1 00:00:01,721 --> 00:00:02,919 NARRATOR: Vesuvius. 2 00:00:03,881 --> 00:00:06,279 The eruption of this mighty volcano is one 3 00:00:06,354 --> 00:00:09,439 of the most catastrophic events in ancient history, 4 00:00:10,321 --> 00:00:13,999 yet it perfectly preserves Pompeii and Herculaneum. 5 00:00:16,361 --> 00:00:18,999 THOMAS: The eruption gives us a really rare 6 00:00:19,001 --> 00:00:20,559 glimpse into what life was like. 7 00:00:20,634 --> 00:00:22,159 How did Romans live? 8 00:00:22,161 --> 00:00:24,879 NARRATOR: Now, a team of experts investigates 9 00:00:24,954 --> 00:00:28,039 a mysterious third Roman settlement, 10 00:00:28,114 --> 00:00:30,399 discovered beneath the ash that 11 00:00:30,474 --> 00:00:33,599 explodes out of Vesuvius -- Oplontis. 12 00:00:33,601 --> 00:00:35,719 It is unique. 13 00:00:35,794 --> 00:00:38,679 We don't have anything this well preserved in 14 00:00:38,681 --> 00:00:41,919 any site or any museum in the world. 15 00:00:41,994 --> 00:00:45,159 NARRATOR: This extraordinary place reveals new evidence 16 00:00:45,234 --> 00:00:47,279 about the wrath of the mighty eruption. 17 00:00:47,354 --> 00:00:51,839 It was a really instantaneous, destructive force, 18 00:00:51,914 --> 00:00:55,599 and that's what you see reflected in that fresco. 19 00:00:55,601 --> 00:00:58,799 NARRATOR: How the Romans lived and died. 20 00:00:58,874 --> 00:01:01,799 Oplontis is really answering questions that we have had 21 00:01:01,874 --> 00:01:03,319 for years. 22 00:01:03,321 --> 00:01:05,519 NARRATOR: And offers tantalizing clues that 23 00:01:05,554 --> 00:01:08,719 lead to Rome's most notorious emperors. 24 00:01:08,794 --> 00:01:10,239 CLARKE: The owner of this villa may have 25 00:01:10,314 --> 00:01:13,799 been the famous wife of the emperor Nero. 26 00:01:16,641 --> 00:01:19,599 NARRATOR: With unique access to this incredible site, 27 00:01:19,674 --> 00:01:23,239 we will unearth its vast villas, 28 00:01:23,314 --> 00:01:26,879 we'll discover dozens of ancient skeletons, 29 00:01:26,954 --> 00:01:29,839 and decode their lives to reveal 30 00:01:29,841 --> 00:01:33,719 new information about the catastrophic eruption 31 00:01:33,761 --> 00:01:37,399 and the ancient civilization it changed forever. 32 00:01:45,921 --> 00:01:47,799 In 79 CE, 33 00:01:47,841 --> 00:01:49,639 the Roman world is rocked by 34 00:01:49,641 --> 00:01:52,959 one of the worst natural disasters in history. 35 00:01:54,841 --> 00:02:00,039 The eruption of Mount Vesuvius covers Pompeii in molten rock. 36 00:02:00,114 --> 00:02:03,359 Ash envelopes and preserves Pompeiians, 37 00:02:03,434 --> 00:02:07,319 turning the site into a macabre time capsule of the past. 38 00:02:08,841 --> 00:02:11,639 Pompeii is the volcano's most famous victim, 39 00:02:12,561 --> 00:02:14,232 but it's not the only one. 40 00:02:15,481 --> 00:02:20,319 Vesuvius also cast its lethal shadow over nearby Herculaneum. 41 00:02:22,841 --> 00:02:25,559 Today, archaeologists are unearthing a third 42 00:02:25,601 --> 00:02:27,519 victim -- Oplontis. 43 00:02:29,161 --> 00:02:31,999 Hidden for nearly 2,000 years. 44 00:02:32,074 --> 00:02:34,359 this incredible site is now slowly 45 00:02:34,401 --> 00:02:37,719 being freed from Vesuvius's volcanic grip. 46 00:02:39,481 --> 00:02:41,919 THOMAS: Oplontis is unique because of what it preserves. 47 00:02:41,994 --> 00:02:44,279 it preserves really one of the largest 48 00:02:44,321 --> 00:02:47,119 and most elaborate Roman villas. 49 00:02:49,321 --> 00:02:52,799 NARRATOR: In 1964, archaeologists uncover 50 00:02:52,874 --> 00:02:54,759 an ancient ruin here, 51 00:02:54,761 --> 00:02:58,439 buried under 30 feet of volcanic ash, 52 00:02:58,441 --> 00:03:01,199 almost twice as deep as Pompeii. 53 00:03:01,201 --> 00:03:04,599 It is once a sprawling Roman residence. 54 00:03:04,641 --> 00:03:09,559 Bright, lavish frescoes adorn many of its 99 rooms. 55 00:03:10,441 --> 00:03:13,759 Exquisite courtyards called peristyles 56 00:03:13,834 --> 00:03:15,599 accompany its lush gardens 57 00:03:15,601 --> 00:03:20,199 that have unbeaten views of the Bay of Naples, 58 00:03:20,201 --> 00:03:22,159 and on the east side, 59 00:03:22,161 --> 00:03:26,559 an enormous 200-foot pool extends out across the grounds. 60 00:03:27,441 --> 00:03:29,719 What can this magnificent villa reveal 61 00:03:29,721 --> 00:03:32,399 about one of history's deadliest eruptions? 62 00:03:34,441 --> 00:03:36,239 THOMAS: It's a remarkable place, and it's also 63 00:03:36,314 --> 00:03:38,319 a place that not a lot of people know about. 64 00:03:40,001 --> 00:03:42,719 NARRATOR: Two miles outside Pompeii, 65 00:03:42,721 --> 00:03:45,519 the villas of Oplontis cover more than four acres, 66 00:03:45,521 --> 00:03:47,759 split into two main sites. 67 00:03:51,681 --> 00:03:54,159 Michael Thomas has been investigating here 68 00:03:54,234 --> 00:03:56,119 for over 15 years. 69 00:03:57,001 --> 00:03:58,799 THOMAS: When you look at the site of Oplontis, 70 00:03:58,874 --> 00:04:01,359 there's a lot of keys to understanding the eruption 71 00:04:01,361 --> 00:04:02,792 of Vesuvius, 72 00:04:02,867 --> 00:04:05,479 the way it was damaged and where the damage came from. 73 00:04:05,481 --> 00:04:07,999 Vesuvius is never too far away. 74 00:04:09,361 --> 00:04:11,919 NARRATOR: Archaeologists have been excavating this site 75 00:04:11,994 --> 00:04:12,999 for decades, 76 00:04:14,641 --> 00:04:16,919 yet a third of the area is still 77 00:04:16,961 --> 00:04:20,919 covered by the thousands of tons of volcanic debris. 78 00:04:20,921 --> 00:04:23,199 This wall is probably close to 30, 79 00:04:23,274 --> 00:04:25,559 33 feet of material that covered the site. 80 00:04:26,841 --> 00:04:29,119 NARRATOR: Michael examines the ash and rock 81 00:04:29,121 --> 00:04:30,719 that smothers Oplontis. 82 00:04:31,801 --> 00:04:34,719 Here, we have a column that was literally 83 00:04:34,794 --> 00:04:37,439 snapped in half from the eruption of Vesuvius. 84 00:04:37,441 --> 00:04:39,879 NARRATOR: He believes this pillar reveals 85 00:04:39,881 --> 00:04:42,399 a clue about the power of the blast. 86 00:04:43,321 --> 00:04:46,719 The fallen section lies pointing towards the volcano, 87 00:04:46,754 --> 00:04:48,219 not away from it. 88 00:04:49,521 --> 00:04:53,199 THOMAS: We really get a sense of the power of the eruption, 89 00:04:53,201 --> 00:04:54,879 sort of like a football player 90 00:04:54,914 --> 00:04:57,479 sliding in and taking you out from your feet. 91 00:04:57,481 --> 00:04:59,599 You're gonna fall forward, you're not gonna fall backwards, 92 00:04:59,601 --> 00:05:00,839 and that's what's happened here. 93 00:05:00,914 --> 00:05:04,839 The force of Vesuvius hit, snaps this forward, 94 00:05:04,841 --> 00:05:09,959 and here we have that bit of broken column still stuck in 95 00:05:10,034 --> 00:05:12,159 the wall of un-excavated material. 