Exploring the Best-Preserved Roman Villa

[@toldinstone]

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[@ZingierOne3]

It was inevitable that Raid Shadow Legends found this channel

[@omnijack]

And somehow, you managed to make the promotion sound classy. Much respect, sir.

[@greatestoldone7658]

Love your videos, you do what you need to to keep them coming.

[@cayrel3671]

That sponser segue hit harder than Vesuvius

[@200131240]

He’s a real KZbinr now.

[@somehuman1901]

I'm glad you do videos like this. As a poor American I feel that I'll never get to see these places in person. Plus I'm sure your commentary is better than anything I could read even if I was there. So thank you for that.

[@PomazeBog1389]

*_NEVER SAY NEVER._*

[@isaacharris6964]

I feel this

[@AxxLAfriku]

GAGAGAGAGAGA! I will now count to 3 and then I am still the unprettiest KZbinr of all time. 1...2...3. GAGAGAGAGAGA!!! Thank you for your attention, dear som

[@rebjorn79]

Roaming around Europe, especially south Europe, doesn't have to be very expensive. Greece first and foremost is cheaper than you may think. If you can get a plane ticket, and avoid having to stay in extravagant hotels and if you can can live on a supermarket diet you can cut down costs drastically. If you can be comfy with hostel life and eat food from markets, and if you're able and agile, you may find that you could absolutely enjoy some time in Europe. I'd start with Greece.

[@Evanderj]

I backpacked through New Zealand for a year when I was 19 without much money. Had to pick up a horticulture job for a few months to keep traveling, only stayed in hostels, and did a fair amount of hitchhiking, but it can be done. Did 4 months through South East Asia for about the cost of living in the States. You can absolutely do it. 😊

[@Schlabbeflicker]

It occurs to me that having frescoes of popular myths and legends of the era would be like having movie posters or pop culture art in your home today..

[@Plafintarr]

Or like having memes on your wall.

[@musamusashi]

Except it was only for the elites, not for the everyday people. Fresco in patrician homes remained the norm in Italy well into the Renaissance period and beyond. In fact it's not rare to find such art even in homes of the XIX Century.

[@phlexxo]

I guess it was more high brow and distinguished than todays movie posters. You probably could find Gladiator pictures in some sports bar

[@Ozymandias1]

@@musamusashi The houses of the elites are still more lavish than those of commoners. Nothing has changed in that respect. The difference is that at least in the wealthy nations commoners have luxuries and amenities that even the richest Romans could only dream of.

[@arthurmtrin]

Just no

[@ursino56]

I visited in 2000 while I was living in Pozzuoli, there was no one else there and it was like being transported back in time, there are also a number of other villas along the cost south of Oplontis that are worth visiting.

[@panqueque445]

2:00 I don't know why that door surprised me so much. It's 2000 years old and it looks like a regular, everyday door.

[@petersumerauer]

"Thank you for making a simple door very happy. Sigh." SCNR 🙂😀

[@lonewulf44]

Also impressed, but remember it's not the door but the plaster mold. So awesome to see the detail

[@brianpeck4035]

Door got covered in ash which hardened and sealed it in. Then door rotted leaving an empty space where the door was. Workers uncovering it would find an empty hollow which they filled with plaster. Then they remove the hardened ash around it revealing a plaster copy of the door. I figure that you are talking about how the 2000 year old door style is much the same as today.

[@dumoulin11]

That final little detail in the fresco is mind-blowing.

[@nicolarollinson4381]

My personal' favourite Roman' Villa, is to be found, abandonded and overlooked, in the Woods behind a small village in central England. Its not on the tourist map and could easily be missed by anyone just taking a hike. Its my favourite because of its obsurity and because it, and the surrounding area, still hum with the vibe's of the long passed families who lived in and passed through there, so many centuries ago. The first time I crossed the tiny stone' bridge, which was expertly designed and built to withstand the test of time, I was really not that full of eager anticipation at the prospect of witnessing yet another Roman' ruin..."blah, blah, blah, fascinating...gonna love it! and all that stuff". But, the echoes and whispers of days and people long gone, truly surprised me. It was hardly a ruin. More like an imprint. The foundations, a tiny segment of the intricately constructed bath' house floor and not much more. Nestling there, just to the side of what was possibly once a busy Roman' road, in a small, none descript piece of woodland sleeps a piece of history. Not a magnificent, palatial masterpiece, just a villa, yet so much more....😊

[@laurelmcgowan5519]

Are you going to tell us where it is? The county at least, if not the nearest village?

