the physical environment: the geographical setting, natural features and resources of Pompeii and Herculaneum| 1. Physical 1. P & H located in Bay of Naples (BoN) 1. Mt Vesuvius located above intercontinental fault line (African Eurasian) 2. H is 8km South of Naples 3. P is 22km south of Naples 4. Today further inland than in Antiquity 5. Ruins located on lava spur 6. Naturally occurring hot baths in H & P 7. Fertile soil due to underground lava Allowed for two crops a year 1. Geographical 1. Layout reflected GREEK influence 2. P POP 20, 000 at 79AD 3. H POP 5000 at 79AD 4.
P had 3 main streets 1. Via Dell Abbondanza (East to West) 2. Via Di Nola (East to West) 3. Via Stabiana (North To South) 5. P had 4 Main Gates/Ports 4. Via Stabiana Via Stabiana Porta Vesuvia 5. Porta Stabia 6. Porta Nola Via Di Nola 7. Porta Sarno Via Dell Abbondanza 6. H had 2 main streets 8. Decumanus Maximus (40 Meters Wide) 9. Decumanus Inferior 1. Resources 1. P and H had many resources 1. Olive Oil (Huge in P) Big because of climate 2. Perfume – Abundance of flowers in area 3.
Wine (Vesuvius seen as one hige vineyard) – Climate suitable 4. Fishing (P famous for Garum) 5. Wool and Textiles (Many Fullonicae found, washing and dying of wool found here) 6. Fruit and Veg – Very fertile soil because of magma| the range of available sources, both written and archaeological, including ancient writers, official inscriptions, graffiti, wall paintings, statues, mosaics, human and animal remains| 2. Range of Sources 2. P & H had many sources 7. Houses, Shrines, Public Buildings (amphitheatre, baths, palestra) 8. Tools, Pottery, Jewllery, House equipment 9.
Streetscapes 3. Just Pompeii 10. Weapons and Armour 11. Wines and Oils 12. Forum 13. Temples 14. Brothels 4. Just Herculaneum 15. Fishing nets 16. Wax tablets 17. Glass wear 18. Food and Organic material | Written Sources| 3. Written Sources Include 1. Pliny the Elder 1. Wrote extensively of the natural disasters before the eruption 2. Pliny the Younger 2. Wrote of the eruption, eye witness 3. Suetonius 3. Wrote about Pliny the elder and relief work after the eruption 4. Graffiti 4. Examples in both towns 5.
Evidence of social relation, commerce, sexuality, politics and public comment 5. Wall Paintings 6. In houses show evidence of religious belief, food, family 7. Business, shows commerce and trade 8. Public Buildings (Temples) – evidence of legalities, politics and religion| LIMITATIONS 4. Pliny’s account was not until 25 years later 5. Graffiti provides personal opinion but reliability is a problem 6. No personal writing (letters, poems, lists, or stories) has been found 7. There are gaps in the records| EVIDENCE FORERUPTION| 8. House of banker Caecilius Jucundus 6.
Picture shows the collapse of buildings 9. Aqueducts, Temples, Bakeries 7. The water in the aqueducts had stopped flowing, and the aqueducts show signs of needing to be repaired. This shows that damage had been cause in the earthquake of 62 8. At the time of the eruption (79) many temples were in the process of being repaired, the earthquake of 62 had destroyed many buildings 9. The people were using the bakery grinders top mix the mortar instead of making bread 10. Pliny’s letter to Tacitus 10. Is the only 1st hand account. Is true to the analysis of Sigurdsson. 11. Eruption in 2 stages 11.
Plinian Phase 9. Cloud of toxic gas, ash, and rubble went into the atmosphere 10. Most of this material fell onto P 11. Minimal fatalities here 12. Pyroclastic surges (Pelean Phase) 12. Lava flows over the two towns 13. Clouds of lava, hot gas and ash 14. People would have died instantly from the heat of this 15. People would breath in the super-heated gas and die of asphyxiation accompanied by severe burns to the throat 12. Bodies at P & H 13. Lazer suggest three main causes of death were 16. Asphyxiation – shown by burns to the inner body 17.
Thermal Shock – Shown through posture of many of the dead 18. Concussion from projectiles – or falling items –shown by the number of broken bones| EVIDENCE FOR ECONONMY&TRADE| 13. Trade 14. Pompeiian pottery found in Greece, North Africa, Italy, Germany and Britain. 15. Imported lamps from Italy, pottery from gual and Oil from Spain 14. Banking 16. 150 wax tablets found in Jucundus House (banker) 15. Shops 17. Two types of shops. 18. Small private shops 19. Food and drink shops 16. Brothels 20. Lupanar – official brothel of Pompeii. It was visited everyday by large numbers of people.