96 00:05:14,641 --> 00:05:17,599 NARRATOR: This large pillar isn't simply pushed over. 97 00:05:17,674 --> 00:05:19,639 It's brutally mown down. 98 00:05:22,641 --> 00:05:24,999 Whoever was still at Oplontis had 99 00:05:25,074 --> 00:05:27,959 no chance of outrunning Vesuvius's wrath. 100 00:05:29,961 --> 00:05:31,759 THOMAS: There are different layers in 101 00:05:31,794 --> 00:05:33,959 this wall of volcanic material. 102 00:05:34,034 --> 00:05:36,319 NARRATOR: In between thick layers of the crumbling ash 103 00:05:36,321 --> 00:05:39,559 and pumice stone are thin layers of dense rock. 104 00:05:44,321 --> 00:05:46,519 The great mushroom cloud collapses and creates 105 00:05:46,521 --> 00:05:48,159 this hard, thin layer, 106 00:05:48,161 --> 00:05:50,519 which is the remnants of the pyroclastic flow. 107 00:05:52,361 --> 00:05:55,039 NARRATOR: A pyroclastic flow is a shockwave 108 00:05:55,114 --> 00:05:57,959 of fast moving ash and hot gases. 109 00:05:59,681 --> 00:06:03,199 It is produced by the most violent volcanic eruptions. 110 00:06:05,641 --> 00:06:08,199 This process repeats several times, 111 00:06:08,274 --> 00:06:11,159 and it's present in this wall of material. 112 00:06:11,201 --> 00:06:13,519 We have a good idea of the series events of the eruption. 113 00:06:13,594 --> 00:06:16,559 Much of this comes from the historian Pliny the Younger, 114 00:06:16,561 --> 00:06:20,199 who watched it from the far reaches of the Bay of Naples. 115 00:06:23,081 --> 00:06:26,519 NARRATOR: Pliny writes that in August of 79 CE, 116 00:06:26,561 --> 00:06:29,799 he sees a frightening cloud coming out of Vesuvius. 117 00:06:33,561 --> 00:06:35,799 He vividly describes the cloud as 118 00:06:35,841 --> 00:06:38,239 it rises for miles into the sky. 119 00:06:39,601 --> 00:06:42,439 It becomes known as a Plinian column. 120 00:06:44,521 --> 00:06:47,759 As the column collapses, millions of tons of ash 121 00:06:47,761 --> 00:06:50,719 and hot gas hit the sides of the volcano. 122 00:06:51,801 --> 00:06:54,519 It spreads out in a pyroclastic flow. 123 00:06:56,081 --> 00:06:58,239 Traveling at incredible speeds, 124 00:06:58,314 --> 00:07:00,759 it engulfs anything in its path. 125 00:07:02,641 --> 00:07:06,159 Imagine, it doesn't fall over, it just goes straight down, 126 00:07:06,234 --> 00:07:10,319 hits the sides of Vesuvius, and takes off. 127 00:07:10,394 --> 00:07:12,879 Some people estimate it as fast as 300 miles per hour. 128 00:07:12,881 --> 00:07:15,599 Some people estimate it as much as 1,000 degrees Fahrenheit. 129 00:07:16,521 --> 00:07:19,199 NARRATOR: The avalanche of toxic hot gases sweeps 130 00:07:19,274 --> 00:07:22,399 across Oplontis in a matter of minutes. 131 00:07:22,474 --> 00:07:23,759 THOMAS: It would have been very terrifying, 132 00:07:23,834 --> 00:07:26,359 because you're talking about intense heat. 133 00:07:26,441 --> 00:07:28,039 It was not a pleasant experience. 134 00:07:28,921 --> 00:07:31,719 NARRATOR: Not one body has been found at this villa, 135 00:07:32,681 --> 00:07:33,999 but a neighboring villa at 136 00:07:34,001 --> 00:07:36,519 Oplontis conceals a different story. 137 00:07:39,761 --> 00:07:44,519 Here, archaeologists unearth an area of 60,000 square feet. 138 00:07:45,961 --> 00:07:48,919 As they clear ash from inside the rooms, 139 00:07:50,441 --> 00:07:52,239 they make a gruesome discovery. 140 00:07:54,121 --> 00:07:59,639 Fifty-four skeletons -- men, women, and children, 141 00:07:59,641 --> 00:08:02,839 huddled close together in the corner of the room. 142 00:08:07,641 --> 00:08:09,879 What can the evidence here reveal about 143 00:08:09,921 --> 00:08:12,759 the final moments of these people's lives? 144 00:08:21,921 --> 00:08:24,839 Pier Paolo Petrone has dedicated his career 145 00:08:24,914 --> 00:08:27,599 to investigating the victims of Vesuvius. 146 00:08:29,761 --> 00:08:32,239 PETRONE: The eruption caused different effects at 147 00:08:32,241 --> 00:08:34,159 different distances from the volcano, 148 00:08:34,234 --> 00:08:37,559 different ways of death, principally due to 149 00:08:37,561 --> 00:08:39,239 the amount of heat. 150 00:08:40,481 --> 00:08:44,199 NARRATOR: Pier Paolo examines skulls from nearby Herculaneum. 151 00:08:45,761 --> 00:08:47,919 Herculaneum is hit by the same 152 00:08:47,994 --> 00:08:50,119 thermal shockwave that rocks Oplontis. 153 00:08:51,961 --> 00:08:53,519 The skulls show the effect of 154 00:08:53,594 --> 00:08:56,599 the extreme heat of a pyroclastic flow. 155 00:08:57,521 --> 00:09:00,559 Here, we have very clear evidence of 156 00:09:00,641 --> 00:09:04,519 the effects of heat on the skull of this individual. 157 00:09:04,594 --> 00:09:06,799 You see this kind of blackening outside and also 158 00:09:06,874 --> 00:09:10,719 inside the skull, and this kind of cracking of the bone, 159 00:09:10,721 --> 00:09:15,479 which indicates that the brain of these individual is going to 160 00:09:15,521 --> 00:09:18,239 boil and then led the skull to explode. 161 00:09:18,314 --> 00:09:20,959 NARRATOR: The bones snap as if they are 162 00:09:20,961 --> 00:09:22,959 severed with a sharp blade. 163 00:09:38,161 --> 00:09:41,199 NARRATOR: The evidence from Herculaneum initially suggests 164 00:09:41,274 --> 00:09:42,392 the people of Oplontis 165 00:09:42,401 --> 00:09:45,719 will suffer a grisly and painful death. 166 00:09:45,754 --> 00:09:48,519 But Pier Paolo makes a surprising discovery. 167 00:09:50,321 --> 00:09:52,279 PETRONE: At the very beginning, archaeologists 168 00:09:52,321 --> 00:09:56,159 thought that people suffered a prolonged agony. 169 00:09:56,234 --> 00:10:00,279 But in this scan of the victims from Oplontis, 170 00:10:00,281 --> 00:10:02,559 we don't see any kind 171 00:10:02,634 --> 00:10:06,919 of conscious reaction, like self-protective stance. 172 00:10:06,994 --> 00:10:11,719 The adult individuals are just laying very relaxed. 173 00:10:11,794 --> 00:10:17,799 So that means that people had no time to react to the heat. 174 00:10:17,801 --> 00:10:21,479 So the brain was switched off instantly, 175 00:10:21,554 --> 00:10:23,599 just in a blink of an eye. 176 00:10:23,674 --> 00:10:26,679 NARRATOR: The 54 men, women, and children at 177 00:10:26,714 --> 00:10:29,879 Oplontis lose their lives to the volcano, 178 00:10:29,921 --> 00:10:33,919 but 2,000 years later we know at least they felt no pain. 179 00:10:35,841 --> 00:10:37,239 Why are they found huddled 180 00:10:37,241 --> 00:10:39,959 close together in this particular room? 181 00:10:41,241 --> 00:10:43,879 And can jewels discovered on their bodies 182 00:10:43,954 --> 00:10:46,799 reveal more about these unlucky victims? 