Pompeii, Italy - The Lost City
91Wonders of Pompeii
Books on ancient Pompeii
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Pompeii: The Vanished City (Lost Civilizations)
Price: $1.99
List Price: $29.95 |
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Pompeii: Lost and Found
Price: $7.50
List Price: $16.95 |
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The Lost World of Pompeii
Price: $24.00
List Price: $45.00 |
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The Fires of Vesuvius: Pompeii Lost and Found
Price: $16.90
List Price: $26.95 |
Pompeii -- the living city
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In the fateful year of 79 AD, the city of Pompeii (Italy) was a thriving city of about 20,000 inhabitants. This was during the heyday of the Roman Empire, and Pompeii was a popular place for wealthy Romans to visit on holiday.
The city was already historic. Some homes in the city center had been there since at least 300 BC, so by 79 AD, these homes were already older than the United States is now.
During those years, progress had come to Pompeii. There were small theaters and one grand amphitheater. The city and many of its buildings had running water brought by a Roman aqueduct. There was a central swimming pool, a gymnasium, and at least 4 public baths. There were temples, a forum, a hotel, and numerous restaurants.
This was nearly 2,000 years ago, and life wasn't as different from today as you might expect.
In the city center, upper stories were built onto some of Pompeii's elegant houses. "Everyone -- social climbers particularly -- wanted a house in the town center: the problem was to find space. ... Surviving advertisements have a surprisingly modern ring: ‘To let from the fifteenth of next July, shops with their stalls, high-class second-story apartments, and a house. Prospective lessees may apply to Primus, slave of Gnaeus Alleius Nigidius.'" (from "Roman Italy", by T.W. Potter)
Discoveries about life in ancient Pompeii, Italy
- Ancient Pompeiians preferred fast food
Excavations show that most of the population ate on the run, grabbing a bite at some of Pompeii's numerous fast-food restaurants. - Rare silver Pompeii dinner set discovered
A stash of silver plates and goblets, beautifully engraved and polished, was found in Pompeii. - Pompeii reveals ancient luxury hotel
Excavators have discovered an ancient "five-star hotel" just outside Pompeii, with central heat and a private spa complex.
Destruction of Pompeii (Leonard Nimoy)
Pompeii - The last day (great trailer)
Pompeii - The Last Day (entire)
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Pompeii - The Last Day/Colosseum - A Gladiator's Story
Price: $8.57
List Price: $14.98 |
Links to learn more
Pompeii - the dying city
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August 24, 79 AD. Vesuvius, the massive mountain that loomed over the city, had been rumbling. Residents took it in stride, much like Californians today do with earth tremors. After all, they'd seen this plenty of times before.
This was different, though. In early August, springs and wells began drying up, then a swarm of small earthquakes began. Aug 23 was Vulcanalia -- the feast day for Vulcan, the Roman god of fire. The next day, the volcano (namesake of the same god), erupted furiously.
This time Vulcan meant business.
First, there was a Plinian eruption, a type of eruption named after an eyewitness to the explosion whose written accounts survived to tell the story. A column of smoke and ash rose about 20 miles high from the volcano, then spread out and rained ash and pumice stone over the area. Pompeii was buried in rock and ash about 9 ft deep .
Hours later, this was followed by a pyroclastic flow, when a cloud of superheated gas, ash, and rock poured forth and roared down the side of the volcano. Scientists estimate that the cloud had a temperature close to 350 degrees Celsius when it reached Pompeii. Any stragglers who escaped the first phase of the eruption were burned and asphyxiated by the second.
This was the last day for Pompeii and thousands of its inhabitants. Buried in thick layers of ash, the people and their city remained untouched -- lost and forgotten for centuries.
"The thermal energy released during the AD 79 eruption would have been roughly... 100,000 times that of the Hiroshima atomic bomb." (from "Dynamics of Volcanism")
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Highly recommended
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Pompeii: A Novel
Price: $7.57
List Price: $13.95 |
Fabulous book
"Pompeii: A Novel", by Robert Harris, blends scientific fact, documents from ancient Roman times, and fiction, to create a gripping historical novel about the end of Pompeii. Fascinating, and a fun read, too.
