Pompeii was destroyed by Mount Vesuvius’ eruption in 79 AD, leaving both it and Herculaneum covered in volcanic ash as many of their citizens perished in its aftermath.
When Pompeii was discovered and excavated during the 1800s, excavation revealed incredible details such as people having perfect teeth!
1. The Forum
The Forum was the hub of Pompeii. Here was where civic life, commercial activities and religious services took place as well as sacrifices being performed.
Pompeii stands as one of the best-preserved ancient Roman cities worldwide due to being covered with 25m of volcanic pumice from Mount Vesuvius’ eruption in 62 AD, saving it from complete destruction and making it an exceptional archaeological find.
Evidence collected by the Forum Project Director suggests that post-earthquake construction efforts had the effect of unifying and monumentalizing the forum through blocking streets, linking facades, upgrading building materials and upgrading materials used. These changes were designed to convey a sense of cultural strength and robust economy – with Basilica serving as courthouse and Tribunal being an elevated area where magistrates judged defendants being situated here as well.
2. The Public Square
At its height, Pompeii was one of Italy’s premier vacation and recreational towns for Roman aristocrats. Visitors today can explore its streets, marvel at centuries-old bakeries and brothels, and gain an idea of life within this lost city.
Pompeii was an astonishingly vibrant city, boasting 40 bakeries, 130 bars and public baths, as well as several brothels to provide services for its 20,000 residents. Additionally, there was a large amphitheater with an odeion for performances as well as a basilica used for legal proceedings. Pompeii held strong Samnite roots but became more Romanized under Sulla after taking control after the Samnite Wars.
Pompeian life revolved around its public squares: Forum and Public Square being at its heart. To the outside was also present the Macellum (market), Basilica (law court), as well as central spaces whose surface may have been covered up; excavations have revealed food booths lined up around its edge.
3. The Houses
Since Pompeii’s rediscovery in 1748, scholars and visitors alike have flocked to its cobblestone streets for glimpses into Roman life before its abrupt demise at the hands of Vesuvius in AD 79. With displays such as gladiators in combat, an ornate brothel decorated with sexual images, preserved house remains and more, Pompeii provides an intriguing snapshot of life before destruction.
Pompeian houses were often divided into living quarters for family living purposes and shops or stores selling bread or wine, such as The House of Coloured Capitals which boasted finely painted capitals – but also connected to a shop where excavation teams discovered many jars filled with chickpeas and beans for sale.
This large house was one of Pompeii’s grander residences during its final years and provides evidence for trends in domestic decoration on the eve of destruction. Many private residences featured gardens (hortus) with statues and ornate fountains as well as canvas awnings over vine-covered pergolas (peristyle). The House of Vettii is famous for its mosaic depictions of Neptune and Amphitrite within its grotto and is thus called by their name.
4. The Streets
Pompeii is like traveling back in time; you’ll experience ancient Roman life as you roam its streets and explore houses and shops; you may even spot casts of victims preserved from volcanic eruption.
Pompeii was bustling with activity both for trade and large processions during religious festivals; their streets would sometimes become so packed that they became impassable!
Pompeians had some clever solutions for managing this issue. An innovative measure included raising stepping stones on roads so pedestrians could avoid walking on wet and muddy surfaces.
These stepping stones also served as natural reflectors of moonlight, making it easier for people to navigate at night. Furthermore, marble chips were sometimes added into roads as an aid for night-time navigation – all small details that contributed to Pompeii’s innovative and comfortable living conditions.
5. The Markets
At its heart was Pompeii’s economy – trading and industry were its lifeblood in early Roman times. Pompeii was an exceptionally prosperous town, evidenced by its wide array of products available to its citizens. Commerce also played an essential role in shaping its social structure; those controlling its major ports and products gained significant status within society.
Pompeii’s main streets remain easily recognisable today, as their buildings were lined with shops and filled with customers from dawn until dusk. Small signs of everyday life remain in Pompeii; holes in counters reveal where customers would take quick breaks during their busy day to grab something to eat, and public drinking fountains can still be found throughout its borders.