183 00:10:55,361 --> 00:10:57,599 NARRATOR: Oplontis, 184 00:10:57,674 --> 00:10:59,599 buried by the devastating eruption 185 00:10:59,601 --> 00:11:03,439 that also destroys Pompeii in 79 CE. 186 00:11:04,601 --> 00:11:07,439 Inside a room at the south side of the estate, 187 00:11:07,441 --> 00:11:11,799 archaeologists discover 54 people killed by the deadly 188 00:11:11,841 --> 00:11:13,319 fury of Vesuvius. 189 00:11:17,241 --> 00:11:18,959 The 20 people at the back of 190 00:11:19,034 --> 00:11:21,359 the room have no valuables with them. 191 00:11:21,434 --> 00:11:24,719 They're possibly slaves or workers, 192 00:11:24,794 --> 00:11:26,959 but when archaeologists examine the group at 193 00:11:26,961 --> 00:11:28,272 the front, 194 00:11:28,347 --> 00:11:31,439 they find many still grasping precious jewelry. 195 00:11:37,521 --> 00:11:41,759 One woman wears an elaborate hairpin depicting a goddess. 196 00:11:43,521 --> 00:11:46,319 Another carries delicate pearl earrings, 197 00:11:48,481 --> 00:11:49,839 and close to her body, 198 00:11:49,914 --> 00:11:54,199 she cradles over 300 gold and silver coins. 199 00:11:54,241 --> 00:11:56,519 Could these riches help unlock 200 00:11:56,594 --> 00:11:59,159 the mystery of who these people are? 201 00:11:59,161 --> 00:12:05,079 Some of these people have very important, very rich objects 202 00:12:05,081 --> 00:12:08,879 with them, and other people had almost nothing with them. 203 00:12:08,954 --> 00:12:11,759 NARRATOR: Investigators are intrigued by one of the wealthy 204 00:12:11,834 --> 00:12:15,119 victims discovered at the front of the building. 205 00:12:15,194 --> 00:12:17,559 PETRONE: A very particular finding was 206 00:12:17,601 --> 00:12:20,399 the one of a young woman, probably 207 00:12:20,401 --> 00:12:24,719 she was in her twenties -- she had a box with her just 208 00:12:24,794 --> 00:12:26,999 full of golden objects, 209 00:12:27,041 --> 00:12:29,639 coins, a snake, golden ring, 210 00:12:29,641 --> 00:12:33,039 and also a pair of pearl earrings. 211 00:12:34,721 --> 00:12:36,799 NARRATOR: Pearls are the ultimate symbol 212 00:12:36,801 --> 00:12:38,799 of wealth in Roman times. 213 00:12:38,874 --> 00:12:42,599 They are extremely rare and more expensive than gold. 214 00:12:43,921 --> 00:12:46,959 PETRONE: So these are one of the most 215 00:12:46,961 --> 00:12:51,479 expensive pieces found all around Vesuvius with skeletons. 216 00:12:51,521 --> 00:12:53,879 So this person had to be very rich. 217 00:12:53,921 --> 00:12:57,599 NARRATOR: Her identity remains a mystery, 218 00:12:57,714 --> 00:13:01,039 But the excavations reveal one last dramatic clue 219 00:13:01,041 --> 00:13:02,599 about her life. 220 00:13:02,674 --> 00:13:06,839 Some very tiny bones were found near her of a fetus, 221 00:13:06,881 --> 00:13:09,439 so she was probably at the moment of 222 00:13:09,514 --> 00:13:14,039 the tragedy was just in the latest stages of pregnancy. 223 00:13:15,201 --> 00:13:18,319 NARRATOR: Rich and poor, young and old, 224 00:13:18,354 --> 00:13:20,599 all meet the same terrible fate. 225 00:13:24,201 --> 00:13:28,359 Jenny Muslin has been working at Oplontis is for 10 years. 226 00:13:28,434 --> 00:13:33,999 She's investigating why the 54 victims huddle in this room. 227 00:13:34,074 --> 00:13:36,879 She believes the room's location holds the key to 228 00:13:36,954 --> 00:13:38,399 this mystery. 229 00:13:38,474 --> 00:13:40,559 We're walking along the south side rooms, which would have 230 00:13:40,634 --> 00:13:44,279 been used for storing goods as well as taking goods in. 231 00:13:44,321 --> 00:13:47,319 NARRATOR: Archaeologists excavating in front of 232 00:13:47,361 --> 00:13:50,679 the store room discover intriguing clues. 233 00:13:50,721 --> 00:13:53,999 They analyze soil samples and reveal 234 00:13:54,074 --> 00:13:55,759 that when Vesuvius erupts, 235 00:13:55,834 --> 00:13:59,039 this building directly overlooks the sea. 236 00:13:59,114 --> 00:14:01,279 MUSLIN: In antiquity, we would have been on the sea coast. 237 00:14:01,354 --> 00:14:04,199 This is actually a small cove, and we found parts of a pier, 238 00:14:04,274 --> 00:14:06,879 so that we know that ships could have docked here 239 00:14:06,954 --> 00:14:09,519 and loaded and unloaded at their leisure. 240 00:14:10,761 --> 00:14:13,159 NARRATOR: This discovery might explain why so 241 00:14:13,234 --> 00:14:15,759 many people die huddled in this building. 242 00:14:17,681 --> 00:14:21,759 On the day of the tragedy, Vesuvius erupts violently. 243 00:14:22,841 --> 00:14:24,719 It launches a huge cloud over 244 00:14:24,794 --> 00:14:27,799 Oplontis, four miles away on the coast. 245 00:14:29,041 --> 00:14:31,839 Families quickly gather their valuables, 246 00:14:31,954 --> 00:14:35,519 taking coins and jewelry, and seek refuge. 247 00:14:40,001 --> 00:14:42,839 Over 50 people, rich and poor, 248 00:14:42,881 --> 00:14:45,199 pile into a sheltered room together 249 00:14:46,161 --> 00:14:50,199 and watch in fear as Vesuvius spews out ash and pumice. 250 00:14:50,201 --> 00:14:53,439 Then, suddenly, the cloud collapses. 251 00:14:53,441 --> 00:14:57,119 The pyroclastic wave of volcanic debris hits 252 00:14:57,194 --> 00:15:00,919 the victims and buries them 30 feet deep. 253 00:15:03,521 --> 00:15:06,159 MUSLIN: These people, among whom there were women, children, 254 00:15:06,234 --> 00:15:07,432 and adult men, 255 00:15:07,434 --> 00:15:09,159 we think they were probably waiting for a ship 256 00:15:09,161 --> 00:15:11,239 to come and save them. 257 00:15:11,241 --> 00:15:14,599 NARRATOR: The people of Oplontis look to the sea for rescue. 258 00:15:15,921 --> 00:15:19,319 The reason why may lie a few miles away. 259 00:15:20,641 --> 00:15:24,519 Puteoli, the biggest port in the entire Roman Empire, 260 00:15:24,594 --> 00:15:27,519 is just 18 miles across the Bay of Naples. 261 00:15:29,761 --> 00:15:32,039 Misenum, the base of Romans' military fleet, is 262 00:15:32,114 --> 00:15:34,399 only three miles further to the west, 263 00:15:36,241 --> 00:15:38,399 but no rescue ever arrives. 264 00:15:39,601 --> 00:15:41,679 MUSLIN: We found them all huddled at the back of the room, 265 00:15:41,754 --> 00:15:43,239 waiting for a ship that never, 266 00:15:43,241 --> 00:15:47,039 ever came, and they died here in the pyroclastic flow, 267 00:15:47,114 --> 00:15:48,919 still waiting. 268 00:15:48,961 --> 00:15:52,039 NARRATOR: These storerooms are built right on the waterfront. 269 00:15:52,841 --> 00:15:55,039 They have direct access to two of 270 00:15:55,114 --> 00:15:58,159 the busiest ports of the Roman Empire, 271 00:15:58,161 --> 00:16:01,399 with trade lanes connecting to all the known world. 