Huge business in P. 21. Thomas A. J. McGinn The Economy of Prostitution in the Roman World 17. Praedia Julia Felix 22. 5, 800 meter-square shopping complex, contained baths, shops, apartments, and dining spaces 18. Industry, Wool, Bakeries, Olive Oil/Honey 23. 28 (Pristrina) Bakeries found in P, 2 in H 24. Fulleries (Dry Cleaners) found in both P & H 25. Olive Oil and Honey made at Villa Rustica | EVIDENCE FOR SOCIAL STRUCTURE| 19. Three type of people 26. Freeborn (Ingenui) 27. Released Slaves (Libertinii) 28. Slaves (Servitii) 20. Pompeii Pop. 29. 0, 000-20, 000 (40% of these were slaves) 21. Slaves (Servitii) 30. Wall carving found depicts slaves tending to the master 31. Slave skeleton found at Villa Of the Mosaic Columns 32. Fesco in House of Vettii 22. Freemen (Libertinii) 33. The Skeleton found with a gold braclet shows that Servitii could be freed and well treated 34. Epitaph from a freedman’s graves shows that slaves who did nothing to harm their master were often released. 23. Free Born (Ingenui) 35. Jucundus’ house shows the wealth of a freeborn man 36. In another Villa was a chest of gold, jewels, and coins showing his wealth|
Public Buildings PUBLIC BUILDING TYPES| LOCATION| PURPOSE| WHAT IT REVEALS ABOUT LIFE AT THE TIME| BASILICAS| Mainly in the main forum in Pompeii. | It is a large spacious building used for law courts and for large gatherings and commercial agreements. | Reveals that Pompeii had, at the time of the eruption, an economy that was in need of law and order. It shows that there was a dominant power and the Greek Influence shows the mixing of cultures| TEMPLES| Temples found mostly near the forum. Most damages by the earthquake in 62, but repaired. Temples: 1. Temple of Apollo (main Forum) 2.
Temple of the Capitoline Triad (Main Forum) 3. Temple of Isis (Triangular Forum)| The Temples were used to worship the respective Gods. They were used by officials to be seen in a good light, and use for any type of sacrifice etc. | Reveals that Pompeii had a religious community. The discovery of temples of Isis and the Temple of The Capitoline Triad show the merging of cults and religions. In Pompeii there was even a temple for the genius of Augustus. The Temples reflect the ‘ cultural boiling pot’ that Pompeii was. We have the cult of Isis, cult of the Emperor, and Roman and Greek religion present in mainstream society| FORA| 1.
The Triangular Forum of Pompeii 2. The Forum of Pompeii 3. The Forum of Herculaneum | A Forum is a large area of town containing open spaces for meeting and the main public buildings including religious, political, and economical buildings. | The three forums reveal that Pompeii and Herculaneum had a very intricate and busy commercial life. The Forum shows us the important buildings at the time of construction, the Basilica and Temple of Apollo stand out against the rest. | THEATRES| Two theatres have been excavated at Pompeii and one at Herculaneum| The theatres were used for dramatic performance. The separate entrances and the seating segregation shows us that Pompeii was very set on separating the classes, the officials would sit at the front while the women and poor went to the back. | PALAESTRA| Pompeii had a smaller palaestra which has been identified as Samnite in design. The Herculaneum Palaestra occupied a whole insula with pool and all. Across from the entrance is a complex which served as prize giving area | The Palaestra was an exercise ground and was a feature in all roman towns. The grounds were used for sport such as running. Discus, wrestling and swimming. 141 x 107 in size.
Athletes used to train barefoot, so ground was earth| The discovery of Palaestra in almost all Roman towns leads us to believe that Roman civilisation had a strong emphasis on sport. We know that Rome was a militaristic nation so they training of men from a young age to fight and be fit must have been of paramount importance. It shows that the city would gather for sporting event and hand out prises to the winner, leading us to acknowledge that some of the people who were particularly good at sport would be able to move up in the social standing by completing many sporting events and winning by significant leads.
