his father in law may have owned the vast villa dei papiri in herculaneum. buried under 80 feet of solidified mud by the eruption of vesuvius in 79 a.d., it was recreated in the design of the j. paul getty museum in malibu. colonnades give way to elegant interiors and courtyards adorned with reproductions of the statues unearthed at the villa dei papiri. jets of water were pumped through fountain sculptures into pools and water courses. a boozy follower of dionysus riding a bloated wine skin attests to the lighthearted side of roman life on the bay. caesar's grand-nephew augustus, rome's first emperor, liked the pleasures of the bay so much that he bought the island of capri from the city of naples. his adopted son tiberius, emperor from 14 to 37 a.d., built a dozen villas on capri. tiberius left rome and spent the last decade of his life on the island. his guests were invited to admire the sea views. his rivals were thrown onto the rocks below. a villa at oplontis, probably owned by the emperor nero's second wife, combined private gardens with a graceful co

the city of herculaneum rested on the shores of the mediterranean. its seaside buildings housed the boats of fishermen and traders. like its better known neighbor, pompeii, herculaneum was built in the shadow of vesuvius, which erupted in a.d. 79 to bury both cities in ash and lava. excavation superintendent tommasa budetta and her assistants dug through the lava to expose warehouses that once sat on the beach. inside, victims of the cataclysm as they waited to be rescued. interpreter: pouring into the streets from the stores, they went toward the beach, attempting to flee and to save themselves by sea. here they waited for ships to take them to safe shores. unfortunately, they were choked and crushed under the volcanic debris. naturally, at the moment of the eruption, rich and poor found themselves together, one on top of the other in the rooms which i have behind my shoulders. keach: jewelry of gold and gems distinguished the hands of some. but fate was equally cruel to all classes, an egalitarian ending to lives of privilege and poverty alike. onl