Epicureanism and the library Villa of the Papyri

the owner of house, perhaps calpurnius piso, established library of philosophical character. believed library might have been collected , selected piso s family friend , client, epicurean philodemus of gàdara - although conclusion not followers of epicurus studied teachings of moral , natural philosopher. philosophy taught man mortal, cosmos result of accident, there no providential god, , criteria of life pleasure , temperance. philodemus connections piso brought him opportunity influence young students of greek literature , philosophy gathered around him @ herculaneum , naples. of work discovered in thousand papyrus rolls in philosophical library recovered @ herculaneum. although prose work detailed in strung-out, non-periodic style typical of hellenistic greek prose before revival of attic style after cicero, philodemus surpassed average literary standard epicureans aspired. philodemus succeeded in influencing learned , distinguished romans of age. none of prose work known until rolls of papyri discovered among ruins of villa of papyri.

papyrus recovered villa of papyri.

at time of eruption of vesuvius in ad 79, valuable library packed in cases ready moved safety when overtaken pyroclastic flow; eruption deposited 20–25 m of volcanic ash on site, charring scrolls preserving them— surviving library of antiquity— ash hardened form tuff.