"Meticulously researched, beautifully written historical thriller of extraordinary breadth and depth." ~ Miami Herald
Pompeii guidebooks
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Magic Tree House Research Guide #14: Ancient Rome and Pompeii: A Nonfiction Companion to Vacation Under the Volcano (A Stepping Stone Book(TM))
Price: $1.46
List Price: $4.99 |
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Pompeii (White Star Guides)
Price: $6.70
List Price: $18.95 |
Related topics
Pompeii - the rediscovered city
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The city was obliterated, and the inhabitants gone. People forgot where it was, especially since the eruption raised the beach and altered the river's course, so that the site was no longer on either the river or the coast.
The buried town lay quietly beneath layer upon layer of ash and dirt, until its accidental discovery in 1748 -- 1,669 years after its demise.
Because of the speed and thoroughness with which the city was buried, objects remained remarkably well-preserved for all these centuries. Little air and little moisture meant little deterioration. When the city of Pompeii came to light again, it provided unprecedented views of life in Roman times.
It also gave us chilling models of terrified residents in their final moments of anguish. An early excavator realized that some cavities in the ash layer were spaces left by decomposed bodies. He injected plaster into them to exactly recreate the victims at the time they were buried. It's impossible to view these without feeling for the people who lay there, unable to escape their fate.
Today, Pompeii is a World Heritage Site, and one of the most famous archaeological sites in the world. The ruins of the city are extensive, and you can wander through the streets, homes and public spaces. You'll see the theaters, the wealthy homes, the fast food joints, and perhaps even a brothel. It's easy to imagine the lively city this was, up through August 23. Then the plaster casts show you everything you need to know about August 24.
It's a powerful place, and one you'll never forget.
Closing note
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Vesuvius has erupted many times since the cataclysm that destroyed Pompeii, and it is regarded as one of the most dangerous volcanoes in the world. There are 3 million people living close to it -- the most densely populated volcanic region in the world.
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Roman archaeology news
- Lasers reveal icon of St. Paul in Catacombs of Saint Thekla
The Vatican seems to be making a lot of coincidental discoveries surrounding Paul the Apostle in Rome right now. First, bones that DNA tests date to the 1st or 2nd century found in the reputed...
- Roman Sewn Ship Found in Croatia
From the description of the site, it sounds like a sewn ship will be the first of numerous discoveries in the former Roman city of Cissa. Archaeologists have found an ancient sewn ship over 2000...
- CT scans to "unroll" the scorched papyri from Herculaneum
I am always excited when someone tackles the challenge of trying to unroll the charred scrolls from Piso's library in Herculaneum. Although many scholars think the library mostly contains epicurean...
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Comments
Hi Lissie - Thanks for the comment! And you're so right! The fact that there's a whole town there gives you a much better sense of what life was like, compared to an isolated monument like the colloseum. Pompeii shows the "everyday life", and it's big enough you can really immerse yourself in it. Have a wonderful day! - Deanna.
That is an excellent piece on The Lost City of Pompeii!
Almost like a summary of the Pompeii documentary I saw on Discovery Channel. I have never been there, but I hope one day I will.
Great work Deanna!
Hi Theter -
Thanks! I haven't seen the Discovery Channel piece, but anything to do with Pompeii is bound to be fascinating since it's such an amazing place. I hope you make it there! (-:- Deanna.
Hello Happy E
I just needed to see this award winning site. This is the best of your Italian series. nobody hubs it better. Cheers
Hi Sligobay - Thanks for visiting and thanks for the words of encouragement! - Deanna.
Great hub page. I remember my mother telling me about Mt. Vesuvius many, many years ago. I wonder why people choose to live so close. Of course, I suppose with today's technology they would get plenty of warning before it erupted.
Hi nightcats - They'd definitely get more warning today, and hopefully most people would pay attention to it. But still, 3 million people is a lot to evacuate, and a lot could lose their homes.
Thanks for visiting! - Deanna.
