Pompeii: Inside a Lost City - National Museum of Australia Exhibition Part One

 

Marble statuette of Venus,
1st century CE, excavated 1973,
Villa Poppaea, Villa A
Oplontis, near Pompeii

Lapilli-encrusted bronze situla (storage vessel)
1st century CE, excavated 2018,
House with the Garden, Regio V, Insula III

Carbonised loaf of bread

Fragment of a sundial, marble, paint, bronze,
1st century CE, excavated 1973,
House of Julius Polybius,
Regio IX, Insula XIII

Silenus nursing baby Bacchus,
marble table leg, 1st century CE,
excavated 1896
House of the Prince of Naples,
Regio VI, Insula XV

Terracotta frying pan, 1st century CE,
excavated 1975, House of Julius Polybius kitchen,
Regio IX, Insula XIII

Terracotta cooking pot, 1st century CE,
excavated 1975, House of Julius Polybius,
Regio IX, Insula XIII

Terracotta jug with incised letters,
1st century CE, excavated 1967,
House of Julius Polybius,
Regio IX, Insula XIII

Terracotta bowl, terra sigillata, 1st century CE,
excavated 1964-70,
House of Julius Polybius,
Regio IX, Insula XIII

Terracotta cup with incised letters,
1st century CE, excavated 1975,
House of Julius Polybius,
Regio IX, Insula XIII

Bronze Oenochoe (jug),
1st century CE, excavated 1978,
House of Julius Polybius,
triclinium (dining room)
Regio IX, Insula XIII

Bronze applique (figure of a dog),
probably from a piece of furniture,
1st century CE, excavated 1978,
House of Julius Polybius,
triclinium (dining room)
Regio IX, Insula XIII

Bronze, silver, copper Patera (ritual dish),
1st century CE, excavated 1978,
House of Julius Polybius,
triclinium (dining room)
Regio IX, Insula XIII

The National Museum of Australia's latest summer blockbuster exhibition, Pompeii: Inside a Lost City, opened on Friday 13th December 2024 and runs until 4 May 2025. The exhibition is in collaboration with Archeologico Di Pompei and Gedeon Programmes, with about 90 objects on loan from the former and all the audio visual content provided by the latter. Unfortunately there was no catalogue this year and some of my caption photos didn't turn out so some objects have minimal or no information about them. Apologies for this and the quality of the photos! There are half dozen articles on the exhibition in The Museum, the magazine for the National Museum of Australia.

A really major part of the exhibition is the audio visual content. From the overwhelming CGI generated reconstruction of the eruption, to stunning videos of frescoes in various villas and multiple, interesting, short videos on recent excavations and various aspects of Pompeii. We visited the incredible sites of Pompeii and Herculaneum in 2009 and these were definitely highlights of our trip to Italy. I have only taken photos of the objects but the videos really do add an extra dimension to the exhibition which is best seen in person. I’d like to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and happy gaming, painting and blogging for 2025!

Silver spoon, 1st century CE, excavated 1935,
Regio I, Insula VIII,
Silver Simplum (ladle), 1st century CE, excavated 1915,
Regio III, Insula II

Silver cup with embossed cupids, 1st century CE,
excavated 1984, Villa 2, Cava Ranieri,
Terzigno, near Pompeii

L to R Bronze statuette of Ceres, 1st century CE,
Regio II, Insula I
Bronze statuette of Apollo, 1st century CE,
excavated 1937, Regio I, Insula VIII
Bronze statuette of Venus, 1st century CE,
excavated 1914, Regio III, Insula II

L to R Bronze statuette of Hercules, 1st century CE,
excavated 1955, thermopolium (snack bar),
Regio I, Insula XIII
Bronze statuette of Minerva, 1st century CE,
excavated 1955, thermopolium (snack bar),
Regio I, Insula XIII
Bronze statuette of Cupid, 1st century CE,
Regio I, Insula X

Bronze statuette of Lares, 1st century CE,
excavated 1956, lararium (household shrine),
Regio I, Insula XVI
Bronze statuette of Mercury, 1st century CE,
excavated 1908, Boscoreale, near Pompeii

Nymphaeum (water feature), 
first half of the 1st century CE,
House of the Golden Bracelet,
Regio VII, Insula XVII

Bone dice and a bronze ring?

Silver mirror

Bone comb and pins

Spoons 

Bronze oil lamp and Situla (storage vessel)

Glass jar

Plaster cast of a wicker basket

Resin casts of victims of the eruption

Front on view of the same resin
casts of victims of the eruption

Trojan War Midgard Game

 

Side view of Trojan defenders on the left and
Greek attackers on the right

Aeneas and Trojan warriors close on
Achilles' Myrmidons in the centre

Diomedes and Greek chariots in combat
with Sarpedon's Lycian warriors

Last Monday afternoon Craig came over to my place and we played a Trojan War Midgard game. We used the 300 point Greek and Trojan lists in Chapter 16 of the rules. Craig commanded the Greek attackers and I commanded the Trojan defenders. It was Craig's first game and my second, while we were still figuring things out, we both really enjoyed it. Garry and George also came over to check out the game as spectators. After a few turns we got in to the swing of things with heroes attached to units opting to fight single combats. 

Aeneas was killed by Achilles and both Greek and Trojan chariots on the right flank were routed. Sarpedon's Lycian warriors routed the Greek chariots on their left flank and Diomedes, the Greek army commander, was also killed. The Trojan warriors had better luck with their dice and the use of supports to save casualties really helped their cause. Once the Myrmidons routed in the centre with Achilles wounded, the Greeks soon had lost their final reputation token and the game.

