Pompeii was considered a large city for the time, and even more cosmopolitan than Rome, which was several days’ journey from Pompeii.  Because of Pompeii’s long and varied history of ownership, foreign influences—such as the practice of Egyptian religious rites and the use of Greek architecture—are evident everywhere in the city.  It held administrative control over the neighboring suburbs, and was a center for trade in crops, wine, and olive oil.  When Vesuvius erupted, much of Pompeii was still recovering from the great earthquake of AD 62, and evidence of massive reconstruction efforts were found during excavations.

Excavations as recent as 1999—during the expansion of the A3 autostrada, or highway—uncovered some of the finest frescoes yet found in the region.  These frescoes, found in the House of the Triclinia in Moregine, cover the walls of all three triclinia (literally, three-sided dining rooms).  The frescoes were meant to enhance the dining experience for guests, and some experts speculate that this particular site may have been a travelers’ stop for Emperor Nero himself.  An assortment of muses lines the walls, among them: Euterpe, Muse of dance and tragic choruses; Clio, Muse of history; Calliope, Muse of lyric poetry; and others.


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