[@nicolarollinson4381]

@@laurelmcgowan5519 Its in England, in the Cotswolds 🤔 Long time since I was there...Travelled the World since then. I'll check on google maps. 😅 Its a double barrelled name. Wait a mo ✌ Chipping Norton, I think. Its in the woods behind a big country house, where they had some hoofing parties back in the day. 😁

[@City0fTroy]

The walls are MAGNIFICENT and I've seen some reconstructions of what they looked like in their prime and it's beautiful

[@patrickdoak7813]

It's so worth a stop on your way back to Naples. Hardly anyone goes there which is sad, but it allows you to explore and take your time. Well worth it!

[@pasquino0733]

Love the locations no one goes too!

[@BarfyMan-sh3zf]

I love that your channel has grown so much since I’ve started watching! You have put out quality videos since the beginning and I absolutely love the new format and design of your logo. I hope you continue to grow sir, you have been my favourite youtuber for a few months now and I’ve just bought your book after you’ve been recommending it for months now ;)

[@suggondeez2949]

Your videos are the highlight of my days. Thank you so much. I’ve watched all of your videos up until today. I’m glad I’m caught up. I think of Rome all day while I work. (Construction, currently framing) makes my days go by so quick! I appreciate your hard work and dedication fam!! Keep it up

[@13Luk6iul]

I‘ve been there. The size was really impressive, especially as i visited right after visiting herculaneum. The contrast was impressive

[@phoule76]

I remember the dainty painted birds on the frescoed wall overlooking the pool.

[@cherylsmith4826]

What a beautiful palace- we are so fortunate to have this ruin to enjoy- hard to image it in its earlier splendor

[@flamencoprof]

When I drove around Italy in 1996 I made sure Pompeii & Herculaneum were on the itinerary. If I had known such places as this were available I would have visited. I guess the first two above would be even more crowded with tourists than then, but I would still go back in a heartbeat. Spain also had many well preserved Roman constructions, but not this level of interior preservation. Sun and beaches can be found anywhere, I'd rather see a historical site any day.

[@Homie_Wan_Kenobi]

Thank you for showing us this. Yet another piece of history that would have remained obscure had it not been for your video. A wonderful glimpse into the everyday of Roman life!

[@JerryFisher]

I was going to add that there was one skeleton found at the villa (colloquially called Villa A sometimes), but it was found just to the north. The speculation is that it was a victim who was swept in from further inland by one of the later pyroclastic flows. I thought too that the Lady of Oplontis was found at this villa, but she was found at the nearby Villa B.

[@isabellewoodrum9396]

I brought your book with me to Côte d’Ivoire and it was great for my countless hours on the plane!

[@BC-lo6rf]

Learning from your brief lessons is an absolute pleasure. Well done, and please continue.

[@GoldEzmoreth]

You casually mentioning dining couches made me curious. What type of fabric would they be made of? What would they use as stuffing? What did they look like? For that matter what did roman furniture look like at all? What was inside a Roman house?

[@toldinstone]

Those are big questions - so big that I just might have to answer them with a video...

[@Thepancaketoaster]

@@toldinstone Please do. Those are exactly the kind of details that I like to learn about but are rarely covered.

[@WideAwake-bl7gw]

You can google Roman furniture. All the questions you asked, I found the answers in 2 minutes. :)

[@johnmiller8975]

@@toldinstone Please Do, I'm a librarian. That means I like going down rabbit holes. A nice documentary will help those who don't wanna do that

[@HerculesMays]

Funny you ask that, the stuffing of couches is explicitly mentioned in Petronius' Satyricon. I can't remember the actual material used, but it was described as being purple and red for the extravagantly wealthy Trimalchio

[@imtrex521]

Very excited to see this!! I watched twice.... more! 🙏

[@magnvss]

Something seems evident: color and richly painted walls also was a way to express wealth. I think what's more impressive is that the details of those painting show not fantasies but surely enough, real examples of places that had those richly decorated columns made from exotic materials and statues and objects and what not. Very few of which survived as those costly materials were always repurposed on times of scarcity.

[@caydcrow5161]

By far one of the best history channels on this platform! Great content brother! I learn something new everyday! Thank you for that good sir!

