Google Earth: Pompeii

Although once under ash from the volcano Vesuvius, Pompeii has been brought into daylight through years of dedication by archaeologists and architectural historians. Now using Google Earth anyone can explore the Roman city from the sky or from the ground. I begin my exploration of Pompeii in the “little theater”, which is actually almost twice the size of the one to the east of it. The rows of seating surrounding the half-circle stage area create a textbook example of the Roman theater. I can see archaeologists continuing the work to recover and preserve the beautiful work of Roman architecture which has been untainted by modern culture. I imaging the ancient stage as it once was, with rotating stone sets, doorways for masked actors to leap to the stage, and an orchestra in front. The theater is filled with people coming to hear the great playwrights of the time perform their latest works.

I continue to a large boulevard with raised sidewalks and a center of paving stones, which was once used for carts. I can see the various building materials of the times displayed in each shop space along the road. On the right, shop walls are made of long, flat bricks or rubblestone. On the left, the wall construction is of heavy masonry and small stone. The most prestigious buildings must have been located on the left side of the boulevard with smaller shops on the right. In fact, the street may have been defined by large stoa, which were open structures for public use including shops and businesses. The street seems to go on for miles, indicating the sheer size of this decimated ancient community.

Rows of partially intact columns and architraves establish the bounds of a temple or government building. The stout structure (if in fact it was only one story) was created in the Doric order and gives the appearance of strength and dignity. The temple stood facing Mt. Vesuvius, perhaps in honor of the great volcano that would inevitable destroy the city.

Another temple or public building, which retained its structural integrity over years buried in ash and rubble, can be viewed from the interior. Even without its second story, I feel the imposing grandeaur of what this space once was. It boasts both the Ionic and Corinthian orders on the interior, with a pattern of stones in different colors as an alternative to fresco and paint. This was once a very important building to the citizens of Pompeii, possibly a meeting place for the local government or a temple dedicated to the god or goddess of the city. Now the open sky above sheds light inside the great space and creates a new reverence for the wonders of the man-made world.

On my last stop I toured the giant Roman stadium. The ellipse-shaped stadium was most likely used for foot races and other events to entertain the citizens and leaders of the city. The stepped seating that remains gives a glimpse into the past: thousands of people would come to watch the games play out below them, cheering for their favorite and throwing gifts to the winners. Three levels of seating separated into wedges by numerous staircases held the masses of spectators. In the absence of a roof, the structure allowed for the natural world to encroach on human civilization and tradition. Natural phenomenon were very important to the Romans and although they were great builders they allowed as much contact with nature as possible in every structure.

Visiting a place like Pompeii through a virtual tool like Google Earth has many advantages. I was able to see the entire city from the air, find patterns and important buildings/spaces, and view the context of the place before going in-depth. The street-level view allowed me to investigate the specific places I found using the “god’s-eye” view in greater detail. The down side to exploring the space virtually is that there is a limit to what you can do. There are many streets and buildings that one cannot access through street view at all.