Cities all over have beefed up security measures in this age of terrorist threats, but it’s a bit of a surprise to see that happen also in a city destroyed nearly 2,000 years ago.
Italian authorities are concerned not only about possible attacks, but also about the effect of growing visitor numbers—over 3.5 million last year—at Pompeii, Italy’s premier archaeological site, which is still in the midst of decades, even generations of excavation.
Mario Osanna, director of the Pompeii Archaeological Park, near Naples, told a press briefing recently that “Bearing in mind the threat of terrorism, we are thinking about reorganizing the access points with armed guards, metal detectors and even the army, as is already the case in many sensitive places such as the Colosseum, both to protect visitors and for excavations.”
Other measures taken include stationing an ambulance on-site at all times.