[@jk-offline994]

Your videos are always on such fascinating topics that immediately grab my attention. Additionally your scripts are exceptionally professional and informed, a tone which is consistent with your book. I think your new branding and these eye catching thumbnails will help even more people find your truly wonderful channel. Cheers!

[@rob-v1y]

Pompei has been my ultimate bucket list visit since I saw Pink Floyd Live at Pompeii at some midnight movie theater some time in the 70's... Since then, I have watched a million videos of walk - throughs filled with thousands of sweaty tourists troding the various streets. Yet, I would go there still...but I waited too long. If you are young, and can afford it...do not postpone. Go to the places you love.. when you have the chance. Even if you have to quit your job to do it. Otherwise you end up old and filled with regret at the marvels that you let pass you by... Nobody on their death bed ever says: Well, I never touched the pyramids, but at least I got that TPS report done on time.

[@SpringNotes]

@robert black, may I ask, what's holding you back ?

[@xraceboyex]

@@SpringNotes Dude moved to Italy, you'll never be getting an answer

[@sirgalahad1470]

I just visited Pompeii this past year for the first time, and I am in my 60s. It's never too late.

[@Trux2010]

Those frescoes are absolutely gorgeous, unbelievable skill went into making them, and they survived this long...

[@achillea3147]

I was privileged to see this place while I was there in 2016 - absolutely stunning place.

[@lba4746]

You have to visit Carnuntum next to Vienna, Austria. If you ever visit Vienna there is also a nice roman museum

[@jacobrocks7]

Awesome work !

[@BFDT-4]

I was there, and I was blessed with the paucity of tourists, and the richness of the restorations!

[@eatportchops]

Thanks, will be there next month. Would love to see a video on the Villas at Stabiae also

[@diannewheatleygiliotti8513]

Thanks!

[@subtropicalken1362]

In observing the precision of the construction you show in these and your other videos, it occurred to me that a subject for a future video could be the tools of the trade, literally, of the contractors/builders of that era. Wish my mother who was a HS Latin teacher in VA and reader of Roman history could have visited Rome.

[@DaM4nlyMinotaur]

This reminds me of the recreated villa at the Getty museum, a video breaking that down and all the accuracies and inaccuracies would be really cool

[@michaelhoffmann2891]

Very nice! We visited Oplontis almost 10 years ago now and in its own way was more impressive than Pompeii and Herculaneum, for one it's still in excellent state of preservation and yes, there were far fewer crowds!

[@heatherjones6647]

Yes! I was there on a small group tour out of UK with PhD lecturer. There for 2 hours and we were the only ones there. Such a great change from the crowds. You could stop and really look at things.

[@Gainn]

Villa Poppaea really gives you a sense of the opulence the Roman Elite lived in - particularly when you compare it to the relative paucity of 'Villa B'. Ostia is still my favourite place to visit, but Oplontis is up there.

[@bookashkin]

I love Ostia. If you haven't already, check out Carsulae on via Flaminia. Beautiful setting up in the hills.

[@bonnylad1651]

I much prefer this style of video compared to your most recent. No music, no sound effects, just pure discussion of the facts. This is how it should be. 👏

[@toldinstone]

Moving forward, I hope to balance the two styles. My Friday episodes will have music - usually very quiet and understated - but the heart of my videos will always be an old-fashioned, historically-responsible script.

[@jknox1543]

5:24 those walls remind me of prosciutto

[@giusepperoselli4810]

???

[@BaltimoresBerzerker]

Thank you! I've often wondered about the colors that would be splashed over Rome! Usually, it's images of stone construction and stone cold faces of the ancestors. This was wonderful!

[@phyllas121]

Just joined your channel I find this extremely interesting. Been to Italy.

[@mariemorgan7759]

I love Pompeii, thanks for the tour!❤️🌸❤️

[@alaingadbois2276]

If the villa was undergoing renovations, were any tools or traces of work found? Excellent video. The face seen close to the peacock looks like the work of sn antique Picasso!

[@toldinstone]

Glad you enjoyed it! The evidence for the renovations, from what I read, was primarily in what was missing - most of the rooms were unfurnished, and the statues around the garden pool had been removed, apparently in preparation for transfer to new locations.

