An exhibition celebrating the art, culture and luxurious lifestyle of Ancient Rome's wealthy elite has reached Los Angeles.
Entitled 'Pompeii And The Roman Villa', the event features over 120 items from ancient villas in the Bay of Naples, destroyed by the eruption of Vesuvius in AD 79.
The mosaics, sculptures, paintings and jewellery, some of which only uncovered in the last few years, are mostly on loan from the Naples Archaeological Museum.
The Bay of Naples area was a popular summer getaway for prominent Romans from the first century BC onwards, as well as being home to a growing number of permanent wealthy residents.
Over the decades, dozens of sumptuous seaside villas and gardens were built, decorated in ornate style by some of the empire's greatest artists.
The exhibit asks visitors to imagine the Bay of Naples as a kind of modern-day Malibu in California, providing a relaxing resort for those with money to spare.
It reconstructs the homes of Rome's upper crust, which boasted lush gardens, inner courtyards decorated with valuable artworks and private swimming pools.
It also spotlights a host of luxury goods discovered by archaeologists in the 300 years since excavations first started in the area.
Solid silver wine goblets, jewelled caskets that once contained exotic perfumes and the remains of gourmet delicacies, such as flamingo tongue and roast ostrich, are among the items uncovered.
In addition, the exhibition documents the fascination of Rome's nouveau riche with Greek culture, through books by Epicurius and Plato, garden sculptures of nude athletes and scantily clad statues of the Greek goddess of love, Aphrodite.
The exhibition arrived in Los Angeles following a successful run at the National Gallery of Art in Washington.
Speaking ahead of the Washington opening, Campania region Social Policies Councillor, Alfonsina De Felice, said she hoped the exhibit would help visitors look beyond media stereotypes and interest them in the real beauties of the southern region.
''This is a marvellous exhibit that will help us show the real Campania, a treasure trove of rare and precious items,'' she said.
'Pompeii And The Roman Villa' run at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art until October 4.
