pompeii and herculaneum

• • geographical setting


  located in the fertile volcanic plain known as Campania
• • geographical setting 


  natural features

  1. both towns accessible by sea
  2. apart of the mediterranean
• • eruption of 79AD and its impact on pompeii and herculaneum

  IMPACT ON PEOPLE

  1. bodies buried and suffocated in ash
  2. damage to skulls indicate organs could have exploded

  IMPACT ON LAND

  1. destroyed all fish and birds
  2. Pompeii: 6- 20 metres of ash--- Herculaneum: 40+ metres of ash
• reason of eruption death in herculaneum

  suffocation by ash
• reason of eruption death in pompeii

  force of eruption and winds
• • early discoveries and changing nature of excavations in the 19th and 20th centuries

  ANCIENT

  GIUSEPPI FIORELLI (1863-1875) Pompeii

  1. director of excavations in P
  2. helped preserve pompeii
  3. divided P into regions (insulae)
  4. pioneered the use of plaster to fill voided left in ash by decomposed bodies
• • early discoveries and changing nature of excavations in the 19th and 20th centuries

  MODERN

  ESTELLE LAZER

  1. work centred around human remains
  2. studied bones to determine a profile for victims
• • changing nature of excavations in the 18th, 19th, 20th centuries

  18th century:

  1. focused merely on treasure hunting
  2. little regard for any record keeping/process

  19th century:

  1. Fiorelli's archaeological techniques helped to preserve Pompeii more than ever before

  20th century:

  1. Estelle Lazer- bones
  2. Steven Ellis- improved record keeping through ipads
• • investigating and interpreting the sources for Pompeii and Herculaneum

  1. the economy

  ROLE OF FORUM

  Macellum meat and fish market

  1. large covered market
  2. remains of fish bones, fruits, cereals
  3. walls decorated with paintings of food sold
• • investigating and interpreting the sources for Pompeii and Herculaneum

  1. the economy

  ROLE OF FORUM

  Building of eumachia-cloth market

  1. open courtyard used for cloth sales
  2. Eumachia was a wealthy woman
• • investigating and interpreting the sources for Pompeii and Herculaneum

  1. the economy

  ROLE OF FORUM

  Mensa Ponderia

  1. limestone table found in the temple of Apollo, used for measuring goods
  2. standard practice for this to be at all Roman markets
• • investigating and interpreting the sources for Pompeii and Herculaneum

  1. the economy

  TRADE

  1. geographical position of P made it ideal for trade
  2. key imports were wine and pottery
  3. main sources of trade in P were agriculture and fishing
  4. key exports were garum, wine and pottery/tiles
• • investigating and interpreting the sources for P and H

  1. the economy

  COMMERCE

  1. involved facets of local trade including shops, markets and other local businesses

  pompeii

  a.. approx 20 taverns/bars where people indulged in drinking, eating and prostitution

  herculaneum

  a.. no forum has been uncovered in Herculaneum there is little evidence of commerce
• • investigating and interpreting the sources for P and H

  1. the economy

  INDUSTRIES

  pompeii

  a.. agriculture: this was important due to the fertility of the region. the waterfront nature of Pompeii meant fishing was an important industry and garum was the primary export

  b.. oil/wine: stone presses and storage jars have been discovered. wine had very high quality

  c.. pottery: clay used to create lamps, jugs and flatware

  d.. sex: prostitution was conducted in local brothels, taverns and houses
• • investigating and interpreting the sources for P and H

  1. the economy

  INDUSTRIES

  herculaneum

  a.. agriculture: very prominent in H due to the fertility of the region and was the main source of employment

  b.. fishing: also a prominent industry

  c.. oil/wine: provided jobs

  d.. pottery: clay was used to create lamps, jugs and flatware

  e.. sex: was not as thriving as in pompeii but taverns have been discovered
• • investigating and interpreting the sources for P and H

  1. the economy

  OCCUPATIONS

  pompeii:

  a.. agriculture: vineyards have been excavated and art has been found depicting ag produce and fish

  b.. grape/oil pressers: wine presses and vats found in the Villa Regina of Bosocreale

  c.. prostitutes: alot of grafitti to suggest this was a common occupation as well as erotic scenes depicted in art on the walls of stabiae baths and the walls of brothels with names of prostitutes functioning like a menu
• • investigating and interpreting the sources for P and H

  1. the economy

  OCCUPATIONS

  herculaneum:

  a.. herculaneum was more focused on agriculture and fishing in comparison to Pompeii which featured a wider range of possible occupations

  b.. fish skeletons, nets, a boat and boat sheds have been discovered
• • social structure: men, women, freedmen, slaves 


  1. in ancient rome, there was a clear social structure that had an impact on the rights, responsibilities and freedoms of people
  2. slaves made up approx 40% of population
• • social structure


  FREEBORN:

  1. covers all people not born into slavery
  2. had more rights and freedoms than other groups in society

  men

  1. pinnacle of the social elite
  2. had fill legal rights and opportunity to advance through holding public office

  women

  1. women were not allowed as many rights as men
  2. could own property
• • social structure 