Diomedes is killed and chariots rout

Myrmidons rout and Achilles is wounded

Skirmishers in combat, Greeks lose the game

More Early Mycenaean Spearmen

 

Here are some more early Mycenaean spearmen that I've just finished painting. They're a mix of Foundry, Redoubt and Warlord figures. There are some later Foundry spearmen mixed in with these units but they are all armed with long spears and figure of eight or tower shields. We have a Trojan War Midgard game lined up tomorrow afternoon so these figures may see action then.

Later Mycenaean Chariot

 

Here's another later Mycenaean chariot that I've just finished painting. The chariot and horses are from the Wargames Atlantic plastic set Bronze Age Chariots, while the driver and warrior are by Wargames Foundry. You get three crew with each of the Foundry chariots, so I have a few spares to use for the Wargames Atlantic chariots. Below there's a comparison shot of Redoubt, Wargames Atlantic and Foundry chariots.

Seleucid Armoured Elephants and a Command and Colors Medieval Crusades Game

 

Here's a Warlord Games armoured Seleucid elephant and crew that I've just finished painting. The shield transfers are by LBM, Foundry and VVV. It's quite a hefty beast, nearly a match size wise, for the massive 1st Corps ellie to its right. In the elephant parade group shot above there are two Old Glory elephants (far left and far right), an Aventine one (second one from the left), Warlord (centre), and 1st Corps (second from the right). Of course these are all more armoured Seleucid elephants than I'll probably ever use in a game but it's nice to have some options! My favourite elephant is the Aventine one with a purple crest and blanket.

Last Tuesday afternoon Robert came over and we played a Command and Colors Medieval Crusades board game out in the shed. The scenario was Dorylaeum 1 July 1097 Phase 1 - Defendable Base Camp. This is the first of four scenarios, based on different phases, of this battle. There are twenty scenarios in total for this expansion, hours of fun gaming! Hopefully we will get in a game with figures over the Xmas break. We diced for sides and Robert had the Crusaders and I had the Seljuks. 

Robert cannily retreated with his cavalry who were a bit exposed with their initial deployment. He made good use of his infantry to support his cavalry in attacks and the medium crossbow infantry were particularly effective, shooting range of four hexes and hitting on colours and swords! I had quite a few inspired action tokens but squandered the opportunities they presented and failed to use most of them. Robert managed to kill two of my leaders and in the end won fairly easily 6-2 victory banners. We both enjoyed it so much that we have another game organised for next week, Dorylaeum Phase 2 - Attack on the Camp.

Initial deployment Crusaders' side

Dorylaeum Phase 1 scenario

Initial deployment Seljuks' side

End of game Seljuks' side

End of game Crusaders' side

Trojan War Hero - Sarpedon, King of Lycia

 

Here's a Trojan War hero for Midgard Heroic Battles that I've just finished painting. He is Sarpedon, King of the Lukka (Lycians), who was an ally of the Trojans in Homer's Iliad. Figures are by Redoubt Enterprises who have an excellent Trojan Wars range. I already have Sea People Lukka and Pelset chariots and warriors painted that I can use for Lycians, as allies for the Trojan side. Homer has a great description of him in the Iliad when the Trojans storm the rampart to the Achaeans' camp:

But not even now would Trojans and Prince Hector

have burst appart the rampart's gates and huge bar

if Zeus the Master Strategist had not driven

his own son Sarpedon straight at the Argives,

strong as a lion raiding crooked-horn cattle.

Quickly Sarpedon swung his shield before him -

balanced and handsome beaten bronze a bronzesmith

hammered out with layer on layer of hide inside

and stitched with gold rivets on the rim.

That splendid shield he gripped before his chest

and shaking a pair of spears went stalking out

like a mountain lion starved for meat too long

and the lordly heart inside him fires him up

to raid some stormproof fold, to go at the sheep,

and even if he should light on herdsmen at the spot,

guarding their flocks with dogs and bristling spears,

the marauder has no mind to be driven off that steading,

not without an attack. All or nothing - he charges flocks

and hauls of bloody prey or he's run through himself

at the first assault with a fast spear driven home.

Homer Iliad 13.337-356 translated by Robert Fagles, Penguin, Harmondsworth, 1998, pp.334-335.

Sumerian Midgard Game

 

Armies of Lagash and Ur deployed

Opposite end from the Lagash side

Ur attackers advance

Lagash defenders advance

Battle cars charge and counter-charge

Infantry combat in the centre

Battle cars in combat on the Lagash left flank

Last Sunday afternoon I played a solo game of Midgard Heroic Battles with my Sumerian armies out in the shed. These beautifully illustrated rules, written by James Morris, published by Reisswitz Press and available on the TFL's website, have only been just released. I played a set battle with similar 300 point armies, the attackers of Ur and the defenders of Lagash. As it was my first game, it was quite slow going, I had to check a lot of the rules and look things up especially the traits of units and heroes. The rules are designed to cover historical, legendary and fantasy battles in an age of heroic deeds and are well supported with a QRS, army lists and rosters. Managing your army's reputation (represented by tokens) while destroying your opponent's reputation is the key to winning games.

After a slow start I got on a bit of a roll after a few turns and the casualties quickly mounted. In the end  the defenders of Lagash won a mighty victory by 8-4 reputation tokens. Heroic deeds performed by the heroes of your army can certainly change the action in a game but most of the fighting in my game was done by units of warriors. There is a lot to like about these rules, they are fun and remind me of WAB and Dux Bellorum games I've played and enjoyed in the past. Much of their appeal for me is for heroic Bronze Age and Dark Age games but I'm sure they will be very popular, whatever your gaming interests and preferences may be.

Ur battle cars on the left are destroyed

Infantry combat continues

Ur skirmishers support in vain

Skirmishers fail to evade

Army of Ur's reputation is in tatters

Lagash wins 8-4