pompeii
Classical Civilisation
Pompeii
Contents:
The Original Site
2
The Destruction
3 – 5
Houses
5 – 10
The Forum
10 – 13
Government
13 – 15
Inns and Thermopolia
15 – 16
Theatre
16 – 18
Baths
18 – 19
The Amphitheatre
20
Classical Civilisation
Pompeii
The Original Site
It was not until the 1st century BC that the Romans took full control of the town. There are some obvious reasons to why the site of Pompeii was so appealing to settlers:
It was built on a lava spur
Gave south-west side an excellent natural defence
It was next to the River Sarno
Navigable and led inland
Natural irrigation
It was a harbour town on the Bay of Naples
Good access for trade
The slopes of Mount Vesuvius were richly fertile
Excellent for farming
The Destruction
The Earthquake of 62 AD
Houses and temples had collapse and people lay buried beneath the rubble. After the earthquake, people took the opportunity to improve on what there had been before, such as old houses replaced with newer and grander ones. The forum in particular was being redone. Therefore, the town resembled a large building site as it was recovering from the earthquake.
Volcanic Activity Prior to the Eruption
There were earth tremors for four days before. Also, wells dried up, springs stopped flowing, dogs howled and there was no bird noise.
The Events of 24th-26th of August 72 AD
The Two Plinys
The eruption of Mount Vesuvius was the first to be recorded by an eyewitness, Pliny ‘the Younger’. He was a 17 year old boy, staying with his uncle, Pliny ‘the Elder’ – a natural historian and an admiral in the Roman navy.
Pliny ‘the Younger’ wrote letters to a historian, Tacticus, describing what he saw from his uncle’s house on the north side of the Bay of Naples in Misenum.
The letters also tell of his uncle’s attempt to sail and rescue people trapped on the shores surrounding the volcano. However, Pliny ‘the Elder’ died from suffocation having breathed in the poisonous fumes from
Pompeii
Contents:
The Original Site
2
The Destruction
3 – 5
Houses
5 – 10
The Forum
10 – 13
Government
13 – 15
Inns and Thermopolia
15 – 16
Theatre
16 – 18
Baths
18 – 19
The Amphitheatre
20
Classical Civilisation
Pompeii
The Original Site
It was not until the 1st century BC that the Romans took full control of the town. There are some obvious reasons to why the site of Pompeii was so appealing to settlers:
It was built on a lava spur
Gave south-west side an excellent natural defence
It was next to the River Sarno
Navigable and led inland
Natural irrigation
It was a harbour town on the Bay of Naples
Good access for trade
The slopes of Mount Vesuvius were richly fertile
Excellent for farming
The Destruction
The Earthquake of 62 AD
Houses and temples had collapse and people lay buried beneath the rubble. After the earthquake, people took the opportunity to improve on what there had been before, such as old houses replaced with newer and grander ones. The forum in particular was being redone. Therefore, the town resembled a large building site as it was recovering from the earthquake.
Volcanic Activity Prior to the Eruption
There were earth tremors for four days before. Also, wells dried up, springs stopped flowing, dogs howled and there was no bird noise.
The Events of 24th-26th of August 72 AD
The Two Plinys
The eruption of Mount Vesuvius was the first to be recorded by an eyewitness, Pliny ‘the Younger’. He was a 17 year old boy, staying with his uncle, Pliny ‘the Elder’ – a natural historian and an admiral in the Roman navy.
Pliny ‘the Younger’ wrote letters to a historian, Tacticus, describing what he saw from his uncle’s house on the north side of the Bay of Naples in Misenum.
The letters also tell of his uncle’s attempt to sail and rescue people trapped on the shores surrounding the volcano. However, Pliny ‘the Elder’ died from suffocation having breathed in the poisonous fumes from