Hi everyone,
While I write this on Saturday evening, I'm watching a Channel 4 documentary, Lost Treasures of Rome. The series is on Episode 6 which explores Herculaneum, and it's riveting viewing. So much more of Herculaneum than Pompeii has survived, and visitors can walk through the streets and look around at buildings a couple of storeys high.
Podcaster Jasmine Elmer crosses the Bay of Naples as Pliny the Elder did, according to the ancient sources. Pliny was unable to land at the shoreline of Herculaneum which was being rained upon with boulders from the volcano. His boat instead went to Stabiae where he stayed the night with his friend Pomponianus.
I thought that the stories of the volcanic eruption would always hold a certain enchantment, until I heard the theories of one of the scientists in the documentary. The Herculaneum victims died from extreme heat (watch the documentary if you want to know the gruesome details of what happens to the body in temperatures of 500 degrees). Yikes.
The photo above is of particular interest because the bed has survived, and so we know for sure that this was a bedroom.
A small number of classes began on 10th September but most language classes started on 17th September. Thanks to everyone who has shared photos of their books, pets, and the view from their desks - keep them coming!
If you make it to the bottom of this newsletter, I recommend you click on the Youtube link!
- Helen
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