Pompeii. Porta di Sarno or Sarnus Gate. Excavated 1815, 1972, 1976.

Via dell’Abbondanza was the ancient main street (decumanus maximus) of ancient Pompeii, which ran across the city in the direction east/west from the Forum to the Porta Sarno.

The street used to be crowded and noisy with many shops, workshops, cafes, snack-bars and restaurants for food and drink.

Via dell’Abbondanza era il decumanus maximus, la via principale che attraversava la città in direzione est-ovest, dal Foro a Porta Sarno.

Particolarmente animata e rumorosa, su di essa si affacciavano botteghe, officina e termopoli (locali in cui si servivano vivande).

Porta di Sarno or Sarnus Gate. May 2010.

Looking east towards remains of gate (in centre) from Via dell’Abbondanza. Photo courtesy of Ivo van der Graaff.

Porta di Sarno or Sarnus Gate. May 2010. Looking north-east from II.5, Pompeii. Photo courtesy of Ivo van der Graaff.

Porta di Sarno or Sarnus Gate. May 2010. Looking towards remains of north side of Gate. Photo courtesy of Ivo van der Graaff.

Porta di Sarno or Sarnus Gate. May 2010.

Looking south-east from III.7, Pompeii. Photo courtesy of Ivo van der Graaff.

Porta di Sarno or Sarnus Gate. May 2010. Looking east from end of Via dell’Abbondanza. Photo courtesy of Ivo van der Graaff.

Porta di Sarno or Sarnus Gate. June 2012.

Looking east out of the city along the north side of the gate (on left), at the east end of Via dell’Abbondanza. Photo courtesy of Michael Binns.

Porta di Sarno or Sarnus Gate. May 2010. Looking east from Via dell’Abbondanza. Photo courtesy of Ivo van der Graaff.

III.7 Pompeii. September 2005. Porta di Sarno or Sarnus Gate. II.5.4/II.5.5 on right.

According to Eschebach, the ancient name of this gate may have been Porta Urbulana.

See Eschebach, L., 1993. Gebäudeverzeichnis und Stadtplan der antiken Stadt Pompeji. Köln: Böhlau. (p.11)

Porta di Sarno or Sarnus Gate. May 2010. Looking east through gate. Photo courtesy of Ivo van der Graaff.

Porta di Sarno or Sarnus Gate. September 2005. Looking east out of the city along the north side.

Porta di Sarno or Sarnus Gate. May 2010.

Remains of entrance to drain (centre left) on north side of gate, looking east. Photo courtesy of Ivo van der Graaff.

According to Van der Graaff –

“The Porto Sarno is perhaps the most damaged of the standing gates. The entire north flank is missing as a result of the Allied bombing in WWII.

Only the lowest course, parts of the opus incertum vault, and traces of a drain remain.”

See Van der Graaff, I. (2018). The Fortifications of Pompeii and Ancient Italy. Routledge, (p.62, and Fig.3.8).

Porta di Sarno or Sarnus Gate. June 2012. North side of gate, at west end. Photo courtesy of Michael Binns.

According to Van der Graaff –

“The Porto Sarno also preserves an inlet that drained water from the Via dell’Abbondanza incorporated in the gate court wall, pointing to a date coinciding with the construction of the vaults or earlier.”

See Van der Graaff, I. (2018). The Fortifications of Pompeii and Ancient Italy. Routledge, (p.104).

Porta di Sarno, Pompeii. 1972. Looking east from west end of north side. Photo by Stanley A. Jashemski.

Source: The Wilhelmina and Stanley A. Jashemski archive in the University of Maryland Library, Special Collections (See collection page) and made available under the Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial License v.4. See Licence and use details.

J72f0538

Porta di Sarno or Sarnus Gate. June 2012. North side of gate, at west end. Photo courtesy of Michael Binns.

Porta di Sarno or Sarnus Gate. May 2010. North side of gate, at west end. Photo courtesy of Ivo van der Graaff.

Porta di Sarno or Sarnus Gate. May 2010. Looking north towards remains of gate at west end. Photo courtesy of Ivo van der Graaff.

Porta di Sarno or Sarnus Gate. May 2010. Looking north at west end of gate. Photo courtesy of Ivo van der Graaff.

Porta di Sarno or Sarnus Gate. June 2012. Looking east out of the city along the south side of the gate. Photo courtesy of Michael Binns.

Porta di Sarno or Sarnus Gate. May 2010.

Looking east out of the city along the south side of the gate. Photo courtesy of Ivo van der Graaff.

Porta di Sarno or Sarnus Gate. September 2005. Looking east out of the city along the south side.