[@emilysmith7788]

@@toldinstone The villa was unoccupied when Vesuvius struck. This was her holiday retreat and the work was on going. They found a haul of tools within the villa due to reconstruction of the villa after the major earthquake. Those tools may be found in the archaeological museum of Naples i do believe I am not sure

[@doublem1975x]

3:09 That was a silky smooth segue.

[@DJL78]

More. More. More. More. Always leaves you wanting more!

[@Isai_Calderon]

Raid shadow legends was the last thing I would expect to see on this channel 😂❤

[@johnbehneman1546]

THANK YOU SO MUCH. THAT IS A VERY BEAUTIFUL VILLA. THANKS FOR SHARING.

[@pelicanus2197]

Another flawless presentation. Thanks for all you do!

[@JayDeeChannel]

Wow. I was transported away for a moment watching this delightful video. I really want to go there.

[@cesarperez10]

Man, this channel is gold.

[@KolKay]

great content as always!

[@gowanhewlett745]

Magnificent......brings back glorious memories...Thankyou

[@gowanhewlett745]

Magnificent....this brings back glorious memories. Many thanks❤

[@rickb3078]

Thank you for the tip. Will visit it late this year when in Pompeii

[@FLAM1nWaffl3x]

Even ancient societies aren't safe from raid shadow legends

[@3olision]

The improvements are looking good my dude

[@heatherjones6647]

Been there. A truly amazing site. The villa was near the sea unlike today which may be why the staff could have got well away.

[@sol-ym5he]

i love these videos they’re so interesting to me

[@_hench__5251]

The most fascinating part of Pompeii, to me, has always been the places people just picked up and left. Imagine how many personal effects have been destroyed, or how many are yet to be found.

[@varolussalsanclar1163]

The detail and expertise of those 2000 year old wall paintings rivals the most exquisite paintings from the Renaissance and Neo-Classical period, which were made after 1500 years.

[@Snazzysneferu]

Have you considered doing a video on the Casa Romuli?

[@toldinstone]

I already have - check out the very first video I ever posted on KZbin: "A History of Rome in 15 Buildings 01. The Hut of Romulus"

[@visheshsux]

thank you for archiving this

[@spef7396]

I managed to miss your last upload, but I'm so glad you're covering pompeii now as in 1 month I will finally be visiting!

[@schweinehund3497]

The sponsorship segment sent me :DD good on you for securing that

[@thoughtfox12]

This being the wife that Nero allegedly kicked to death in her pregnancy, later marrying a male slave, Sporus, whom he had forcibly castrated, as he bore an uncanny resemblance to Poppaea. Funny chap that Nero.

[@DexterTheSpoonyOne]

Are you implying that this is in fact the oldest Femboy Hooters?

[@varolussalsanclar1163]

Sounds legit lol

[@coffeeisgood102]

Thanks for sharing. Without this type of video most of us would have no idea of the civilizations that preceded us. From what I can gather after watching this the ancient Romans differed little from us. All they lacked were modern conveniences such as cell phones, automobiles etc.

[@jeb678910]

So cool! Just bought ur book :) can't wait to read it

[@WWCephas]

Fantastic video

[@Zveebo]

A Raid: Shadow Legends sponsorship??? You’ve really hit the big time now! 😅

[@toldinstone]

To be honest, I wasn't really expecting RAID to sponsor a tour of a Roman villa. But hey, they were willing...

[@jonathanjochem7289]

I want to hear more of the story about the day of the explosion.

[@joshuafess6201]

Very good video in a educational sense!!

[@franc9111]

There's one thing that strikes me when I look at the interiors of these Roman villas is that there don't seem to be any windows. The bedrooms that you show here seem to be completely enclosed and very dark, the only light comes in through the doorway that opens onto the courtyard. At the 'Roman Villa' at Newt in Somerset in the UK there are windows and La Villa Kérylos in the South of France, for example, the decorated rooms with their walls covered wth frescoes and the mozaic floors are extremely well lit.

[@walterclaycooke]

Made two trips to the villa over the years. Very large and impressive.

[@123canadagirl]

I’d love to go back to Pompeii and spend a few days there to see places like this as well as herculeum

[@luciusvorenus9445]

Simply amazing. I wonder if the rest of the villa will be uncovered someday.

[@kevinhouse7143]

Judging by those two large murals with the peacocks it looks like they had some understanding of 1 or 2 point perspective. Did that knowledge then get lost after the fall of the empire only to be rediscovered during the early renaissance?