Great Hub! I was obsessed with Pompeii for a long time as a kid. I went there in my early twenties and found it amazing! The frescoes and the encapsulated bodies were one of many fantastic sites. I'll have to check out the book you suggested as well. Another smaller site to look into is Herculaneum, not far from Pompeii. I did not get to visit that site while I was in Italy.
Great topic and hub site - a good model for me as I joined about 10 minutes ago.
Hi zannr - It is fascinating and amazing, isn't it? And good point about Herculaneum. It's got some well-preserved ruins from the same time too, and not as many people know it as Pompeii. Maybe you can go back to Italy some day to see that one too! Thanks for writing, - Deanna.
Hi Ron - Welcome to HubPages! Thanks for your comments, and I look forward to reading some of yours in the future. - Deanna.
Fascinating stuff, Happy!
I just called my DH in to hear about the rental ads and Pompeian fast food. And I'm definitely going to read the novel you recommended.
We're planning another trip to Italy, so Pompeii is now on our list of must-see places.
Thanks for your work on this. Cheers,
Sheila
Hi Sheila -
Thanks for your note, and I'm so happy you enjoyed it! It really is pretty cool to think about how similar their life then was to ours now. Some things are remarkably comparable, considering the 2000 years that have passed!
The Pompeii book is definitely great. And if you have any serious interest in archaeology of that time, the Roman Italy book cited in the apartment ad is really interesting too.
Enjoy that trip to Italy! - Deanna.
A thorough and excellent treatment of this historic event, happyexplorer. I saw the movie "The Last Days of Pompeii" many years ago and it dramatic scenes of the eruption of Vesuvius are burned into my memory.
Hi William -
Thanks for the comment, and the good words! It is a dramatic story, isn't it? And when you see the actual place where these people lived and died (not to mention the casts of the victims), it really does leave an indelible impression.
Thanks for stopping by! - Deanna.
This was a very interesting read. You really captured my attention from beginning to end. Pompeii is a place that I now have on my "places to visit list". Thank You!
Hi NatChar -
Thanks for the comment! I'm glad you found in interesting. Pompeii definitely belongs on a "places to visit" list. If you're ever in the vicinity of Rome or Naples, it's WELL worth planning a day to see Pompeii. You'll never forget it!
- Deanna.
Hey Deanna! Thanks for a most excellent hub! Pompeii is definitely worth seeing. I spent a day there last year and found it absolutely fascinating. The only place I've seen so far that can compare in completeness is Effisis in Turkey. I've also heard that Libya offers some amazingly complete Roman ruins.
The really cool thing about Pompeii for me is how much was preserved of daily life because of how the whole eruption went down. They have a traveling tour of someof the items from it here in San Diego right now, wihich reminds me that I should try to get down and see it.
Thanks again!
Thumbs up for a fascinating Hub on a fascinating topic! I never knew about Pompeian fast food, rental ads, and luxury resort with central heat... even though a while back I thought I paid attention to Discovery.
I missed Pompeii on earlier Italy travels, but now it and Herculaneum are definitely on the "to visit" short list. I, too, wonder why so many people would continue to live so close to a known volcanic menace, no matter how beautiful!
Your layout, elements, and photos are great, too. Congratulations on producing one of the best Hubs!
Thanks for this really excellent information--have been fascinated by Pompeii for years but have never visited--hoiwever, have just ordered the novel you recommend so highly so I'll have an interesting armchair journey :-) This is a great hub and gets a big thumbs upfrom me.
Very well organized hub, explorer. Thanks!
This place looks great.
Hi Deanna,
This is an incredible Hub. You provided so much interesting information and great writing...I felt as though I was there for that fateful day in August. This is one of the few hubs where I felt a moving experience..thank you for sharing your 'exploration' to Pompeii.
Hi Roland -
Thanks for the note! I haven't been to Turkey or Libya, but would love to check them out someday. If you write a hub on those, I'll be certain to visit! - Deanna
Hi Caregiver -
Thanks for the kind comments! One of the cool things about archaeology and a place like Pompeii is that they're continually learning new things. Even if you remembered everything off the Discovery channel, there would still be more to discover. (-:
Good luck making it to those places on your short list! - Deanna.
