Villa of the Papyri

The Villa of the Papyri was a villa in Herculaneum, which was buried in 79 CE, during the eruption of Vesuvius.

In the villa library were found 2,000 scrolls. Many were Works by Epicurus (341-270 BCE).
The scrolls were burnt by the 300° temperature of the eruption and the villa buried under 70 feet (20m) of lava.
The owner of the villa and its library was either Lucius Calpurnius Piso Caesonius, who was Consul of Rome in 58 BCE, father-in-law of Julius Caesar and Patron of Philodemus, or to his son of the same name.
Piso was the Patron of the poet Philodemus (c.110-c.35 BCE), who was a follower of Epicurus. The library also contained a large number of Works by Philodemus.

The Villa contained Frescoes, Marble Sculptures and Bronze Works of Art, as well as the Library.
Many of these are now in the National Archeological Museum Naples including
- The Seated Hermes
- The Drunken Satyre
- The Bust of Thespis.

It is the only library from Ancient Rome to have survived intact.
Although the scrolls are all burnt into carbonised cylinders, some restoration has been possible.
The 1,700 scrolls that have been opened were mostly written in Greek.

‘On Nature’
- A third of this Lost Work by the philosopher Epicurus has been recovered.
‘Faenerator’ or ‘The Usurer’
- A comedy in Latin by the comic playwright Caecilius Statius.
There may be other Lost Works from Classical Literature yet to be found.

The Villa was commenced in 1954 and inspired by the Villa of the Papyri at Herculaneum.
Notable Works are the Landsowne Heracles marble statue (125 CE) and the Victorious Youth bronze statue (c.300-100 BCE).
The Villa occupies a site of 64 acres (26 hectares) with four Roman Gardens, filled with fountains and statues, that are planted with herbs, shrubs and bushes from the Roman Era.

Villa of the Papyri, Herculaneum