272 00:16:02,241 --> 00:16:04,599 So is it possible that this villa 273 00:16:04,601 --> 00:16:08,039 is more than just a luxurious seaside estate? 274 00:16:08,961 --> 00:16:12,399 And how can a mysterious discovery inside this villa 275 00:16:12,474 --> 00:16:16,039 overturn what we thought we knew about the ancient eruption? 276 00:16:25,761 --> 00:16:28,559 NARRATOR: At Oplontis, excavators uncover 277 00:16:28,561 --> 00:16:30,599 two monumental Roman buildings. 278 00:16:33,041 --> 00:16:36,359 Evidence here is transforming our understanding 279 00:16:36,434 --> 00:16:39,319 of Roman life in the shadow of Vesuvius 280 00:16:40,161 --> 00:16:44,159 and is revolutionizing what we know about the eruption itself. 281 00:16:47,121 --> 00:16:51,279 When archaeologists unearth the smaller villa at Oplontis, 282 00:16:51,281 --> 00:16:55,079 on the ground floor, surrounding the central courtyard, 283 00:16:55,081 --> 00:16:59,039 they find a series of storage rooms frozen in time. 284 00:17:00,121 --> 00:17:02,399 On the southern side, a room 285 00:17:02,401 --> 00:17:05,559 filled with piles of mysterious charred material, 286 00:17:07,481 --> 00:17:09,879 and in a nearby space, 287 00:17:09,914 --> 00:17:13,279 they discover hundreds of upturned amphorae, 288 00:17:13,281 --> 00:17:17,759 large ceramic containers used to transport wine. 289 00:17:17,761 --> 00:17:22,159 They're stacked from floor to ceiling, ready for use. 290 00:17:22,194 --> 00:17:26,119 What can these clues reveal about the last days of Oplontis? 291 00:17:32,761 --> 00:17:35,679 Archaeologist Jenny Muslin takes a sample of 292 00:17:35,681 --> 00:17:38,119 the strange, burnt substance outside 293 00:17:38,194 --> 00:17:39,759 to examine it more closely. 294 00:17:41,481 --> 00:17:43,799 MUSLIN: These are carbonized pomegranates that 295 00:17:43,841 --> 00:17:45,799 were carbonized in the eruption. 296 00:17:45,801 --> 00:17:48,199 So you can see, they are very, very well preserved. 297 00:17:48,201 --> 00:17:49,799 You can make out the skin of 298 00:17:49,874 --> 00:17:53,359 the pomegranate, right, as if it was new but blackened. 299 00:17:53,434 --> 00:17:55,359 NARRATOR: The pomegranates are evidence that 300 00:17:55,434 --> 00:17:58,599 the villa's owner runs a lucrative export business, 301 00:17:59,841 --> 00:18:01,119 but this is a truly 302 00:18:01,121 --> 00:18:04,359 revolutionary discovery for a different reason. 303 00:18:06,241 --> 00:18:09,159 For centuries, historians believe the eruption 304 00:18:09,234 --> 00:18:11,199 of Vesuvius is in August of 305 00:18:11,201 --> 00:18:15,279 79 CE, because of the date reported in Pliny's 306 00:18:15,281 --> 00:18:16,599 eyewitness account. 307 00:18:19,521 --> 00:18:20,959 MUSLIN: Since pomegranates are a fall fruit, 308 00:18:21,034 --> 00:18:23,799 this could not have been picked in August. 309 00:18:23,841 --> 00:18:26,319 It's very clear that this has to be in October. 310 00:18:27,681 --> 00:18:29,439 NARRATOR: The eruption of Vesuvius has been 311 00:18:29,514 --> 00:18:31,679 closely investigated ever since 312 00:18:31,681 --> 00:18:35,319 the chance discovery of Pompeii nearly 300 years ago. 313 00:18:37,121 --> 00:18:38,719 Here at Oplontis, 314 00:18:38,794 --> 00:18:41,439 it is still giving up its secrets today. 315 00:18:43,401 --> 00:18:45,759 Further evidence reveals that the villa's 316 00:18:45,834 --> 00:18:48,839 owner exports more than just raw fruit. 317 00:18:49,921 --> 00:18:53,559 This was a massive industrial operation for bottling wine, 318 00:18:53,601 --> 00:18:55,399 and this is wine in the amounts that were gonna 319 00:18:55,474 --> 00:18:57,239 go all over the Roman world. 320 00:18:58,121 --> 00:19:00,319 NARRATOR: At the time, the city of Rome 321 00:19:00,434 --> 00:19:02,319 alone tops one million people. 322 00:19:03,281 --> 00:19:05,799 It's estimated the Roman citizens drink more than 323 00:19:05,874 --> 00:19:09,839 26 million gallons of wine here every year. 324 00:19:09,914 --> 00:19:12,879 While we have about 70 amphorae still stacked here, 325 00:19:12,881 --> 00:19:16,639 this is only a fraction of a much, much larger operation, 326 00:19:16,714 --> 00:19:19,399 where we had amphorae stretching all the way back here, 327 00:19:19,401 --> 00:19:22,239 all the way on this side, all the way on the opposite side 328 00:19:22,241 --> 00:19:26,279 of the colonnade -- there were 1,431 of these. 329 00:19:26,354 --> 00:19:28,439 So this is a huge, massive operation, 330 00:19:28,481 --> 00:19:29,839 very successful business. 331 00:19:29,914 --> 00:19:32,519 They were in full swing at the time of the eruption. 332 00:19:37,321 --> 00:19:39,759 NARRATOR: Most of the amphorae have now been moved into 333 00:19:39,834 --> 00:19:43,599 storage rooms, where they are cataloged and further analyzed. 334 00:19:44,761 --> 00:19:48,559 They reveal more clues to the technology in use here. 335 00:19:50,881 --> 00:19:52,679 MUSLIN: When we're first analyzing an amphora, 336 00:19:52,681 --> 00:19:55,999 we can also tell a lot from evidence of what was inside, 337 00:19:56,074 --> 00:19:57,799 organic material, for example. 338 00:19:57,801 --> 00:19:59,679 We can see inside the neck of this amphora, 339 00:19:59,754 --> 00:20:03,319 this dark brown residue that is from the pine pitch that was 340 00:20:03,321 --> 00:20:04,665 used to waterproof it. 341 00:20:06,401 --> 00:20:08,679 NARRATOR: The discovery of the pine pitch reveals 342 00:20:08,754 --> 00:20:11,759 the Roman winemakers are surprisingly sophisticated in 343 00:20:11,834 --> 00:20:13,959 their packing, 344 00:20:14,034 --> 00:20:17,759 but it also reveals that Roman wine has a strange taste. 345 00:20:18,521 --> 00:20:22,919 Pine resin gives a very strong gasoline flavor to the wine, 346 00:20:22,994 --> 00:20:25,159 and we don't think the Romans cared that much about it, 347 00:20:25,234 --> 00:20:28,199 although they seem to care more about what it looked like. 348 00:20:28,274 --> 00:20:31,159 So they did various things to make wine look older than 349 00:20:31,161 --> 00:20:32,699 it was, 350 00:20:32,701 --> 00:20:36,079 like adding lentils to it to turn white wine to a darker, 351 00:20:36,154 --> 00:20:37,105 tawny yellow. 352 00:20:37,181 --> 00:20:38,919 Uh, they would smoke wine, again, 353 00:20:38,994 --> 00:20:41,039 to have that aged feeling to it. 354 00:20:41,114 --> 00:20:44,119 Um, but in terms of taste, this wouldn't have been very good. 355 00:20:45,241 --> 00:20:48,039 NARRATOR: The fertile lands around Vesuvius are perfect 356 00:20:48,114 --> 00:20:49,879 for vineyards. 357 00:20:49,921 --> 00:20:53,599 Locals pray to the wine God, Bacchus, for good harvests. 358 00:20:57,761 --> 00:21:00,559 Oplontis ships more than 11,000 gallons 359 00:21:00,561 --> 00:21:03,159 of wine across the empire every year. 360 00:21:08,321 --> 00:21:11,079 The Romans mix the wine with water. 361 00:21:11,154 --> 00:21:14,039 All members of society enjoy this drink, 362 00:21:14,081 --> 00:21:16,599 including children in their early teens. 363 00:21:18,481 --> 00:21:21,559 After use, amphorae are recycled, 364 00:21:21,601 --> 00:21:24,319 washed, and dried and re-waterproofed 365 00:21:24,321 --> 00:21:26,159 so they can be filled again. 366 00:21:27,801 --> 00:21:29,959 MUSLIN: We have here unparalleled evidence 367 00:21:30,034 --> 00:21:31,999 for what workers were doing 368 00:21:32,001 --> 00:21:35,359 to put wine into bottles in preparation for shipping. 369 00:21:35,434 --> 00:21:38,279 This is really answering a lot of questions that 370 00:21:38,281 --> 00:21:41,399 we have had for years about how does wine travel? 371 00:21:41,441 --> 00:21:43,519 How does that process happen? 372 00:21:43,521 --> 00:21:45,119 And Oplontis is answering those questions, 373 00:21:45,194 --> 00:21:46,519 which is really exciting. 374 00:21:47,441 --> 00:21:50,319 NARRATOR: But in October of 79 CE, 375 00:21:50,321 --> 00:21:53,439 just as workers here prepare a new consignment of wine 376 00:21:53,514 --> 00:21:55,319 for shipment, 377 00:21:55,321 --> 00:21:59,999 Vesuvius strikes and abruptly ends this booming business. 378 00:22:02,201 --> 00:22:04,359 What happens at the neighboring villa 379 00:22:04,361 --> 00:22:06,439 in those terrible hours, 380 00:22:06,441 --> 00:22:08,879 and can clues reveal the identity 381 00:22:08,881 --> 00:22:11,519 of the owners of this luxurious residence? 382 00:22:22,201 --> 00:22:24,159 NARRATOR: At Oplontis, archaeologists are 383 00:22:24,234 --> 00:22:27,319 unearthing a lavish Roman mansion, 384 00:22:27,321 --> 00:22:30,439 frozen in time by the apocalyptic eruption of 385 00:22:30,441 --> 00:22:32,999 Vesuvius in 79 CE. 386 00:22:34,481 --> 00:22:37,319 No skeletons are found inside this villa. 387 00:22:40,161 --> 00:22:42,679 So investigators hunt for other evidence that 388 00:22:42,681 --> 00:22:45,039 can shed light on the villa's owners. 389 00:22:47,601 --> 00:22:50,199 The residence is fitted with every comfort, 390 00:22:51,361 --> 00:22:54,959 down to a beautifully decorated private spa. 391 00:22:54,994 --> 00:22:57,999 This is the private bath, the hot room 392 00:22:58,001 --> 00:22:59,919 of the villa's bathing complex, 393 00:22:59,921 --> 00:23:03,199 and it's a room that saw heat and regular use, 394 00:23:03,274 --> 00:23:05,159 because they were pumping hot air from below 395 00:23:05,234 --> 00:23:07,719 the floor and around up through the walls. 396 00:23:09,121 --> 00:23:11,359 NARRATOR: The owners of this villa can afford 397 00:23:11,394 --> 00:23:13,919 heated floors to warm their steam room. 398 00:23:16,761 --> 00:23:18,479 Most of the wall is painted in 399 00:23:18,554 --> 00:23:21,959 yellow ochre, except for a strange red section. 400 00:23:23,641 --> 00:23:27,159 But in the corners, the paint fades to yellow. 401 00:23:27,201 --> 00:23:28,639 Michael believes this is not 402 00:23:28,641 --> 00:23:32,039 an artistic choice but the result of Vesuvius. 403 00:23:33,801 --> 00:23:36,319 The heat essentially changes the color. 404 00:23:36,321 --> 00:23:40,039 It was originally a yellow ochre, and then by heating it, 405 00:23:40,114 --> 00:23:41,425 it turns into red ochre, 406 00:23:41,501 --> 00:23:44,119 and that little piece of painting really shows us 407 00:23:44,154 --> 00:23:46,999 the damage inflicted by the eruption of Vesuvius. 408 00:23:47,001 --> 00:23:51,599 It was a really instantaneous, destructive force, 409 00:23:51,601 --> 00:23:55,999 and that's what you see reflected in that fresco. 410 00:23:56,074 --> 00:24:00,399 NARRATOR: Before Vesuvius turns it into an inescapable inferno, 411 00:24:00,481 --> 00:24:03,559 this is a luxurious sanctuary of relaxation. 412 00:24:06,121 --> 00:24:09,159 John Clarke has dedicated nearly 20 years 413 00:24:09,234 --> 00:24:11,439 to decoding the mysteries of this villa. 414 00:24:13,521 --> 00:24:14,879 He wants to know more about 415 00:24:14,881 --> 00:24:17,959 the rich people who own this palatial residence. 416 00:24:19,721 --> 00:24:24,519 We've discovered 99 spaces, including huge gardens, 417 00:24:24,521 --> 00:24:27,839 this enormous swimming pool, and the entire East Wing, 418 00:24:27,914 --> 00:24:29,439 just for entertainment. 419 00:24:35,641 --> 00:24:39,599 Here we have the most beautiful room in this villa. 420 00:24:39,601 --> 00:24:41,319 It is unique. 421 00:24:41,394 --> 00:24:44,719 We don't have anything this well preserved in 422 00:24:44,794 --> 00:24:47,279 any site or any museum in the world. 423 00:24:47,354 --> 00:24:51,439 Here we have a whole room just as it was in ancient times. 424 00:24:52,641 --> 00:24:55,079 NARRATOR: Faux marble panels and alabaster 425 00:24:55,154 --> 00:24:57,839 columns are painted on the walls. 426 00:24:57,874 --> 00:25:00,079 These columns go around the entire room to 427 00:25:00,154 --> 00:25:02,999 give the illusion that you're surrounded by luxury. 428 00:25:03,041 --> 00:25:06,039 NARRATOR: The frescoes transform the room to make 429 00:25:06,074 --> 00:25:08,159 it look like a sumptuous royal hall. 430 00:25:08,234 --> 00:25:11,039 CLARKE: But it's all a fantasy. 431 00:25:12,721 --> 00:25:15,159 NARRATOR: Strict Roman law forbids citizens from 432 00:25:15,161 --> 00:25:18,119 building grand halls in their private residences. 433 00:25:19,921 --> 00:25:22,239 But here, the villa's owners find 434 00:25:22,314 --> 00:25:24,999 a loophole to satisfy their ambition. 435 00:25:26,401 --> 00:25:27,919 They want to show that they belong 436 00:25:27,921 --> 00:25:30,119 to the upper echelon of society. 437 00:25:30,961 --> 00:25:35,119 They paid artists to create the most fantastic, 438 00:25:35,121 --> 00:25:39,359 regal architecture as possible without breaking the rules. 439 00:25:39,361 --> 00:25:41,359 NARRATOR: The high level of craftsmanship 440 00:25:41,361 --> 00:25:44,119 and the monumental size of the frescoes 441 00:25:45,121 --> 00:25:47,399 are important clues to the identity 442 00:25:47,474 --> 00:25:49,119 of the people who live here. 443 00:25:51,361 --> 00:25:53,799 The location alone is testimony to 444 00:25:53,874 --> 00:25:56,039 the exceptional affluence of the owner. 445 00:25:59,081 --> 00:26:02,039 CLARKE: Our investigations have proven that this villa 446 00:26:02,081 --> 00:26:06,039 was on a cliff, situated 45 feet above the sea itself 447 00:26:06,081 --> 00:26:07,799 with its own private harbor. 448 00:26:10,881 --> 00:26:13,599 NARRATOR: The owners of this magnificent mansion likely live 449 00:26:13,601 --> 00:26:16,359 most of their time in the empire's capital. 450 00:26:19,761 --> 00:26:22,879 THOMAS: These sort of expensive, opulent villas dotted 451 00:26:22,954 --> 00:26:25,799 the entire coastline of the Bay of Naples, 452 00:26:25,874 --> 00:26:28,719 and many of them are owned by the senatorial elite of Rome. 453 00:26:28,794 --> 00:26:30,239 These are summer houses. 454 00:26:30,314 --> 00:26:32,239 You can only imagine, just like we have 455 00:26:32,314 --> 00:26:33,879 in the Hamptons, for example, 456 00:26:33,921 --> 00:26:37,239 where the rich and famous come, and they all gather around 457 00:26:37,281 --> 00:26:39,519 at each other's houses for these big parties. 458 00:26:41,681 --> 00:26:44,879 NARRATOR: Villas like this are where Rome's rich escape 459 00:26:44,954 --> 00:26:48,199 the noise and sweltering heat of the crowded capital. 460 00:26:50,761 --> 00:26:53,239 John looks for the name of the aristocrats 461 00:26:53,241 --> 00:26:54,359 who vacation here. 462 00:26:56,881 --> 00:26:57,912 In a storage room, 463 00:26:57,921 --> 00:27:00,279 a small stack of plain amphorae 464 00:27:00,321 --> 00:27:02,919 hides a possible clue to their identity. 465 00:27:04,801 --> 00:27:06,225 There it is. 466 00:27:06,301 --> 00:27:09,399 That's the amphora, which has this inscription on it. 467 00:27:09,441 --> 00:27:14,279 It reads, "To Secundus, the slave of Poppaea." 468 00:27:14,354 --> 00:27:18,759 So many people for that reason call this the Villa of Poppaea. 469 00:27:19,641 --> 00:27:22,599 NARRATOR: This is not an ordinary family name. 470 00:27:23,561 --> 00:27:25,839 Poppaea may have been the Poppaea who 471 00:27:25,914 --> 00:27:29,119 was the famous wife of the Emperor Nero. 472 00:27:31,441 --> 00:27:33,959 NARRATOR: Nero is the most notorious emperor 473 00:27:34,034 --> 00:27:35,879 in Roman history. 474 00:27:35,954 --> 00:27:39,959 He is infamous for a lifestyle of debauchery and excess. 475 00:27:43,641 --> 00:27:47,199 The Bay of Naples is his favorite playground. 476 00:27:47,274 --> 00:27:49,759 He frequently comes to the nearby town 477 00:27:49,834 --> 00:27:53,239 of Baia to enjoy its famous hot springs, 478 00:27:53,281 --> 00:27:57,119 and to Puteoli, where he stages lavish boat parties. 479 00:27:58,961 --> 00:28:01,399 Nero owns several properties here, 480 00:28:01,401 --> 00:28:04,359 including a spectacular villa now underwater 481 00:28:04,361 --> 00:28:06,559 due to sea level changes. 482 00:28:11,841 --> 00:28:14,919 More clues found in the area offer further evidence that 483 00:28:14,994 --> 00:28:16,799 Nero's wife, Poppaea, 484 00:28:16,874 --> 00:28:19,599 might own the larger villa at Oplontis. 485 00:28:22,481 --> 00:28:25,199 There was a whole clan called Poppaea. 486 00:28:25,201 --> 00:28:28,439 The clan is attested in Pompeii, as well. 487 00:28:28,481 --> 00:28:30,279 There's a magnificent house, 488 00:28:30,354 --> 00:28:33,999 the best one in Pompeii, which we know was owned by somebody 489 00:28:34,074 --> 00:28:36,199 who had this clan name. 490 00:28:37,241 --> 00:28:38,759 NARRATOR: Poppaea's relatives 491 00:28:38,761 --> 00:28:41,359 are a prominent family in Pompeii. 492 00:28:41,434 --> 00:28:43,279 Their names appear in inscriptions 493 00:28:43,281 --> 00:28:44,919 all across the town. 494 00:28:46,881 --> 00:28:51,039 Nero and Poppaea die more than 10 years before the eruption. 495 00:28:52,281 --> 00:28:56,799 By the time disaster strikes in the fall of 79 CE, 496 00:28:56,874 --> 00:28:59,919 the new owners of this villa might have already returned to 497 00:28:59,994 --> 00:29:01,519 Rome from their vacation. 498 00:29:02,921 --> 00:29:04,999 But what happens to their servants? 499 00:29:06,081 --> 00:29:09,119 And what can this mansion reveal about life in 500 00:29:09,194 --> 00:29:12,599 servitude to the rich and powerful in the Roman world? 501 00:29:23,041 --> 00:29:24,465 Oplontis. 502 00:29:25,721 --> 00:29:29,759 Hidden between Pompeii and Herculaneum sits the Villa 503 00:29:29,834 --> 00:29:34,319 of Poppaea, holiday home fit for an emperor, 504 00:29:34,394 --> 00:29:38,919 buried for 2,000 years in the volcanic rock of Vesuvius. 505 00:29:41,361 --> 00:29:44,959 Discoveries here shed light on the darker side of Roman life, 506 00:29:45,034 --> 00:29:47,239 slavery. 507 00:29:48,521 --> 00:29:53,399 This villa gives us a clean shot of life, not just of 508 00:29:53,441 --> 00:29:54,779 the wealthy owners, 509 00:29:54,781 --> 00:29:56,319 but also of the slaves who were attending them. 510 00:30:00,441 --> 00:30:02,679 NARRATOR: Long, striped corridors lead to 511 00:30:02,721 --> 00:30:04,159 the inner workings of the villa, 512 00:30:05,841 --> 00:30:07,319 the slaves' domain. 513 00:30:09,921 --> 00:30:11,239 At its center, 514 00:30:11,314 --> 00:30:14,519 a peristyle featuring a large water fountain. 515 00:30:18,761 --> 00:30:22,839 On the upper floor, bedrooms where the slaves sleep, 516 00:30:28,161 --> 00:30:31,519 alongside simple latrines and washrooms. 517 00:30:34,081 --> 00:30:36,399 What can these living quarters reveal about 518 00:30:36,401 --> 00:30:39,119 the lives of slaves in the Roman Empire? 519 00:30:43,481 --> 00:30:45,879 Michael looks for traces of the men and women 520 00:30:45,921 --> 00:30:47,999 who work here behind the scenes. 521 00:30:50,241 --> 00:30:53,159 As he leaves the luxurious entertainment rooms, 522 00:30:53,161 --> 00:30:54,719 something catches his eye. 523 00:30:55,641 --> 00:30:59,719 This painting gives us a clue about what happens in 524 00:30:59,721 --> 00:31:01,192 this room. 525 00:31:01,194 --> 00:31:04,559 NARRATOR: These simple frescoes stand in stark contrast to 526 00:31:04,634 --> 00:31:06,839 the opulence of the rest of the villa. 527 00:31:08,521 --> 00:31:11,639 This is not a painting that one would stop and admire 528 00:31:11,641 --> 00:31:15,319 and look at the details of -- this is a huge corridor. 529 00:31:15,321 --> 00:31:17,159 It's a place of movement, and who's doing 530 00:31:17,234 --> 00:31:20,159 the most movement in a Roman house? Slaves. 531 00:31:20,234 --> 00:31:23,039 This corridor would have been a thoroughfare for slaves. 532 00:31:23,921 --> 00:31:27,639 Throngs of slaves run up and down these halls, 533 00:31:27,681 --> 00:31:30,959 possibly attending to the whims of Nero himself. 534 00:31:32,201 --> 00:31:34,039 To find out more about them, 535 00:31:34,041 --> 00:31:37,839 Michael follows the corridor to a secluded courtyard. 536 00:31:37,841 --> 00:31:41,399 THOMAS: This peristyle is the hub of the slave activity 537 00:31:41,441 --> 00:31:42,865 of this villa. 538 00:31:42,941 --> 00:31:45,399 It's where the slaves slept, it's where they worked, 539 00:31:45,441 --> 00:31:47,879 it's where they washed -- these holes that 540 00:31:47,954 --> 00:31:50,239 you see up above the roof line here, 541 00:31:50,241 --> 00:31:53,839 those are the windows for the upstairs quarters. 