Hi Robie -
Thanks for your comment! I'm glad you enjoyed the hub, and hope you enjoy the novel even more. (-:
- Deanna.
I rarely read a web page from beginning to end....but you caught my attention. Your videos and your superb writing had me riveted. Even as busy as I am, I focused on this hub and was sad to see the end! I even read all the comments, which is also something I rarely do - I tend to be a scanner. EXCELLENT WORK and I've learned quite a bit from this page. Thanks for putting this online and I hope the search engines gobble it up so that everyone can view this page because if they miss this page, they have certainly missed something special.
Hi Terri -
Wow! Thanks so much for such supportive comments! You made my day, and I'm very happy you enjoyed it. (-:
- Deanna.
Very nice and very rich hub! Sad story, but so nicely presented. My favorite place in Italy is Venice (not really creative/original choice, though)
Hi solar -
Thanks for your comment! You're right that Venice is another fascinating place, and totally unique. Italy is an amazing country! - Deanna.
For armchair explorers like me, your hub has helped me visualize what Pompei would have been.Fine indeed.
What are some good places to eat here?
Hi Decrescendo - Most of the restaurants at Pompeii aren't in very good condition for eating any more! It's still pretty cool to walk into them though, and picture them bustling. You can see this in a video above - the recreation of what it was like before, food & wine being served, and then later the ruins as they are today. You can still get a quick lunch when you're at the ruins, but for serious food, I normally stay in Naples (doing Pompeii as a day trip from there).
Thanks for commenting! - Deanna.
I remember that well known pose.... Centuries buried underground and not until excavators finally revealed his terrifying and, at the same time, touching posture that this guy's bravery and husbandly sense got known to the world. He was trying to protect his wife from incoming raids of volcanic missiles with his own body. Pompeii is an idyllic city with a romantic story behind its sad history. Its frescoes, bars, bakeries make me wanna go back through time and be there at the time before the explosion....
Hi Sean -
What a powerful comment! You're absolutely right about how emotional it is to see those plaster casts, and envision the last days of these people. You get a glimpse into that person's life, something about the kind of person he was, and what was probably going through his mind in those last moments. It's both admirable and very sad.
Thanks so much for your visit and comment! - Deanna.
This is a really great hub! I'm only still a teenager and my family and I went to Pompeii last November... It was something I will never forget.
Hi Lady -
Thanks for your comment! I went to Pompeii with my family when I was a teenager too! That was the first time, but not the last. Who knows, you could be back there someday too...
Thanks! - Deanna.
Good hub! Pompeii is amazing, espcially the bodies! Crazy. I'm looking for some tours of venice and other italy tours that would be good to take with my family. Can you recommend any? I'm going to travel to italy this fall so any help would be appreciated!
Hi Italy Guy -
You're so right! I was just back in Pompeii a couple of weeks ago, and it's awesome. I don't know of any particular family-oriented tours to recommend, but I would suggest doing some web searching on your hotels. Check out the individual hotel websites for any you're interested in, not just the major booking sites. I found some big discounts on Rome hotels right now -- it seems that tourism is down there, though you wouldn't know it by the lines outside the Vatican!
Have a great trip!
Now I see how hubs are supposed to be done. Boy am I humbled.
Hi Big Sky -
There are many ways to do hubs, and you'll find your own way as you experiment with it. I got lots of ideas from looking at other people's, too!
I making Big Sky's words as my words too. I've started doing hubs recently, and by reading your hubs I can see an amazing example of how to do amazing hubs ! I'm humbled too! (just kiding) Congratulations!
I making Big Sky's words as my words too. I've started doing hubs recently, and by reading your hubs I can see an amazing example of how to do amazing hubs ! I'm humbled too! (just kiding) Congratulations!
Hi Eunice -
Glad you liked it - thanks! I think readng other people's hubs is a great way to collect ideas -- then you just try it out on your own, and your own style will develop as you do more and more. It's really quite fun to experiment with all the different options you have in HubPages. Pretty cool!
