Oplontis

Oplontis is an archaeological site near Torre Annunziata in Campania that contains Roman villa complexes from the 1st century CE, buried by the AD 79 eruption of Mount Vesuvius. The site’s villas preserve architectural and decorative evidence of elite Roman domestic life outside Pompeii.

The best-known building, Villa A (commonly called the Villa of Poppaea), contains large reception rooms decorated with frescoes and elaborate floors, while other villas in the complex show variations in layout and function. Excavations have revealed fresco painting styles, mosaics, and building plans that contribute to the study of Roman villa architecture and decoration.

The site sits a short distance from Pompeii and Herculaneum on the Bay of Naples and is accessible from the modern town of Torre Annunziata.

• Preservation & finds: The villa complex was buried by the AD 79 eruption of Vesuvius; excavated remains include well-preserved wall paintings and mosaic floors that are measurable primary attractions.

What to See #

• Villa A (Poppaea): Villa A, often called the Villa of Poppaea, a large luxury villa with extensive frescoed rooms and architectural decoration that was buried and preserved by the 79 CE eruption of Vesuvius.
• Villa B & complex: Villa B and surrounding residential compounds that form part of the Oplontis complex and demonstrate differing scales and functions of Roman suburban villas in the 1st century CE.