Stepping Stones Let Romans Walk Above the Sewage in Pompeii

On a cold, rainy morning in Pompeii, I followed the same stepping stones ancient Romans once used to cross the city’s messy streets.

Stepping stones placed across Pompeii’s streets allowed pedestrians to cross above rainwater, animal waste, and sewage while carts still passed through the gaps between them.

I hustled along Pompeii’s main street one cold, rainy December morning. Low clouds hung over the ruins, and a steady drizzle made the ancient cobblestones slick and dark.

My shoes slipped more than once as I tried to keep my footing.

I had only thirty minutes before my tour group boarded the bus without me.

And I was determined to make it.

Nearly a kilometer away stood the Pompeii Amphitheater.