They Can Hardly Make It Stop Raining

[Minimalist]

http://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/italy ... eii-n42351

ROME — Italy's culture minister demanded explanations on Sunday after more collapses this weekend in the ancient Roman city of Pompeii raised concerns about the state of one of the world's most treasured archaeological sites.

Pompeii, preserved under ash from a volcanic eruption in 79 A.D. and rediscovered in the 18th century, has been hit by a series of collapses in recent months and years which have sparked international outcry over the neglect of the site.

[circumspice]

You'd think that they'd protect that cash cow at all costs, wouldn't you???

[kbs2244]

Climate change ?

[Minimalist]

I think it always rained in Italy in the winter.

This is what happens when you dig up an archaeological site and leave it exposed to the elements.

I agree with Circ but I've been there. The site is immense. How the hell do you protect it from rain?

[E.P. Grondine]

I think it always rained in Italy in the winter.

This is what happens when you dig up an archaeological site and leave it exposed to the elements.

I agree with Circ but I've been there. The site is immense. How the hell do you protect it from rain?

Use the buildings, and stop leaching off of David Packard.
I'd like to see the other texts from Herculaneum. Now.

[Minimalist]

The recovery of any text from antiquity would be priceless, E.P. but Piso's villa may not be the Holy Grail that was hoped for.

http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-25106956

Despite being found in Italy, most of the recovered material is in Greek. Perhaps the major discovery is a third of On Nature, a previously lost work by the philosopher Epicurus.

But many of the texts that have emerged so far are written by a follower of Epicurus, the philosopher and poet Philodemus of Gadara (c.110-c.40/35BC). In fact, so many of his works are present, and in duplicate copies, that David Sider, a classics professor at New York University, believes that what has been found so far was in fact Philodemus's own working library. Piso was Philodemus's patron.

I do think the author misstates the find as a working library. Even allowing for Philodemus dying in 35BC it seems odd that there would still be a working library over a century later when Vesuvius blew up. Further, while Lucius Calpurnius Piso ( who died c 43 BC) may have been Philodemus' patron the property would almost certainly have been owned by his great-great-grandson (who was consul in 57 AD) and who was also named Lucius. Would a great-great grandson have shared the passion for a long dead philosopher? Seems like a stretch.

I wonder if what they found was a store room?