Best of luck with it, and keep on hubbing! (-:
Hello
Thank you for awakening my fascination for Italy. I know I had decided to go on my last trip to Europe but that was over 20 years ago. Things like career, family, and other obigations have been an excuse for not following my dream. Keep up your good work, my new goal is to get there before 2010.
Thanks
Michael
Hi Michael -
Thanks for your comment! It sounds like you never abandoned the dream - just let it go dormant for awhile during other phases of your life. That's a good place to be. The dream is still there, just waiting for you to pick it up again.
Hope you make it!
A good read and a nicely put together hub. So this is how a good is presented. I am with Big Sky.
You have to ask yourself what risks the people living around Mt Vesuvius are exposed to. Pompeii was destroyed over 1900 years ago. So does that mean it wont happen agin or its due?.
Hi Dougshub -
It could easily happen again. I was up on Mt. Vesuvius this summer, and it's still an active volcano. No lava flowing, but sulfurous steam escaping in places. We should have a lot better advanced warning if it does happen again, but 3 million people would be a lot to evacuate. Thanks for your comment!
HELLO IM WONDERING IF YOU DISCOVERD POMPII YOU SEEM NICE DID YOU THINK IT WAS SAD I DID WRITE BACK LOVE YA GIRL IM ONLEY 12 WERE TALKING ABOUT POMPII IN SIENCE CLASS IM A GIRL IMWHITE AND SHORT AND SHORT BROWN HAIR IM IN 6TH GRADE
Hi Jamie -
Somebody else rediscovered Pompeii before I was born. It was very sad to see the people who were caught in the volcano - I could imagine how scared they were. It's very interesting that you're studying Pompeii in school. Good luck with it, and thanks for visiting & commenting!
Hey this is a fantastic page you've got, so much helpful information, although i am confused about the origins of the rediscovery, who actually rediscovered the remains of pompeii? there's so much information thrown at me and i'm not sure what to believe! :S was it the french or spanish or someone else?
Hi Kaylah -
Pompeii was rediscovered in 1748 by a Spanish military engineer Rocque Joaquin de Alcubierre. There was possibly an earlier finding in 1599 by an Italian architect, but he didn't know what he found, and never investigated or excavated. So it is a bit questionable, but I'd say the Spanish guy gets my vote as the first "real" rediscoverer. (-:
That is very sad. I feel so lucky that I was not around when that happend
thanks for the info doing areport really helped
i feel so bad for these people and what they want though!
Hey
This is alot of great information
I'm doing an assignment on Pompeii and this really helps i will tell you what grade i get
thank you i need this for a homework assighment...thanks
I went to Italy in 1972 and saw Pompei. I had forgotten the name and I found it in this site. Thanks!
sad true story
Pompeii was a huge tragedy with so many losing their lives. But for science we have been able to learn so much from the well preserved city.
I am very sorry for those people who died in pompeii. And I am very sorry for the city pompeii too.
Hi Jackie, Jenna, Morgan and Ann - You're all right -- it's a very sad story. It's especially sad when you see the people as they died, trying to cover their faces, or shelter someone else.
Hi KP, Hannah, Erica and Mabelle - Glad this was able to help you out!
Hi Sciencewithme - You're right about the things we've learned from Pompeii. It's amazing from the archaeological perspective, and the insights it's provided into life in Roman times. That's definitely the silver lining in this story. Thanks for stopping by!
Great Hub! Brought back wonderful memories of my trip to Pompeii two years ago. I was totally fascinated by the place.
Hi minilady - It's an amazing place, isn't it? I think I could spend a week poking around there quite contentedly, and I can imagine how an archaeologist could devote decades to studying it. It's really quite a sizable city, and so well preserved that you can picture the life there much easier than most places. A little bit of imagination can bring it to life... (-:
Thats crazy how the pyroclastic flow, like froze the people in place.
Hi EcoAsh -- Pretty eerie - they were literally buried alive.
Great information about the city and its history.
ha ha ha
Lissie says:
17 months ago
Great hub - yes I would say Pompeii was the most impressive ruin I saw in Italy -because it was complete - not just an amphitheatre or a forum, but suburbs and shops as well!