Background
Filippo Coarelli was born on September 6, 1936.
Filippo Coarelli's portrait.
Filippo Coarelli at the excavation site.
Filippo Coarelli's portrait.
Filippo Coarelli was born on September 6, 1936.
Filippo Coarelli is an educator and also a writer. His book Pompeii is a compilation including essays on "distinguished Italian archaeologists and professors, the majority of whose work has not previously been available in English," explained Library Journal contributor Nancy J. Mactague. The volume sets out in formidable detail the story of the covering of the archaeological site when the Roman resort city near modern Naples was buried in the famous eruption of Mt. Vesuvius in southern Italy on August 24, 79 C.E. It also covers the rediscovery of the town in 1748, and the slow process of uncovering and placing in context the rich material culture of the Romans that was perfectly preserved by the volcanic ash. "It includes a sketch of the history of excavations, a brief account of what is known of the history of the city in antiquity," Larry Richardson wrote in the Bryn Mawr Classical Review, "and surveys of the public buildings and private houses." In addition, "Coarelli... traces Pompeii's profound influence on literature, history, art, music, and film," declared Donna Seaman in Booklist, "and examines the major role it has played in the evolution of archaeology."
Today Filippo Coarelli works as a Professor of Greek and Roman antiquities at the University of Perugia, Italy.