Michele Arditi

Michele Arditi ( born September 12, 1746 Presicce, † April 23, 1838 in Naples) was an Italian jurist and classical archaeologist.

Arditi studied at the University of Naples Law and then worked as a lawyer. In 1767 he published a learned Latin treatise on the law of guardianship. It also dealt with feudal and local disputes, which he sought to combine practical forensic experience with the legal doctrine. With Giacomo Martorelli, the first excavators of Pompeii, Arditi was a friend. 1787 Arditi was a member of the Accademia Ercolanense and delivered henceforth numerous contributions to the description of finds from Ercolano, especially to Volume 8 of the Antichità di Ercolano. After his brother's abdication, he was awarded title of marchese what the king confirmed 1797.

After an interlude in which were Christoph Saliceti and Pietro La Vega excavation director at Pompeii, followed by 1807, the Neapolitan scholar Michele Arditi on Francesco La Vega. He was prepared for the Bourbon rulers of the Kingdom of Naples, a large-scale plan for the development of the archaeological site of Pompeii. On his initiative, the owner of the land under which hid the ruins were paid or expropriation, so that now the entire urban area was to Ergrabung free. In an attempt to find the city walls and fully excavate, made ​​its first targeted research in the ancient city. Arditi today introduced so obvious things such as the removal of an overburden to a place outside the excavation area or the beginning of the excavations at two points, which are then targeted move towards each other and eventually meet.

Thanks to the enthusiasm of the French Pompeii, especially the Queen Caroline Bonaparte, wife of Joachim Murat, could now be dug for the first time in a big way. At times, Arditi had up to 700 laborers. During this period, for example, were the house of Sallust, the Gate of Herculaneum and parts of the forum, such as the Fortuna Augusta Temple exposed. Once the ruler of the grace of Napoleon in 1815 Naples had to leave the project after some time came to a virtual standstill, as the new ruler of Naples from the old house of Bourbon - Sicily had no great interest in the excavations and even less money for it. Only the diligence and commitment of Michele Arditi and his successor Francesco Maria Avellino and Sangiorgio Spinelli could begin in 1863 Giuseppe Fiorelli with his pioneering excavations.

1807 was appointed director of the National Museum in Naples and superintendent of archaeological excavations Michele Arditi of Joseph Bonaparte, in April 1817, he was confirmed by King Ferdinand in these offices and at the same time appointed Director General for the literary, antiquarian and art collections. Numerous objects from his collection, he donated the collections over which he presided. Arditi belonged to the humanist polymath of settecento, with many of them he was in regular contact letter, among others, with Gaetano Marini, Stefano Borgia, Giovanni Battista Tommasi Ennio Quirino Visconti or. As a composer he is active.