The Villa of the Papyri is a unique archaeological site and has been very influential in the
field of classical studies. The papyri (the only intact library to survive from Greco-Roman
antiquity) and bronze sculptures found in the villa have contributed to our knowledge of the
ancient world and the villa has become for us the ideal model of Roman luxury villa
culture.This volume brings together papers delivered by experts in various fields addressing
the cultural significance of this ancient site in its contemporary Roman context as well as its
cultural reception from its discovery over two hundred and fifty years ago to the most recent
excavations in the late twentieth century. They also explore the ways in which digital
archaeology can assist our efforts to understand and investigate ancient sites. Topics treated
include the Villa's architecture decoration and content (i.e. wall-paintings sculptures
and papyri) their reception since the 18th century and the current state of knowledge based
on the recent partial excavations in the Villa presented here in English for the first time.
Furthermore the use of digital models of the Villa that incorporate the data from the new
excavations and a discussion on the ways in which such models may be used for educational and
research purposes are also presented.
