An A-Z Guide on the Archeological Park of Herculaneum

Quick Information

ADDRESS

Corso Resina, 230, 80056 Ercolano NA, Italy

RECOMMENDED DURATION

2 hours

Timings

08:30–19:30

VISITORS PER YEAR

300000

TICKETS

From $17.66

EXPECTED WAIT TIME - STANDARD

0-30 mins (Peak), 0-30 mins (Off Peak)

EXPECTED WAIT TIME - SKIP THE LINE

1-2 hours (Peak), 0-30 mins (Off Peak)

UNESCO YEAR

1997

Did you know?

It was found that the Vesuvius eruption caused the brains of one of the victims to turn to a glass-like material. This was because the brain had heated up very quickly before cooling down just as fast, thereby crystallizing brain matter.

Unlike Pompeii, Herculaneum was engulfed by a pyroclastic surge that carbonized and preserved wooden structures, furnishings, and even food.

The ancient Romans believed that Herculaneum was founded by the god Hercules on his return from Iberia.

Why visit the Archeological Park of Herculaneum?

Behold well-preserved ruins up close

Did you know that archaeologists discovered organic remains like food and feces in Herculaneum? One organic remnant you will definitely spot on your visit is wood — and lots of it. On your visit to the House of the Wooden Partition, you can see a wooden door that still slides on its hinges!

What to see inside Herculaneum

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House of Neptune (Casa di Nettuno e Anfitrite)

The house gets its name from a particularly beautiful mosaic depicting Neptune, the Roman god of the sea, and his wife Amphitrite. This mosaic is made from vibrantly colored glass paste. Uniquely, the House of Neptune and Amphitrite is connected to what is considered the best-preserved shop, or caupona, in all of Herculaneum and Pompeii.

Villa of the Papyri (Villa dei Papiri)

Rumored to belong to Julius Caesar’s father-in-law Lucius Calpurnius Piso Caesoninus, this luxurious villa is named after its most remarkable discovery – a whole library containing over 1,800 papyrus scrolls. These scrolls, carbonized by the eruption, hold a wealth of information about ancient Greek and Roman philosophy, literature and everyday life.

House of the Deer (Casa dei Cervi)

This grand villa boasted a prime location facing the Bay of Naples. The house gets its name from two striking marble statues found in the garden – a group of deer being attacked by dogs. These sculptures, along with others like a drunken Hercules and a figure with a sheepskin, offer a glimpse into the artistic tastes and decorative choices of the house's owner.

Samnite House (Casa Samnitica)

At the time of the eruption, it was believed that the Samnite House was at least 300 years old, making it one of the oldest residences in Herculaneum. In the Samnite House, you can see details like a wooden partition door, a marble table, and even remnants of latticework screens.

House of the Wooden Partition (Casa del Tramezzo di Legno)

In the House of the Wooden Partition, a folding wooden wall separating the atrium (central courtyard) from the tablinum (study/office) was discovered – a remarkable find considering the fragility of wood over millennia. This structure offers valuable insight into how Romans might have managed privacy within their homes.

House of the Skeleton (Casa dello Scheletro)

The House of the Skeleton is famous for a chilling and historically significant reason: the discovery of a skeleton within the house itself. While Pompeii offers a wealth of information about daily life, Herculaneum, through the skeletal remains, provides a more visceral reminder of the human cost of the eruption.

House of the Relief of Telephus (Casa del Rilievo di Telefo)

The high relief found in this house, made of stucco, portrays a dramatic moment from the myth of Telephus, son of the hero Hercules. The scene shows Achilles, another Greek hero, scraping rust from his spear onto Telephus' wound to heal him. This story held significance for the Romans, symbolizing the power of enemies becoming allies.

House of Argus (Casa d’Argo)

The House of Argus was one of the first multi-story dwellings unearthed in Herculaneum during the early excavations in the late 1820s. Prior to the House of Argus, most known Roman homes were single-story ones. The house gets its name from a fresco that was unfortunately lost. It depicted Argus Panoptes, a giant with a hundred eyes from Greek mythology, guarding the nymph Io, a mortal lover of Zeus.

House of the Augustales

The Roman Empire promoted the worship of the emperor Augustus. The Augustales played a vital role in organizing ceremonies and festivals, and maintaining shrines dedicated to the emperor. The Augustales were freedmen, former slaves who had gained their freedom, and who held a special role in the imperial cult.

Palestra: Herculaneum

The Palestra served as a dedicated space for young men to engage in physical activities like wrestling, boxing, and running. It featured an open courtyard surrounded by covered areas, likely used for specific exercises or activities. A swimming pool was also present, showcasing the multi-faceted nature of physical training in Roman culture.