  FREEDMEN:

  1. a person who had been freed from slavery
  2. most freedmen worked for their former masters
  3. could not hold any political positions
• • social structure 


  SLAVES

  1. made up majority of P population
  2. majority of slaves undertook household roles such as cooking, cleaning, serving and nursing
  3. worked on agricultural estates and often performed hard manual labour
• • local political life: decuriones, magistrates, comitium

  1. both p and h were self governing which meant they organised their own political elections and parties
  2. GRAFFITI: showed support for candidates
  3. comitium was a place used for the peoples assembly and for town meetings
• • local political life

  MAGISTRATES- board of 4

  2x Dumviri:

  1. administered electoral roles
  2. looked after criminal and civil cases
  3. could give death penalty to slaves and foreigners
  4. every 5 years the dumvir were elected as a quinquennial dumviri which meant they had to take a census and a morality check

  2x aediles:

  1. allowed a man to stand for the higher office and possible future entry into the council
  2. maintained public order
  3. needed wealth as these positions were not paid
• • local political life

  LEGISLATIVE BRANCH

  city council

  1. comprised of decurionum and had 100 members
  2. membership was for life
  3. made up of ex magistrates

  peoples assembly

  1. people who were able to vote on the two aediles and dumviri
  2. consisted of only male citizens of 25 years and older
• • everyday life 


  HOUSING

  1. vestibulum: entrance to villa
  2. atrium: entrance space
  3. tablinum: formal meeting room or reception room
  4. triclinium: dining room
  5. culina: kitchen
  6. cubiculum: bedrooms
  7. peristylium: enclosed garden
• • everyday life

  LEISURE ACTIVITIES

  1. attending public spectacles or performances
  2. prostitution
  3. gambling
  4. drinking
  5. visiting the baths
• • everyday life 


  FOOD AND DINING

  pompeii

  1. many frescoes in villas show food. e.g. seafood mosaic in house of faun
  2. preserved bread and containers to store garum and wine
  3. silverware discovered in the House of Menander

  herculaneum

  1. carbonised bread, eggs, figs and nuts
  2. seeds from fruit, fish bones, shells and cuttlefish
• • everyday life

  CLOTHING

  1. determined status and rank of individuals
  2. upper class wore white knee length tunics with a belt
  3. jewellery a common accessory worn by both genders

  pompeii

  1. statue of Eumachia reveals the fashion of high ranking women at the time
  2. believed clothing predominately made from wool or linen

  herculaneum

  1. statue of marcus nonius balbus reveals fashion choices of high ranking men at the time
  2. female skeleton wearing an assortment of rings
• • everyday life 


  HEALTH

  1. lazer evidence of human remains indicates people were generally healthy
  2. wear and decay of teeth probably caused by particles of the basalt grindstones used in making flour
  3. tuberculosis and malaria common

  diseases:

  1. extensive aqueduct system. believed that lead pipes increased risk of lead poisioning (romans not aware)
  2. menopausal women sometimes suffered from HFI

  surgery

  1. surgical instruments discovered such as tweezers, forceps, probes, clamps and pliers
  2. prosthetics made to replace lost limbs
• • everyday life

  WATER SUPPLY

  1. aqueduct: constructed to carry water from distribution point to other areas
  2. castellum aquae: main tank or water tower near the vesuvian gate
  3. nymphaea: water fountain
• • everyday life

  BATHS

  1. apodyterium: changing room
  2. frigidarium: cold room
  3. tepidarium: warm room
  4. caldarium: hot room
• • religion

  HOUSEHOLD GODS

  1. zeus: protector of the state
  2. hera: carer of women
  3. athena: patroness of craft workers
• • religion

  TEMPLES

  1. there was a place of worship for a range of goddesses and gods
  2. religions heavily influenced by Egyptian and Greek culture

  pompeii:

  1. 10 major temples have been discovered in P including the temple of isis, apollo, jupiter, venus, vespasian, public lares and fortuna augusta

  herculaneum:

  1. no temples have been excavated in h
• • religion 


  TEMPLES (cont.)

  1. pater familias: head of the family, father figure
  2. lares: household gods in forms of small statues
  3. lararium: small shrines located in homes
• • religion

  TOMBS

  1. outside the city walls in regions known as the necropolis
  2. human soul represented as a butterfly
• • influence of greek and egyptian cultures; art, architecture and religion

  GREEK

  art: fresco depicting the three graces (classic group of Greek goddesses)

  architecture: temple of apollo

  religion: Rome got many of its gods from the Greek pantheon

  EGYPTIAN

  art: sphynx from temple of isis

  architecture: built out of stone like the egyptians tombs

  religion: temple of isis- offered happiness, salvation and relief from suffering
• What was the initial interpretation of the stone slab found in P?

  It was thought to be a kitchen benchtop.
• How did new research change the interpretation of the stone slab?

  It is now believed to be an altar.
• What conclusion did Estelle Lazer draw about the society's nutrition?

  The samples demonstrate a relatively healthy and well-nourished society.
• What evidence did Estelle Lazer find regarding dental care?

  There was no evidence of dental care.