Porta di Sarno. December 2004. Gate in foreground with modern railway bridge at rear.

Porta di Sarno or Sarnus Gate. May 2010.

Looking east towards gate, and modern railway bridge (with train) at rear. Photo courtesy of Ivo van der Graaff.

Porta di Sarno or Sarnus Gate. June 2012.

Looking east towards the south-west corner of the gate. Photo courtesy of Michael Binns.

Porta di Sarno or Sarnus Gate. Pompeii. 1972. Looking east towards the south-west corner of the gate. Photo by Stanley A. Jashemski.

Source: The Wilhelmina and Stanley A. Jashemski archive in the University of Maryland Library, Special Collections (See collection page) and made available under the Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial License v.4. See Licence and use details.

J72f0537

Porta di Sarno or Sarnus Gate. Pompeii. 1972.

South-west corner of gate. Photo by Stanley A. Jashemski.

Source: The Wilhelmina and Stanley A. Jashemski archive in the University of Maryland Library, Special Collections (See collection page) and made available under the Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial License v.4. See Licence and use details.

J72f0509

Porta di Sarno or Sarnus Gate. Pompeii. 1970. Looking east towards the south-west corner of the gate. Photo by Stanley A. Jashemski.

Source: The Wilhelmina and Stanley A. Jashemski archive in the University of Maryland Library, Special Collections (See collection page) and made available under the Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial License v.4. See Licence and use details.

J70f0817

Porta di Sarno or Sarnus Gate. Pompeii. 1970. Looking east towards the south-west corner of the gate. Photo by Stanley A. Jashemski.

Source: The Wilhelmina and Stanley A. Jashemski archive in the University of Maryland Library, Special Collections (See collection page) and made available under the Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial License v.4. See Licence and use details.

J70f0814

Porta di Sarno or Sarnus Gate. Pompeii. 1970. Detail of doorway. Photo by Stanley A. Jashemski.

Source: The Wilhelmina and Stanley A. Jashemski archive in the University of Maryland Library, Special Collections (See collection page) and made available under the Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial License v.4. See Licence and use details.

J70f0816

Porta di Sarno or Sarnus Gate. Pompeii. May 2024.

Looking east along south side of gate, from west end. Photo courtesy of Klaus Heese.

Porta di Sarno or Sarnus Gate. Pompeii. May 2024. Looking east along south side of gate. Photo courtesy of Klaus Heese.

Porta di Sarno or Sarnus Gate. June 2012. Looking towards the interior south wall of the gate. Photo courtesy of Michael Binns.

Porta di Sarno or Sarnus Gate. June 2012.

Looking towards interior south wall of Gate towards west end. Photo courtesy of Ivo van der Graaff.

According to Van der Graaff –

“Behind the gate court are the remains of the opus incertum vault.

A hole in the concrete masonry reveals that part of the gate court masonry continues behind the vault, indicating that the arch is a later addition.

The development of the gate remains elusive. However, given its position on the Via dell’Abbondanza, it must have been part of the original Samnite circuit. The masonry indicates that the Porta Sarno followed a similar development to the other gates, including the completion of the monumental tripartite layout.”

See Van der Graaff, I. (2018). The Fortifications of Pompeii and Ancient Italy. Routledge, (p.62).

Porta di Sarno or Sarnus Gate. May 2010. Looking towards interior south wall of gate at west end. Photo courtesy of Ivo van der Graaff.

Porta di Sarno or Sarnus Gate. May 2010. Interior south wall of gate at east end. Photo courtesy of Ivo van der Graaff.

According to Van der Graaff –

“The southern side is in a somewhat better state [than the north side]. The outer bastion is heavily damaged, rising to a maximum of six courses.

Its rear half features a series of tuff courses, which, due to the tool marks and very good state of preservation must be modern.

They resemble similar blocks applied as restorations on the adjacent curtain wall. The gate court features large tuff orthostats on top of a foundation composed of travertine ashlars. Occasional crowbar marks suggest that workers removed some of the original masonry for reuse elsewhere (Note 71).

A lowering of the roadway that occurred in the Augustan period led to the exposure of the foundations visible today.

A number of tuff blocks are inserted headfirst into the agger: given their similarity with the blocks on the outer bastion, these must also represent a modern reconstruction. Their different orientation probably represents an effort to highlight the restoration.”

See Van der Graaff, I. (2018). The Fortifications of Pompeii and Ancient Italy. Routledge, (p.62, and Note 71).

Porta di Sarno or Sarnus Gate. May 2010.

Looking south at west end of south side of gate. Photo courtesy of Ivo van der Graaff.

