difficult and expensive to maintain an ancient city once it has been excavated. The treasures and arts and buildings inevitably decay and without constant and ongoing conservation efforts the site won't leave much for the future tourist. That is the challenge the site faces. Wallace-Hadrill does well in educating the reader about the full picture, of how complicated conservation is (and the mistakes of well intending predecessors) and how politics and funding are not simple problems with simple solutions.
The next time I go to Italy, I'm going to Herculaneum and I'll need to re-read this treasure.
November 22, 2016
I read several books in preparation for a holiday in Naples area.
This one is by far the best one I read about Herculaneum; if you have time to read only one book about this town, this is the one.
The illustrations are beautiful , the maps and drawings clear and useful and most importantly the story of the town is treated comprehensively starting with the geology of the area, the "politics" of archaeology, and then the story of the town as it was revealed by the digging ups .
It finishes with an estimation of the future challenges in the conservation of this window into our past.
The narrative flows and it was easily accessible and fascinating for a layman like me. Behind every row, I felt the warm smile of the author (which I know from several BBC documentaries) with his passion and deep knowledge of the roman history.
This one is by far the best one I read about Herculaneum; if you have time to read only one book about this town, this is the one.
The illustrations are beautiful , the maps and drawings clear and useful and most importantly the story of the town is treated comprehensively starting with the geology of the area, the "politics" of archaeology, and then the story of the town as it was revealed by the digging ups .
It finishes with an estimation of the future challenges in the conservation of this window into our past.
The narrative flows and it was easily accessible and fascinating for a layman like me. Behind every row, I felt the warm smile of the author (which I know from several BBC documentaries) with his passion and deep knowledge of the roman history.
May 12, 2024
Great exploration of Herculaneum with pictures. Brings the city to life.
May 7, 2016
Andrew Wallace-Hadrill offers a colorful portrait of what may be perhaps the ancient world's most fascinating city that remains more or less intact to this day. The photographs add yet another dimension to an already captivating narrative, and make the reader feel as if she or he is exploring Herculaneum in person. Nonetheless, at times one feels somewhat lost in Wallace-Hadrill's detailed explanation of objects and locations in Herculaneum's many houses. Fortunately, the pictures and diagrams help the reader find his or herself once more, standing in the atrium of the House of the Mosaic Atrium or on the top floor of the House of the Telephus Relief, surrounded by the awe of Herculaneum.
March 11, 2013
There aren't that many books in English on Herculaneum, and most of those are rewrites of Maiuri's research in the 1960s. Wallace-Hadrill's book is therefore, a nice addition to the bookshelf either way.
However, this book is extremely lavishly illustrated making it the perfect coffee table book.
The real asset is, however, the text, which offers a much needed update on the state of play in Herculaneum, incl. the work of the Herculaneum Conservation Project in the last few years.
It is a real pleasure to read and a great preparation for a trip to the bay of Naples or a Pompeii and Herculaneum exhibition.
However, this book is extremely lavishly illustrated making it the perfect coffee table book.
The real asset is, however, the text, which offers a much needed update on the state of play in Herculaneum, incl. the work of the Herculaneum Conservation Project in the last few years.
It is a real pleasure to read and a great preparation for a trip to the bay of Naples or a Pompeii and Herculaneum exhibition.
August 28, 2013
Not just a coffee table book! Wallace-Hadrill's breezy and engaging style makes this a pleasure to read. Up to date and fascinating.
The photography is amazing too.
The photography is amazing too.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews