When Mt. Vesuvius blew her top in 79 A.D., Pompeii wasn't the only town covered with ash and mud. On the southern shore of the Bay of Naples is an area known as Stabiae where there were many exclusive villas for the wealthy to get away from the rigors of Rome. This image is part of the inner courtyard of the Villa San Marcos. There are a lot of wonderfully preserved frescoes and mosaic tiled floors, and there is still a lot to be uncovered. But if you'd like to see more of similar villas in this area all you have to do is visit the Getty Villa in Malibu. J. Paul Getty was quite a collector and managed to bring a lot of the neighboring villa to the U.S. for all to see.
“Villas of Stabiae” © Kathy Dunham 2009