542 00:31:53,841 --> 00:31:55,879 NARRATOR: This is the engine room that 543 00:31:55,954 --> 00:31:58,839 keeps the Villa of Poppaea running smoothly. 544 00:32:00,081 --> 00:32:03,199 Hundreds labor here in the shadows, perhaps 545 00:32:03,201 --> 00:32:06,439 so that Nero's family can enjoy their luxury vacation. 546 00:32:13,201 --> 00:32:16,199 Slaves make up one in 10 of the population 547 00:32:16,274 --> 00:32:20,079 of the Roman Empire in the First Century CE. 548 00:32:20,114 --> 00:32:22,599 Even middle class Romans buy slaves. 549 00:32:25,761 --> 00:32:27,259 In Oplontis, 550 00:32:27,261 --> 00:32:30,479 the men maintain the villa and tend to the lush gardens, 551 00:32:30,554 --> 00:32:32,159 vineyards, and orchards, 552 00:32:36,521 --> 00:32:39,159 while the women cook and serve expensive 553 00:32:39,161 --> 00:32:41,919 wine to the guests at elaborate banquets. 554 00:32:44,641 --> 00:32:46,839 Those with specialized skills become 555 00:32:46,881 --> 00:32:49,639 tutors and accountants to the elite. 556 00:32:49,714 --> 00:32:53,719 Slaves are a vital part of every elite Roman household. 557 00:32:56,961 --> 00:32:59,959 Michael ventures upstairs to their sleeping quarters. 558 00:32:59,961 --> 00:33:03,359 So this is another clue about the slaves here, 559 00:33:03,434 --> 00:33:05,119 and what we have is some graffiti. 560 00:33:05,121 --> 00:33:07,999 This is their voice, and this is how we see what they're 561 00:33:08,074 --> 00:33:10,359 thinking and what's important to them. 562 00:33:11,201 --> 00:33:13,319 NARRATOR: One graffito in particular 563 00:33:13,354 --> 00:33:14,919 captures Michael's attention. 564 00:33:14,921 --> 00:33:17,119 THOMAS: There's a Greek graffito here, 565 00:33:17,194 --> 00:33:21,519 which actually says, "Remember Beryllos." 566 00:33:21,554 --> 00:33:25,679 These words provide a window into the slave's aspirations. 567 00:33:25,754 --> 00:33:28,959 Most people believe it's a reference to this famous 568 00:33:29,034 --> 00:33:30,279 freedman who was 569 00:33:30,354 --> 00:33:33,039 a tutor and an important member of the court of 570 00:33:33,114 --> 00:33:34,559 the Emperor Nero. 571 00:33:35,361 --> 00:33:37,519 NARRATOR: The graffito is more evidence that 572 00:33:37,594 --> 00:33:40,879 this villa is connected to Emperor Nero 573 00:33:40,954 --> 00:33:42,199 and is a reminder that even 574 00:33:42,201 --> 00:33:45,839 a slave can earn freedom and greatness. 575 00:33:45,841 --> 00:33:48,119 Maybe this is a message for other slaves or maybe 576 00:33:48,121 --> 00:33:50,039 it was just something that made him feel good. 577 00:33:51,401 --> 00:33:53,639 NARRATOR: This message of hope survives, 578 00:33:53,714 --> 00:33:56,679 frozen in time by the eruption. 579 00:33:56,754 --> 00:33:59,999 THOMAS: It's a rare find to have this kind of evidence of spaces 580 00:34:00,001 --> 00:34:02,639 dedicated to slaves and their activities 581 00:34:02,641 --> 00:34:05,039 in the Pompeiian area, really in the Roman Empire. 582 00:34:05,041 --> 00:34:08,359 NARRATOR: But their death remains a mystery. 583 00:34:08,434 --> 00:34:10,759 The bodies of the people who work here 584 00:34:10,834 --> 00:34:12,119 have never been found. 585 00:34:13,361 --> 00:34:14,639 Michael wants to know if they 586 00:34:14,714 --> 00:34:17,119 could have escaped the fury of Vesuvius. 587 00:34:20,121 --> 00:34:21,999 In one corner of the courtyard, 588 00:34:22,074 --> 00:34:24,999 a mysterious ramp of stairs appears to lead 589 00:34:25,074 --> 00:34:26,799 straight down into the ground. 590 00:34:30,041 --> 00:34:32,559 A team that excavated on the other side 591 00:34:32,561 --> 00:34:35,359 of the villa found the exit of this tunnel. 592 00:34:35,434 --> 00:34:40,439 So we now know it provided access from the slave peristyle 593 00:34:40,481 --> 00:34:44,159 out to the cliff face that led down to the sea. 594 00:34:44,161 --> 00:34:47,079 This tunnel would have been a way to bring supplies in, 595 00:34:47,154 --> 00:34:48,639 so slaves could have gone down 596 00:34:48,714 --> 00:34:52,119 and met boats that had supplies, like wine and food, 597 00:34:52,161 --> 00:34:54,039 that were needed in the villa. 598 00:34:55,841 --> 00:34:58,399 NARRATOR: The impressive tunnel cuts half a mile through 599 00:34:58,401 --> 00:35:01,999 the cliff and is the quickest way to reach the sea. 600 00:35:03,681 --> 00:35:05,999 As Vesuvius begins to erupt, 601 00:35:06,001 --> 00:35:08,799 this might provide a perfect escape route. 602 00:35:10,041 --> 00:35:13,239 But as investigators unearth more of the villa, 603 00:35:13,281 --> 00:35:16,199 it becomes apparent that something else, 604 00:35:16,234 --> 00:35:17,799 as well as bodies, is missing. 605 00:35:17,874 --> 00:35:20,439 Where are all the personal objects, 606 00:35:20,481 --> 00:35:24,199 all the precious items of the rich owners? 607 00:35:24,314 --> 00:35:27,439 Are they rescued from the villa before the eruption? 608 00:35:35,841 --> 00:35:38,439 NARRATOR: Two thousand years after Vesuvius's 609 00:35:38,514 --> 00:35:39,919 catastrophic eruption, 610 00:35:39,994 --> 00:35:43,359 archaeologists are unveiling the secrets of Pompeii's 611 00:35:43,434 --> 00:35:46,719 mysterious lost twin, Oplontis. 612 00:35:49,241 --> 00:35:52,279 They uncover an enormous and luxurious villa that 613 00:35:52,321 --> 00:35:55,959 might, at one point, belong to Nero's wife, Poppaea. 614 00:35:58,281 --> 00:36:01,679 But inside, all the valuables are missing, 615 00:36:01,754 --> 00:36:05,359 and some decorative elements are found in strange places. 616 00:36:07,041 --> 00:36:11,319 These columns came from 200 feet away in the villa 617 00:36:11,361 --> 00:36:12,639 and they were the supports 618 00:36:12,641 --> 00:36:14,799 for the porch along the pool. 619 00:36:14,801 --> 00:36:18,439 NARRATOR: They seem carefully laid down. 620 00:36:18,441 --> 00:36:22,319 They are not mown down by the random fury of Vesuvius. 621 00:36:23,881 --> 00:36:26,719 John wants to find out why they are here. 622 00:36:28,321 --> 00:36:30,359 An expert examination reveals 623 00:36:30,401 --> 00:36:32,959 these are not regular columns. 624 00:36:34,161 --> 00:36:36,679 CLARKE: They were made from a very expensive material. 625 00:36:36,681 --> 00:36:38,839 This particular marble is quite rare. 626 00:36:38,881 --> 00:36:40,959 It's only found on one island, on 627 00:36:41,034 --> 00:36:45,039 the island of Lesbos in the Mediterranean beyond Greece. 628 00:36:45,041 --> 00:36:48,279 NARRATOR: The cost of shipping alone is equal to 10 years 629 00:36:48,321 --> 00:36:50,679 of a regular Roman soldier's salary. 