A Town Swallowed in Ash

On August 24th in 79 AD at approximately 1300 a cloud appeared over the Roman city of Pompeii. This was all the warning the residents had before the nearby volcano, Mount Vesuvius, erupted. Huge quantities of scalding hot ash, pumice and lava pebbles were thrown into the sky. This then cascaded down across an extensive area. Pompeii was buried under 14 to 17 feet of ash and pumice, and the nearby seacoast was drastically changed. Herculaneum was buried under more than 60 feet of mud and volcanic material. Some residents of Pompeii later returned to dig out their destroyed homes and salvage their valuables, but many treasures were left and then forgotten. The remains of 2,000 men, women, and children were found at Pompeii. After perishing

The private and public leisure activities of Pompeii and Herculaneum were largely abundant. Many activities could be participated in and were used often. These include Drama performances, gladiatorial games, drinking, gambling, brothels, exercise, gardens, baths and food and dining. All these were an important part of Pompeian and Herculaneum life. They were seen as important to keep the body and mind healthy in most cases. Though some opposed some of the activities like brothels, gambling and drinking. But all give a important look into the life of those in Pompeii and Herculaneum before the catastrophic eruption of Vesuvius which completely destroyed

Pompeii attracted many people before Mount Vesuvius “froze” the city in time for over a thousand years. In the eighth century BC, Pompeii was for wealthy vacationers who came for the sun and scenery. By the first century AD, Pompeii was for Rome’s most dignified and noble citizens. Pompeii had luxurious houses and paved roads. Daily life included relaxing in the thermal bathhouses which were good for the body and were great social atmospheres. In addition, people spent their days going to the amphitheater to watch gladiator shows and going to the market and town squares. Citizens who lived in Pompeii owned and worked in factories, artisan shops, taverns, cafés and more.

For instance the wife of the mayor was shown as having more power in the business of the city, but during the times of the Roman Empire she would not have held any real power. Also, the destruction of the city did not match the real accounts of what had happened in order to dramatize the story more. In the description left by Pliny, the city would be covered in up to sixteen feet of ash and would have more molten lava flowing toward the city. In the movie it showed large fireballs flying toward the city and not as much ash falling over the city. At the end of the movie is where the ash begins to take affect, but it is shown as just a giant cloud covering the city all at once, which is not how it would have happened.

One fateful day in 79 C.E, Mount Vesuvius erupted and covered the entire town of Pompeii in ash and lava.The bodies of the victims and the town remained untouched for years, until archaeologists dug out the site.Volcanic materials petrified everything and anything in their path and left Pompeii in the exact state it was in thousands of years ago. In Pompeii: Life of a Roman Town, Mary Beard raises questions that attempt to piece together what life was like in Pompeii not only during the chaos of Vesuvius’ eruption, but in a time prior to it.

Most of the Italian municipalities in their time had a Forum, a square in their town where the political, commercial, and social lives are all intertwined. Not only did it act as a social meeting place for the residents, but it also functioned as the primary religious and economic sector of the city. In Pompeii the Forum was a large area measuring at around 157 by 38 metres, not including all the surrounding buildings (Unfortunately in Herculaneum, the forum is still uncovered). The Forum was lined with the most important buildings in the city. (See figure 1) In Pompeii particularly, the forum held the Municipal offices (A), Basilica (B), Temple of Apollo (C), Forum Olitorium (vegetable market) (C), Latrines (public toilets) (D), Temple of Jupiter (E), Macellum (marketplace) (F), Temple of the Lares (G), Temple of Vespasian (I), Building of Eumanchia (J), and a Comitium (voting house) (K). On the western side of the forum, there is a pedestal, built for outspoken orators. This served as a location where people could express their views on current situations, usually political.

Pompeii was a Roman city that was established in the 8th century B.C. It was located 5 miles from Mount Vesuvius. Many of the citizens were wealthy and had beautiful houses and fancy villas. There was an estimated 20,000 people living there full of slaves, merchants and wealthy families. Nero was to even have a house there in Pompeii. Pompeii was also a trade central transporting goods such as salt, olives, spices and many other goods from other places such as Aceria, and Nola. Earthquakes occurred

The town itself had many temples devoted to their gods. The city even had an amphitheatre, which is the oldest of its kind dating back to 80 BC. The people of Pompeii had a serene living condition and well function social classes.

After that lengthy fight, we have finally arrived at Ash Hollow. Crossing Ash Hollow meant having to steer down a huge hill beforehand. The area was beautiful, filled with precious flowers and refreshing water, but they were sparsely placed and the large, grassy area contributed to the simplicity of Ash Hollow. We have planned to camp out here for a night, and then travel to Courthouse Rock.

In August, Mount Vesuvius erupted again. The blast send a plume of ashes, pumice, rocks, and scorching hot volcanic gases so high into the sky that people could see it for hundreds of miles around. As it cooled, the tower of debris drifted to earth : first the fine-grained ash, then the lightweight chunks of pumice and other rocks. As for ash fell, it clogged the air, making it difficult to breath and buildings started to collapse. Then a pyroclastic surge poured down the side of the mountain and swallowed everyone and everything in its path. By the time the Vesuvius eruption sputtered to an end the next day, Pompeii was buried under millions of tons of volcanic

Pompeii was a city of ancient Rome. Pompeii as well as Herculaneum and many other villas were destroyed and buried in 4 to 5m of ash and pumice due to the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius. This happened in 79 AD. Osci found the town in the 6th or 7th century BC. Rome then later on conquered it and made it a colony by 80BC. Approximately 160 years after the eruption, the population rised to 11,000 people, they had a complex water system, an amphitheatre, and a port. The eruption destroyed everything and buried it all under ash making it difficult to find any remains. This evidence was provided from Pliny the Younger who saw the whole thing from a distance and wrote a letter. His uncle was in the city at the time trying to help people make it out. He

Mount Vesuvius is one of history’s most recognizable Volcanoes, as each of its eruptions have gone down as a significant event in geologic history. The events that transpired during and after these eruptions have shaped the way scientists and people view the sheer power that these volcanoes possessed. This report will take a look at Vesuvius’ most prolific eruption in 79 AD. The geologic setting of the mountain, precursor activity, and the impact the eruption had on the surrounding populations and towns will all be detailed. Along with these details, this report will also look at the further history of Vesuvius’s explosive past by detailing its eruption cycle. Finally, the current state of Vesuvius and the possible danger

The eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD was a pyroclastic event discussed in greater detail over the course of this essay.

In the summer of 79 A.D., Mount Vesuvius erupted, earning its infamy by destroying Pompeii and many surrounding Roman towns in southern Italy. This volcanic disaster, considered one of the worst in history, buried the ancient Roman city of Pompeii under a carpet of volcanic ash. When archeologists and explorers rediscovered the site, they found that under the ruins, dust, and debris, Pompeii was fairly intact. The remains of the buildings, artifacts, and skeletons led researchers to piece together what daily life would have been like prior to the eruption. Author Robert Harris and director Paul Anderson both attempt to recreate this catastrophic event through their novel and movie, respectively, both given the title Pompeii.

Pompeii provides us with the perfect example of a typical roman city and is arguably the most famous site for archaeologists in the world after the events in 79AD. When considering how far Romanized Pompeii had become by the time of the eruption of Mount Vesuvius it is important for us to take into considerations defining factors that made up Roman cities such as the Political set up, the Governments in place, structure of the city and even the religious aspects of the city, which is all somewhat apparent from Pompeii through discoveries. Within this essay I will compare the defining features that made up a typical Roman city and compare them to what we know of how Pompeii was set up.