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Pompeii MMV
The Classics department took 54 pupils in the Third, Fourth and Lower Sixth forms to the area around Naples. Visits included the Roman cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum, destroyed by the A.D.79 eruption of Vesuvius, the Greek temples at Paestum and the amazing Roman amphitheatre at Pozzuoli. The first day we saw three volcanoes: the crater of Vesuvius itself , the malodorous Solfatara and the caldera lake of Lago Averno, one of the ancient entrances to the underworld. We also observed the spectacular views along the Amalfi coast, and experienced a typical street market in Naples before visiting the National Archaeological Museum, where many Classical mosaics and frescoes are housed. On the way back to the airport we even managed to fit in the well-preserved villa at Oplontis. In the street-scene of Pompeii below, some of the Lower Sixth seem to be staging a belated protest about vehicular congestion near the forum.
