In essence, it’s any fan-made or low-budget media that uses Herculaneum as its setting, muse, or metaphor. This includes:
To get a feel for the modern "amatoriale" (amateur/enthusiast) side of Ercolano, local creators provide a daily look at life in the shadow of Vesuvius. In essence, it’s any fan-made or low-budget media
Amatoriale di Ercolano boasts an impressive library of entertainment content, including: (Closing shot of the Bay of Naples, with
: These groups typically produce local musicals, traditional Neapolitan plays, and variety shows. or domestic—as opposed to the public
(Closing shot of the Bay of Naples, with the sun setting over the water)
Crucially, the Amatoriale is “amateur” only in the sense of being non-professional, private, or domestic—as opposed to the public, propagandistic art of the Roman forum. It was not pornography in the modern sense of mass-produced, commercialized titillation. Instead, it was often (meant to ward off evil), humorous, religious, or a status symbol of cultivated Greek-style luxury.