Showing Pompeii and the Roman Villa: Art and Culture Around the Bay of Naples by Carol C. Mattusch

Hardcover. Pub Date: 2008 Pages: 365 Publisher: Thames & Hudson Click on the Google Preview image above to read some pages of this book! From the second century BC Onward prominent Romans retreated to their villas around the Bay of Naples. a popular vacation spot for relaxation and relief from the pressures of business. The picturesque bay provided an ideal setting in which to read and write. exercise. enjoy the gardens. admire the views. and entertain friends.Julius Caesar. Caligula. Claudius . and Nero all built seaside villas in Baiae. and the emperor Augustus vacationed in Sorrento. Capri. and Posillipo. The richly decorated imperial villas set high artistic standards in the region. and the sculptors and painters whom the emperors employed found clients among the urban and suburban elite in Pompeii and Herculaneum.The magnificent contents of these sumptuously appointed v...