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The expanding city

In I century B.C. when the population of the city exceeded three thousand, there was no more space left inside the city walls and subsequent building had to be done outside, in the areas known as Chiaia and Posillipo today, and towards the Flegrean towns. These were accessible thanks to the large transit tunnel called the Crypta Neapolitana that was built (near the Virgiliano park) and which remained in use for centuries.

Inside the park is a Roman columbarium which is believed to house Virgil's tomb and where, much more recently, the remains of Giacomo Leopardi were preserved.

The Santa Chiara excavations

The greatest archaeological testimony to the city's expansion is provided by the excavations near the tiled cloisters at the church of Santa Chiara. They revealed a thermal bath complex dating back to 140 and 160 A.D. There are various baths and so one must have been used for the warm water and another for the hot water which would have been heated by external ovens. The Santa Chiara baths are not the only ones in the area, which reminds us how important baths were at the time, not only in terms of hygiene and sanitation but also as a place to meet up with friends and discuss business or politics in a relaxed environment.

giardino con terrazze e vista sul mare
The Virgiliano park in Posillipo
 

Posillipo

It is easy to imagine why the only buildings you could find on the beautiful hillsides around Neapolis were the splendid villas of the most well-to-do residents of the time. A notable example is the Lucullus villa, though little of it remains today, and the villa belonging to the other Roman patrician, Vedio Pollione, who was a great friend of the Emperor Augustus. Pollione's villa was called Pausilypon, which meant respite from pain, and there is no doubt that the surrounding area was named after the villa.

The villa forms part of a private estate which you can see more easily from the sea than on land. However, access to the villa is granted at certain times of the year and to coincide with specific cultural events. The villa stands on a hill overlooking the Gaiola inlet near the Virgiliano park on a series of artificial terraces which led up from the sea to the plain.

The area covered by the enormous domus includes some incredible archaeological remains. There is an impressive theatre with thirteen rows of seats in the lower auditorium area (ima cavea) and six in the media cavea, with seating for two thousand people overall. The building technique was typical of Greek theatres, taking advantage of the natural slope to create the tiered seating. Opposite the theatre we can see the remains of the Odeion, the old covered theatre, which would have been used for poetry or music recitals with its small auditorium facing the larger theatre.

Other traces of this important estate which became the property of the Empire after the death of Vedio Pollione include the ruins of a temple or sacrarium to the east of the theatre and a nymphaeum, on the west side. There are some other Roman remains continuing along the small promontory but some of these are underwater now. They are what is left of the building with the cupola of the so-called Virgil School. You can see the baths and, in the surrounding area, posts for mooring boats and tanks for breeding fish and shellfish.

The whole area of Posillipo is interesting with its wonderful landscape and views. The more intrepid visitors can go on foot, though the road is quite long and steep. The less adventurous can choose a variety of transport.