Ancient fresco portraying Hellenic myth unveiled in Pompeii, Italy

Italian authorities recently unveiled to the public an ancient fresco depicting a famous Hellenicmyth in Pompeii, the Roman city which was completely destroyed after the eruption of the Vesuvius volcano in 79 AD.

The fresco, which was first discovered only last year, was unveiled recently to the public following a great deal of archaeological work performed by a group of experts.

The fresco is inside a ”domus,” or a home belonging to the upper class of society at the time. It is believed to have belonged to a rich tradesman who desired to decorate his house with artwork inspired by Greek and Roman myths as a gesture of demonstrating his education and wealth.

The fresco just unveiled to the public depicts the ancient Greek myth of Leda and the Swan.

This is an erotic myth in which the god Zeus, in the form of a swan, seduces (or, according to other variations of the tale, rapes) Leda, the Aetolian princess who later became Queen of Sparta.

Pompeii, located in Campania, southern Italy, is an open-air museum where visitors can easily view the shockingly-vivid remnants of the complete devastation of the city after the violent volcanic eruption. Nearby Mt. Vesuvius is still an active volcano, although it is currently dormant.