Up Pompeii!

I remember when, whilst enduring Primary School, I first learned about the events of some 2000 years ago at Pompeii. This detail of ancient history really caught my imagination.

And so I was enthralled by the current Pompeii exhibition in Brussels, which I wholeheartedly recommend.

I am often critical about such expos in Belgium, as they have a tendency towards replicas. Replica dinosaur bones, replica terracotta warriors, replica governments, and so on. But this one really delivers.

More than 100 of the artefacts on display are from Pompeii, and how fascinating they are. I had the feeling that I could pick up any of these ancient relics and use them for their intended purpose; and so many of them are very personal - they were actually held and used on a daily basis by the men and women who perished so long ago.

The highlight for any political obsessive such as myself is what is believed to be the skull of Pliny the Elder. Displayed alongside a Gladio - the ancient Roman sword - found by his remains, this is a glimpse into the very beginning of classical European history.

The expo runs until April 15th. https://www.brussels.be/exhibition-pompeii-immortal-city