[@sternamc919sterna3]

It was probably passed on from artist to apprentices. People were probably too busy surviving, war, famine, disease, that arts were secondary and only available to a few lucky people. The dark ages were not as dark as we have been told.

[@Marachelle7]

Really cool! Thank you!

[@0_1_2]

Would have loved to see the floor tiles and mosaics

[@adamosman2142]

Did not see the raid shadow legends ad coming in a toldinstone video hahaha. Great video, loved actually walking around the villa.

[@calcustom5026]

I'd love to see someone replicate this building somewhere. That way we could visit and see how it would have looked and felt when occupied.

[@sagidasyed6314]

Toldinstone it's very sad that most of the ancient world had been obliterated, but as I watch more and more videos I watch the more I appreciate the amount of research you conduct, please make more videos regarding the best preserved of antiquity 🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️🤗🤗🤗🤗🤗

[@krisconrad6980]

Great video. Thanks for this. I had no idea this existed.

[@isaiahgarner6560]

"First" as they say :) Love your videos and congrats on the sponsor!

[@jackalschannel3557]

Love these videos! I wonder if one on the Villa of the Dionysian Mysteries is in the works....

[@jimc.goodfellas]

Best kept secret channel on KZbin

[@jimc.goodfellas]

Id love to hear him say, "it is in fact your boy Raid Shadow Legends"

[@toldinstone]

They'd have to pay extra for that

[@joecarr2224]

Yes, please, “Back to the villa!”

[@3lullabies]

You sound much like Rick Steves. Very well spoken great video, thank you. Knowledge is power.

[@Oldwhiteguy]

Buy the book, you won’t be sorry !!😀

[@vickii9536]

Just had my copy delivered yesterday.. Love it ! 👍

[@Oldwhiteguy]

@@vickii9536 excellent!!

[@axeljacobsen5567]

I'll second this, it is a genuinely great book!

[@kimberlyperrotis8962]

Fourth Style Roman painting? When I go to the Pompeii/Herculaneum area, I want to allow a week, there is so much to see! I won’t go in high summer, though, maybe spring would be nice.

[@Psychol-Snooper]

7:38 The name of this fresco is "my eyes are up here."

[@xmaniac99]

Interesting how the decorations of doors have not changed at all in 2k years.

[@thomaswayneward]

It is not exactly decorations, but how they are made and we still make the good ones exactly the same as they did two thousand years ago.

[@h.huffen-puff4105]

Thank you.

[@jaojao1768]

2:47 is it also possible that Otho would have visited?

[@essenceofsuchness]

That's amazing! Are the paintings on the walls of the atrium restorations or original?

[@aaronpaul5990]

I do wonder if the gravel that we can see all over the place is a modern thing or was something common back then? I would expect something softer like sand or flat stone but maybe wearing sandals was common inside the palace ... then gravel wouldn't be that much of a bother (just annoying because it will get stuck in your sandal sooner or later ^^)

[@megamanx466]

Very intriguing. 😄

[@nondescript2892]

Interesting..I have visited Pompeii twice but I never knew about this villa nearby...maybe next time

[@guidedmeditation2396]

I would love to see a recreation of a villa like this fully furnished and staffed. The sofas, carpets, tapestries etc. I suppose the closest you can get is from watching Hollywood movies.

[@kingrama2727]

Amazing to think of the people long since dead who lives, visited and partied at that villa….

[@TetsuShima]

Wonder if Nero, after kicking Poppea to death just because he couldn't take any criticism, considered the fact he wasted all the money he spent in this expensive and big villa only for his wife's happiness

[@andrealuisecandido1154]

he was insane.

[@emilysmith7788]

@@andrealuisecandido1154 it was not because he couldn't take criticism, in fact he didnt kick her to death at all. She died in childbirth. This kicking to death was a rumour spread by his enemies to make him look even more tyranical than he actually was. Like fiddling when rome burned. Fiddles wasn't even invented then, they had Lires, plus he wasnt even in Rome when this occurred. He hurried back to Rome to help with the relief effort and opened up his palaces to those made homeless. The only mistake he made was planning on building the massive palace that is still underground today. He was not as bad as people and history would have him portrayed.

[@SJam491]

How likely is it that there will be more excavations at this site?