Herculaneum boat sheds (Fornici)

Another heartbreaking area to visit, here, around 300+ skeletons were discovered huddled in the boat sheds in Herculaneum. It is believed that they were awaiting rescue from the pyroclastic surge of Vesuvius — but unfortunately, the stone walls of the boat houses could not protect them.

Thermae (Baths)

Unlike Pompeii, Herculaneum boasts not one, but two public bath complexes: the Central Baths and the Suburban Baths. In the Central Baths, the different sections – changing room (apodyterium), tepidarium (warm room) and caldarium (hot room) and separate changing rooms for men and women are visible. Located closer to the shoreline, the Suburban Baths offered bathers a unique feature – stunning views of the Bay of Naples.

Exploring Herculaneum's past

A brief timeline

8th-6th century: The Oscan people, an Italic tribe, are believed to be the first to settle in the area around the 8th century BC.
6th-4th century BC: The Etruscans, another powerful civilization, likely exerted influence over the region during this period. In the 6th century, the Greeks took over and established a trading post named Heraklion, due to the town's strategic location on the Bay of Naples. The Samnites, another Italic people, gained control of Herculaneum in the 4th century BC.
89 BC - 79 AD: Following the Social War between Rome and the Italic groups, Rome takes over Herculaneum, granting its male population Roman citizenship. The town adopts a Roman layout and institutions.

The destruction of Pompeii and Herculanem in 79 AD

In 79 AD, Mount Vesuvius erupts, coating and preserving Herculaneum and Pompeii in volcanic material. The town is instantly destroyed, and most inhabitants perish. Vesuvius impacts Herculaneum and Pompeii differently, however. While Pompeii is affected in the first phase of pumice rain, Herculaneum faces the deadly onslaught of the second phase, where pyroclastic flows engulf the town.

Discovery and preservation

After a period of earthquakes in the years leading up to 79 AD, Mount Vesuvius unleashed a powerful eruption. A massive plume of ash, rock, and superheated gases shot into the sky. Fast-moving clouds of hot ash and gas reached incredibly high temperatures, instantly vaporizing people and leaving behind only skeletal remains in Herculaneum. The city was also buried under a deep layer of volcanic debris.

From the 20th century, under the guidance of the archeologist Amedeo Maiuri, Herculaneum was excavated with a scientific and more sensitive approach. Even today, archaeological work continues at Herculaneum, uncovering new details about the town and its inhabitants.

Read Herculaneum history in detail

Herculaneum city and its layout

Location and geography

Vis-a-vis Vesuvius, Herculaneum is located on its western side, closer in proximity to the volcano than Pompeii. At its deepest point, the intense pyroclastic surge that engulfed Herculaneum buried it within some 30m of volcanic matter. This ensured that it was better preserved than Pompeii.

Now, due to the phenomenon of bradyseism (where volcanic activity uplifts or descends the earth’s crust due to the filling or emptying of an underground magma chamber), some parts of Herculaneum are believed to be 4m below sea level.

This has also resulted in Herculaneum being situated lower than its neighboring towns like Portici. In fact, the modern town of Ercolano (where the ruins are found) is almost built upon Herculaneum — so a complete excavation of Herculaneum would mean demolishing the settlements in present-day Ercolano.

Plan and layout

Herculaneum’s street plan and city layout followed the grid-like system of Pompeii, with the intersecting north-south and east-west streets. The main roads were called decumanis maximus and decumanis inferior. The crossroads were called the cardo.

Unlike Pompeii, which was a bustling port, Herculaneum was a residential town that was smaller in size. However, proximity to the seaside also meant that it had a thriving maritime culture, though at a smaller scale than in Pompeii. Furthermore, Herculaneum lacked a definitive wall. Instead, the sea itself acted as a wall on each side of the promontory, creating a natural barrier.

Map guide to navigating Herculaneum

People and culture

Herculaneum was a wealthier town in comparison to Pompeii, with its residents primarily being members of the Roman aristocracy. However, this didn’t exclude the common folk like artisans, traders and slaves — the evidence of their lives lies in the preserved shops, taverns and homes. Public spaces were smaller compared to Pompeii, suggesting a focus on private residences and leisure pursuits.

The presence of boat sheds (fornici) along the shoreline highlights Herculaneum's connection to the sea. Fishing, maritime trade, and perhaps even leisure boating could have been part of the town's lifeblood.

From the remarkably well-preserved organic remains (like feces), scientists were able to piece together the Ancient Roman diet: the proximity to the sea meant that seafood made up 70% of what they ate. Additionally, dietary patterns varied between genders — men predominantly consumed cereals and seafood, while women favored meat and dairy products.

