Villa Regina, Roman villa in Boscoreale, Italy
Villa Regina is a Roman country house in Boscoreale with a central peristyle courtyard surrounded by columns on three sides and multiple rooms dedicated to wine production. The building contains specialized storage areas with large ceramic vessels designed to hold fermented grape must for long-term preservation.
The estate developed during the early Imperial period and was buried under volcanic material when Mount Vesuvius erupted in 79 AD. Excavations that began in 1977 revealed the layout of a large Roman farm built specifically for wine production and commerce.
The house shrine displays a bust of Bacchus, showing how the inhabitants honored the god of wine as part of their daily life. This religious space reveals the deep connection between spirituality and the wine trade in Roman times.
The site is easily accessible by public transport from Naples or Pompeii and lies a short journey away from both cities. Wear comfortable shoes since the ancient pathways are uneven, and bring sun protection on hot days when exploring the open ruins.
The wine storage room contains 18 large clay jars that together could hold around 180,000 liters of fermenting grape juice. This enormous capacity demonstrates how wine production formed the economic backbone of this type of country estate.
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