Porta di Sarno or Sarnus Gate. June 2012. Looking east along the interior south side of the gate. Photo courtesy of Michael Binns.

Porta di Sarno or Sarnus Gate. May 2010. 

Detail of south wall of gate, from north side. Photo courtesy of Ivo van der Graaff.

Porta di Sarno or Sarnus Gate. May 2010.

Detail from south side of gate. Photo courtesy of Ivo van der Graaff.

Porta di Sarno or Sarnus Gate. May 2010.

Looking west along interior on south side of gate. Photo courtesy of Ivo van der Graaff.

Porta di Sarno or Sarnus Gate. May 2010. South wall of gate. Photo courtesy of Ivo van der Graaff.

Porta di Sarno or Sarnus Gate. May 2010. Looking east along south side of gate. Photo courtesy of Ivo van der Graaff.

Porta di Sarno or Sarnus Gate. June 2012. Looking towards the interior south wall of the gate at east end. Photo courtesy of Michael Binns.

Porta di Sarno or Sarnus Gate. May 2010. Looking west along south side of gate. Photo courtesy of Ivo van der Graaff.

Porta di Sarno or Sarnus Gate. May 2010. South-east corner of gate. Photo courtesy of Ivo van der Graaff.

Porta di Sarno. September 2005. East outside end of south wall.

Porta di Sarno or Sarnus Gate. May 2010. South-east corner. Photo courtesy of Ivo van der Graaff.

Porta di Sarno or Sarnus Gate. June 2012.

Looking south towards south-east corner of gate, and city walls. Photo courtesy of Michael Binns.

Porta di Sarno or Sarnus Gate, on right. May 2010. Looking south along city walls. Photo courtesy of Ivo van der Graaff.

Porta di Sarno, Pompeii, on right. May 2006. Looking south across gate and along city walls to south-east.

Silver found at Porta di Sarno on 3rd November 1959, together with a victim of the eruption and 61 gold coins and 51 silver coins.

Silver mirror with two-pronged handle. The back has a scene in relief.

This includes two cupids fishing, a boat with a dolphin emblem and at the side is an anchor and a small statue of Priapus

Now in Naples Archaeological Museum.  Inventory number 12607.

Four circular silver cups. Three are complete, inventory numbers 161581, 161582 and 161583.

The fourth is damaged, inventory number 161584.

See De Carolis E., in Guzzo, P. (A cura di), 2006. Argenti a Pompei. Milano, Electa. (p. 156).

Via dell’Abbondanza, Pompeii. May 2010.

Looking west from Sarno Gate, with II.5 on left, and III.7 on right. Photo courtesy of Ivo van der Graaff.

Porta di Sarno or Sarnus Gate. May 2010. Looking west through gate towards Via dell’Abbondanza. Photo courtesy of Ivo van der Graaff.

Porta di Sarno or Sarnus Gate. May 2010.

Looking west through site of gate towards Via dell’Abbondanza. Photo courtesy of Ivo van der Graaff.

Porta di Sarno or Sarnus Gate. June 2012. Looking west through gate towards the Via dell’Abbondanza. Photo courtesy of Michael Binns.

Porta di Sarno or Sarnus Gate. May 2010. Looking west along site of north side of Gate. Photo courtesy of Ivo van der Graaff.

Sarnus Gate, Pompeii. April 2005. Looking west through the gate along the length of Via dell’Abbondanza. Photo courtesy of Klaus Heese.

Porta di Sarno or Sarnus Gate. June 2012. Looking west along site of north side of the gate. Photo courtesy of Michael Binns.

Porta di Sarno or Sarnus Gate. June 2012.

Looking west towards remaining stones of gate or structure on its north side. Photo courtesy of Michael Binns.

Porta di Sarno or Sarnus Gate. May 2010. Looking west towards north side. Photo courtesy of Ivo van der Graaff.

Sarnus Gate. September 2005. Looking west along roadway and through gate onto Via dell’Abbondanza.

Porta di Sarno or Sarnus Gate. June 2012. Looking north across east end of city walls, near Sarno gate. Photo courtesy of Michael Binns.

Porta di Sarno or Sarnus Gate. June 2012.

Remains of city walls on north side of gate, centre, and modern bridge, on right. Photo courtesy of Michael Binns.

Outside Sarnus Gate. September 2005. Looking north-west at old wall, on left, and modern railway bridge, right.

Porta Sarno Tombs, Pompeii. June 2012. Photo courtesy of Ivo van der Graaff.

Tombs excavation outside Porta di Sarno. June 2010. Photo courtesy of Rick Bauer.