From the ashes: Herculaneum photos

Relief at the House of Telephus

This high relief was found in House of the Relief of Telephus. Archeologists have recently been able to restore the entire timber roof of the villa. This wood was preserved all these millennia by hardened volcanic material.

Kitchen in Herculaneum, ancient Roman town

Mosaic of Neptune and Amphitrite, Herculaneum

Beyond the Herculaneum ruins: The surrounding areas

Unfortunately, Herculaneum and Pompeii were not the only towns to face the full fury of Vesuvius in 79 AD. There were at least 3 other different towns that suffered similar fates:

Oplontis: Oplontis is famous for its Roman villas, particularly the luxurious Villa Poppaea. This seaside villa was buried and preserved by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD. Villa Poppaea was a massive estate with over 100 rooms, stunning frescoes, and expansive gardens, showcasing the wealth of its owner.

Boscoreale: Another of Vesuvius' victims, Boscoreale is known for its lavish villas. These residences were decorated with high-quality frescoes, some considered the finest Roman examples ever found.

Stabiae: While Stabiae was discovered before Pompeii in 1749, unlike its more famous neighbors, it was reburied for a period hindering tourism. The villas open to visitors today are Villa Adriana and Villa San Marco.

Looking for more content on Herculaneum?

You no longer have to worry about Herculaneum being the neglected child of Vesuvius. There’s plenty to read, hear and watch on this fascinating site.

For kids

Books

Digging up the past: Pompeii and Herculaneum by Peter Hicks
Pompeii Lost and Found by Mary Osborne illus. Bonnie Christensen

For adults

Books

Herculaneum: Past and Future by Andrew Wallace-Hadrill
Herculaneum: Italy’s Buried Treasure by Joseph Deiss

Multimedia

Documentaries

Season 6, episode 3 of Secrets of the Dead / Herculaneum Uncovered
Real History | Herculaneum: A Fate Worse Than Pompeii | Vesuvius Uncovered

Podcasts

History Hack: Herculaneum

Frequently asked questions about Herculaneum

How much of Herculaneum has actually been excavated?

Due to the hardened volcanic material coating Herculaneum, experts believe that not even 1 acre of the town has been unearthed, as opposed to 55 acres in Pompeii.

What was the Herculaneum population like?

There were approximately 4,000-5,000 people residing in Herculaneum at the time of the Vesuvius eruption. Most residents were well-to-do and possibly had noble lineage. This is evidenced in the lavish two and three-storeyed homes, a sight that was rare in ancient Rome.

Who owned the houses in Herculaneum?

It was mostly owned by members of the Roman elite who inhabited these luxurious living spaces. For example, it was rumored that Julius Caesar’s father-in-law Lucius Calpurnius Piso Caesoninus owned the Villa of the Papyri. Similarly, the House of the Relief of Telephus was said to be owned by Marcus Nonius Balbus, the Governor of Crete and part of present-day Libya.

How did archeologists determine the diet patterns of Herculaneum victims?

The cesspits of the town were excellently preserved due to the hard volcanic material that entered the drains via pipes. Stool samples were salvaged from these cesspits and helped scientists ascertain the eating patterns of the population — with seafood, meat and dairy products topping the list.

How was Herculaneum discovered?

The discovery of Herculaneum was a complete accident. A local farmer, while digging a well in the nearby town of Ercolano, chanced upon some bronzes and rare objects. When the news of the find reached Prince d'Elbeuf, an Austrian army commander stationed nearby, he ordered further exploration. But Karl Weber was considered one of the first archaeologists to explore Herculaneum with a more scientific approach in the mid-1700s. His approach was further refined by Amedeo Maiuri in the 20th century.

How are artifacts in Herculaneum so well preserved?

A pyroclastic surge, which is a superheated gas and ash cloud, swept through the town. The intense heat instantly carbonized organic materials like wood, food, and even some textiles, essentially baking them in place. This process preserved their shape and details in a remarkable way.

What are some unique Herculaneum facts?

Nearly every house had a latrine, and shops were sometimes built into the villas (as in the case of the House of Neptune).
Herculaneum’s basilica has a list of 2000 exclusively male names, perhaps hinting at all the members of the population.
Modern scientists and archeologists introduced falcons to curb the pigeon population. The pigeons were damaging Herculaneum’s structures with their acidic droppings.

Can you enter the Herculaneum theatre?

On an experimental basis, the Italian proposes to allow tourists in small groups along with a guide to access the theater. However, the dates of this have not been confirmed yet.