Pompeii’s gladiator school rises to fight again

A STONE building in Pompeii used for training by gladiators has reopened to the public after a painstaking threeyear restoration, becoming an emblem of the renaissance of the ancient site.

The House of the Gladiators collapsed eight years ago after days of heavy rain, with many of its precious frescoes damaged or destroyed.

It was seen as a symbol of Italy’s neglect for its unrivalled heritage, with Pompeii – buried by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in AD79 – suffering from years of underinvestment. “It was a metaphor of Italy being incapable of taking care of its cultural treasures,” Corriere della Sera, the Italian newspaper, commented.

The 2,000-year-old Schola Armaturarum was the headquarters of Pompeii’s gladiator association, where they could train and relax before engaging in combat in the nearby amphitheatre.

When it was first excavated in 1915, archeologists found weapons and elaborate decorations. The damaged frescoes have been restored and it will now be open to the public every Thursday. “From the metaphor of the Italian inability to take care of a precious place which belongs to all humanity, the reopening of the Schola Armaturarum represents a symbol of redemption for Pompeii,” Prof Massimo Osanna, the director general of the ancient site, said.

The collapse of the building in 2010 had led to “a chorus of international indignation” but the successful restoration project was “a sign of hope for the future of our cultural heritage”, he said.

Despite being first discovered in the 18th century, a third of Pompeii still remains unexcavated.