We know that competitive games were financed by wealthy patrons, most notably Nonius Balbus, this tells us that this was another way to gain public favour and make a name for yourself. | AMPHITHEATRE| The largest Amphitheatre was found in Pompeii and seated between 13, 000-20, 000 people. | The most popular forms of entertainment in these times were ‘ blood sports’. These would be held in the Amphitheatre. | The location of the Amphitheatre shows us that the two main ates it is near were ‘ hotspots’ for travellers to enter. The Amphitheatre (built by Valgus and Porcius at their own expense) was used to house hunts, gladiator fights etc. and shows us another way that officials could gain favour with the general populous. It reveals that, at the time of the eruption, Pompeian society was interested in the sport of killing, we know that this was happening all through the roman empire, and this re-enforces the fact that Pompeii really was just another Roman colony. | Private Houses
SOURCE| LOCATION| PURPOSE| WHAT IT REVEALS ABOUT LIFE IN POMPEII AT THE TIME| MARITIME| Villa of PapyriVilla Of Poppaea | These were houses usually built on the coastline. The contained big open rooms, with a lot of windows to take advantage of the view of the ocean. They had open peristyle walkways and gardens| This shows us that people (Mainly Officials) would build grand houses for themselves. These houses were not used full time, so we assume that they were merely ‘ holiday houses’ for the rich of Rome. URBAN| Villa Of MysteriesVilla Of Diomedes | These houses were used by the elites or visiting royals, however they were not as big as the Maritime villas, they could sometimes contain a second Tablinum and were usually lavishly decorated. | This tells us that Pompeii was not always the choice of home for some officials, they would leave their house to the slaves or freedmen working for them while they returned to Rome to continue their life of politics, we can assume this as we know that sometimes the houses were abandoned for extended periods of time. GENERAL HOUSES (Rustica)| All throughout Pompeii| The houses varied in size and shape: 24. One or two rooms 25. Two to Seven rooms 26. 8-13 rooms 27. 13 + roomsAnd they varied over time: 28. Atrium House (Samnite) 29. Atrium-peristyle house 30. Villa 31. Apartments| Most of the rooms in hosues were painted, the paintings came in different stages: 1. ‘ Structural’ or ‘ Masonry’ stlye typical of a samnite house 2. ‘ Architectural’ style Roman 80BC – 10AD 3. ‘ Ornimental’ Style Roman 20AD – 60AD 4. ‘ Fantastic’ Style Roman 50AD – 80AD |
Water, Baths and Sanitation SOURCE| Baths| 2. People at the baths could bathe, exercise, have massages, socialise, play dice and in winter they could keep warm 3. Pompeii 1. Stabian – Oldest baths with facilities for both men and women 2. Forum – Were smaller, but also spate facilities for men and women 3. Central – Contain erotic wall paintings 4. Amphitheatre – Not yet excavated 4. Herculaneum 5. Forum – Part of Palaestra complex. Men and women separate 6. Suburban – Looking over the sea, luxurious | Water Supply and Sanitation| 5.
Aqueduct provided main water supply 6. Water distributed through three main channels, regulated by gates 7. Underground piping (Lead) brought water to provate houses and insulae 8. Public toilets were common 9. Gutters used for rain water and waste 10. Sewer system for Pompeii incomplete by AD79 11. Herculaneum’s Situation is unknown| Religion In Pompeii SOURCE| LOCATION| PURPOSE| WHAT IT REVEALS ABOUT RELIGION IN POMPEII| Temples| Regular and Triangular Forum 1. Temple of Apollo 2. Temple of the Capitoline Triad 3. Temples of Agustus| | |
Everyday Life – Leisure Activities SOURCE| LOCATION| PURPOSE| WHAT IT REVEALS ABOUT LOCAL POLITICAL LIFE| Amphitheatre | P on the south side. | Actors would perform in the Amphitheatre, and the Odeon. | | Drinking and Eating| Pompeii had a multitude of Thermopolia and inns. | The Thermopolians would serve hot or cold food from the Dolia In the table. Customers would either stand in the shop or leave. Not many stayed and ate. | Some houses had their own kitchens (House of Vettii), while wealthy house owners had separate a Triclinium devoted to dining.
In H samples of food has been found, figs, nuts, bread etc. | The Procession Into ‘ the Games’ Evidence for Political Life Evidence of Elections The evidence of political elections in Pompeii is found mostly through electoral graffiti, which over 1500 examples have been found throughout the city. Usually the person running for office would have their name printed in big, red letters (occasionally black) with the name of the position, and the supporting parties, underneath. Example : The dyers request the election of Postumius Proculus as Aedile. Political Life
We know from carvings all around the city that certain people would fund projects (usually building) for example the founders of Pompeii, Gais Valgus and Marcus Portius had several plaques depicting their involvement in the building of the Amphitheatre places on entrances to the inside of said amphitheatre. The use of political power not only benefited the person in the position, but also their family. This was also the case for business. For example, the statue of Eumachia was built after her reign so as to remember what she had done, and bring raise of her immediate family.