630 00:36:50,714 --> 00:36:54,919 And they're a single column instead of in pieces, 631 00:36:54,921 --> 00:36:56,839 which made them much more precious. 632 00:36:57,761 --> 00:36:59,639 NARRATOR: But on the day of the eruption, 633 00:36:59,641 --> 00:37:02,279 most of the columns from the poolside terrace are 634 00:37:02,281 --> 00:37:04,199 already gone. 635 00:37:04,274 --> 00:37:06,479 CLARKE: Why are only a handful left? 636 00:37:06,481 --> 00:37:09,399 Because the intact ones were sold off. 637 00:37:09,441 --> 00:37:11,039 Only the broken ones are here. 638 00:37:12,241 --> 00:37:16,999 NARRATOR: John thinks that these columns fall well before 79 CE, 639 00:37:18,241 --> 00:37:20,519 and the intact columns are not the only 640 00:37:20,594 --> 00:37:23,319 expensive decor that is removed and converted 641 00:37:23,441 --> 00:37:25,199 into cash. 642 00:37:25,274 --> 00:37:30,039 All of the precious materials at the villa were removed. 643 00:37:31,361 --> 00:37:33,399 They stripped marble decoration from 644 00:37:33,401 --> 00:37:36,719 the entire east wing and sold it off. 645 00:37:37,601 --> 00:37:40,279 NARRATOR: This evidence suggests another crisis 646 00:37:40,281 --> 00:37:42,799 occurs here before the eruption. 647 00:37:48,001 --> 00:37:49,599 Ivo Van der Graaff is part of 648 00:37:49,601 --> 00:37:52,119 the team of archaeologists working at Oplontis. 649 00:37:54,001 --> 00:37:58,119 Our cameras have exclusive access to follow him inside 650 00:37:58,121 --> 00:38:01,599 the stock rooms of the ancient wine bottling complex. 651 00:38:03,161 --> 00:38:04,839 The space is now used to 652 00:38:04,914 --> 00:38:08,079 store materials recovered from the dig, 653 00:38:08,154 --> 00:38:11,519 but at the back, it hides an important piece of evidence. 654 00:38:14,561 --> 00:38:16,679 This is really interesting. 655 00:38:16,714 --> 00:38:18,639 This is a great, big cistern 656 00:38:18,714 --> 00:38:21,679 used to store water for the complex. 657 00:38:21,754 --> 00:38:25,799 NARRATOR: The massive tank is 100 feet long and 5 feet wide. 658 00:38:27,161 --> 00:38:29,959 It's connected to the local network of aqueducts 659 00:38:29,961 --> 00:38:33,239 and is meant to supply fresh water to the entire estate. 660 00:38:34,521 --> 00:38:36,319 But at the time of the eruption, 661 00:38:36,394 --> 00:38:39,439 it is already out of use for some time. 662 00:38:39,514 --> 00:38:42,439 They decide to shut down the cistern and fill it up with 663 00:38:42,441 --> 00:38:45,279 rubble, and then they build these great big walls for 664 00:38:45,281 --> 00:38:47,119 the storage rooms you see above us. 665 00:38:48,441 --> 00:38:50,839 NARRATOR: Ivo believes that the water network feeding 666 00:38:50,881 --> 00:38:52,359 this cistern is disrupted, 667 00:38:52,434 --> 00:38:54,639 rendering it dry and useless. 668 00:38:56,161 --> 00:38:57,839 VAN DER GRAAFF: This tells us that there was 669 00:38:57,841 --> 00:38:59,839 a major earthquake in the region, 670 00:38:59,914 --> 00:39:02,519 and it affected all the surrounding towns, 671 00:39:02,561 --> 00:39:05,199 including Pompeii and Herculaneum to a massive degree, 672 00:39:05,201 --> 00:39:08,439 destroying the water supply and destroying the aqueducts 673 00:39:08,441 --> 00:39:10,279 that also supplied those towns, 674 00:39:10,281 --> 00:39:12,599 including Oplontis itself, as well. 675 00:39:13,641 --> 00:39:19,159 NARRATOR: In 62 CE, 17 years before the great eruption, 676 00:39:19,201 --> 00:39:22,399 an earthquake shakes the hills around Oplontis, 677 00:39:22,401 --> 00:39:24,639 damaging its vital aqueducts. 678 00:39:25,841 --> 00:39:28,799 In the aftermath, residents of the larger villa 679 00:39:28,801 --> 00:39:30,319 reinforce the pool 680 00:39:30,401 --> 00:39:34,119 and push fragments of pottery into the earth to prevent 681 00:39:34,194 --> 00:39:35,799 the portico from collapsing. 682 00:39:37,881 --> 00:39:40,839 The owners sell off valuable materials, 683 00:39:40,841 --> 00:39:43,239 decorative marble and wood, 684 00:39:43,314 --> 00:39:46,719 a hint that the villa is in decline. 685 00:39:46,834 --> 00:39:50,119 Analysis of organic material from the garden confirms that 686 00:39:50,194 --> 00:39:52,279 it's inundated not with lush plants, 687 00:39:52,321 --> 00:39:56,799 but bindweed vines, a clear sign of neglect, 688 00:39:57,841 --> 00:39:59,759 but at the neighboring bottling facility, 689 00:39:59,834 --> 00:40:02,239 business must go on. 690 00:40:02,314 --> 00:40:05,479 The clever entrepreneurs repurpose and restore what is 691 00:40:05,481 --> 00:40:08,919 damaged so that the facility can continue to operate. 692 00:40:08,961 --> 00:40:11,479 VAN DER GRAAFF: We actually have evidence of repairs 693 00:40:11,521 --> 00:40:14,199 and construction still happening at the time of the eruption, 694 00:40:14,241 --> 00:40:16,559 as a population was still rebuilding after 695 00:40:16,634 --> 00:40:18,759 the earthquake. 696 00:40:18,834 --> 00:40:20,959 NARRATOR: Traces of the rebuilding are still 697 00:40:21,034 --> 00:40:23,079 visible in the courtyard. 698 00:40:23,154 --> 00:40:24,472 VAN DER GRAAFF: Here, we have a good example 699 00:40:24,481 --> 00:40:26,799 of repairs that happened after the earthquake. 700 00:40:26,874 --> 00:40:29,559 You can see that this column is different from that one. 701 00:40:29,601 --> 00:40:30,999 This one is made out of brick, because 702 00:40:31,041 --> 00:40:34,039 it was repaired after the earthquake of 62. 703 00:40:35,961 --> 00:40:37,359 NARRATOR: In the face of destruction 704 00:40:37,434 --> 00:40:39,199 caused by the earthquake, 705 00:40:39,274 --> 00:40:41,639 the people in the second villa picked themselves up 706 00:40:41,641 --> 00:40:42,832 and rebuild. 707 00:40:44,481 --> 00:40:46,599 Just a few years later, business is once 708 00:40:46,601 --> 00:40:47,912 again flourishing. 709 00:40:50,041 --> 00:40:52,879 They cannot imagine that the worst is yet to come. 710 00:40:52,954 --> 00:40:56,239 [explosion blasts] 711 00:40:58,001 --> 00:41:00,679 The catastrophic eruption of Vesuvius buries 712 00:41:00,754 --> 00:41:03,199 Oplontis in a thick layer of ash, 713 00:41:04,281 --> 00:41:06,719 preserving for 2,000 years 714 00:41:06,721 --> 00:41:09,759 one of the most exclusive villas of ancient Rome. 715 00:41:11,881 --> 00:41:14,359 The large villa reveals new secrets about 716 00:41:14,401 --> 00:41:18,239 the life of the empire's wealthiest and their slaves, 717 00:41:19,321 --> 00:41:21,359 and at the neighboring villa, 718 00:41:21,434 --> 00:41:23,839 evidence of a new date for the eruption 719 00:41:24,881 --> 00:41:27,199 as 54 victims remind us of 720 00:41:27,274 --> 00:41:30,159 the human cost of this terrible tragedy. 721 00:41:30,234 --> 00:41:33,199 [music playing]