Wall paintings of Pompeiians suggest an avid interest in textiles; Pompeian dyers used local sources for color, such as madder (red), whortleberry or blueberry juice for blue/purple dyeing purposes, woad, crocus gall, oak gall and imported luxury dyes such as Crimson from Merida in Spain and Indigo from India as dyeing ingredients.
6. The Temples
Pompeii can be a shocking experience, with moss and grass growing among crumbling ruins and stray dogs barking at visitors. It’s hard to imagine its former splendor during its glory days when explorers wrote glowing accounts of its discovery and paintings depicted monuments as they came into view.
Temples dating back to the 5th and 4th centuries BCE can be found when Samnite control was reigning over the city.
Each sanctuary was decorated with statues representing different aspects of deities, which serves as a reminder that gods in a polytheistic society often did not represent singular figures. Aligning temples with constellations was also common practice – for instance, the Temple of Jupiter is aligned with Sargasso-Scorpius stars which appear first when setting sun rise occurs and represent scorpion killing Orion hunter. Pompeii also provided many public establishments offering communal bathing experiences as well as numerous private ones located throughout its city limits; communal bathing provided both social interaction as well as physical exercise!
7. The Baths
Pompeii was an economically vibrant city on the shores of Naples Bay that served as a popular resort destination for Roman citizens and their families, boasting many luxurious villas. Due to its wealth, middle class residents could match or surpass nobility in lavishly embellishing their houses and public buildings including some magnificent fountains.
Pompeian society boasted five public thermal baths and rich households owned private ones; many featured erotic frescoes that provide us with insight into Pompeian attitudes regarding sexual activity and oral sexual conduct.
At around noon on August 24, volcanic ash and pumice began falling, rapidly covering much of the city to an approximate depth of nine feet in some spots and closing off doorways and roofs. As it continued, pyroclastic flows of hot gas and intensely scorching ash incinerated or suffocated those who did not flee before finally collapsing into deadly flows that incinerated those still within, incinerating or suffocating those left behind who did not make an escape; bodies uncovered after cooling were often still clutching onto items they held dear to.
8. The Fountains
The city had an advanced water supply system regulated by an intricate network of towers and cisterns. Fresh, clean water from 40 kilometers away in the mountains was piped via an aqueduct to three main pipes leading into roofed reservoirs before continuing through smaller lead pipes to be distributed along streets – each lined by 40 street fountains equipped with spout stones and front basins for distribution along the main lines.
Fountains in Pompeii were decorated with statues depicting gods and goddesses, as well as men and women enjoying life’s pleasures. Residents were not shy to discuss sexual matters on walls of homes, shops and public buildings openly.
Pompeii was one of several ancient cities buried under 4 to 6 metres of volcanic ash and pumice from Mount Vesuvius’ eruption in 79 AD, offering us unprecedented insight into Roman Italy prior to this disaster. Our archeologists have unearthed incredible archaeological treasures from this period that provide unique perspectives on people’s lives prior to it happening.
9. The Temple of Juno
The Temple of Juno stands on one side of Pompeii’s Forum. Originally devoted to Jupiter – one of the Capitoline Triad – later it became dedicated to worship of Juno and Minerva; marking an important change as Pompeii gradually transitioned away from its Samnite roots and into Roman colonial rule.
Pompeii was unique among Pompeii’s Greek neighbors because its Roman neighbors placed great importance on public buildings and spaces, with architecture not unlike that found in Magna Graecia; temples often featuring cella where statues could be housed within and a porch to provide additional protection.
In 2021, an impressive four-wheel ceremonial carriage was discovered in the portico of a luxurious villa near Pompeii called Civita Giuliana in Civita Giuliana, north of Pompeii. This discovery sheds light on life among Pompeii’s upper classes whose strong economic climate allowed them to compete with nobles for extravagant embellishments and decorations. Furthermore, this discovery supports theories that Pompeians had perfect teeth likely due to eating healthily.