Pompeii: A Short Story

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.

The movie Pompeii is based on the eruption of Mount Vesuvius that destroyed the Roman city of Pompeii. Mount Vesuvius erupted in 79AD, destroying the city and killing all of its inhabitants. The movie did do a fairly good job of portraying the correct historical details of what this day in history would have actually been like. For the opening of the movie the writings of Pliny the younger, a young man who witnessed the eruption and wrote about the occurrences of that day, were quoted.

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.

The Sanctuary of the Public Lares was located in the North-East of the Forum in Pompeii. The Lares Publici were the protectors of the crossroads (compita). Historians argue whether the building was either commenced after the earthquake of 62 AD or almost fully reconstructed as a dedication to the tutelary gods of Pompeii due to the recent misfortune. The architecture was quite unusual showing changing designs. The temple had no roof and had a floor with coloured marble arranged in a geometric pattern. It had no wall on the Forum side that left it entirely open. It could be entered through a portico adjoining the colonnade of the Forum. On entering the temple there was two alcoves where statues of the Lares would most likely have stood. Remains show a centred altar. The rear wall reveals a niche where statues of the town’s gods would have been positioned.

The destruction of Pompeii came about when Mount Vesuvius erupted on August 24 AD 79. This eruption was not your stereotypical eruption. The mountain exploded in a long smoldering burst of pumice ash and rock. The eruption covered Pompeii and the neighboring city of Herculaneum in over thirteen feet of pumice and ash, burning and destroying almost all of the city 's. The eruption was said to last over twenty four hours. Turning day to night with clouds of dust and ash. ¨100-miles-per-hour surge of superheated poison gas and pulverized rock–poured down the side of the mountain and swallowed everything and everyone in its path. (¨History.com Staff. “Pompeii.” History.com.) Around 16,000 people died in the eruption. (“Mount Vesuvius - Italy.” ) When Mount Vesuvius erupted many people were unprepared, just standing and watching the volcano until the eruption was on top of them. Many people thought it was just a tremor or earthquake before the mountain exploded and it was too late. Many people did try and escape. Escaping by boat was impossible, the only real way to escape was to go south away from the volcano. There was mass panic in the heart of the city and most people didn 't get out in time. ¨Though my shocked

How would you have lived in pompeii? Many people died startled to death holding their children. The horrifying disaster ruined so many lives. Pompeii had several similarities to our life today.

Another equally important similarity is that they used gadgets. They found glasses, jars, and bread pans for cooking. The

Pompeii experienced a formidable earthquake in 62 BCE, which damaged the city; presumably, the city would not have completely recovered to its genuine state by the 79 BCE eruption (Seneca, Natural Questions). Some inhabitants left the city forever, so this left abandoned

Pompeii was located about five miles from Mount Vesuvius. When the magma fell it had clogged the air with ashes, making it hard for others to breathe. Some buildings collapsed. Pulverized - rock and poisoning gas, came down the mountain and took everyone, and everything in its path. There weare about 2,000 people that were killed. Others drifted back there to find lost relatives, and belongings and other things. It was hard though because there wasn’t much left of Pompeii. There was smaller towns by Pompeii that were destroyed as well. The towns, as well as Pompeii were abandoned for

Over 2,000 years ago, Mount Vesuvius chose the city of Pompeii to be its next victim. August 79 A.D was the fateful day that would destroy thousands of lives, and their beloved homes. When Mount Vesuvius erupted it sent ashes, rocks, and volcanic gases to rain over Pompeii and cause complete chaos. After Mount Vesuvius’ first attack on Pompeii, a tower of debris drifted to earth. Buildings collapsed and ash clogged the air. Then a surge of poison gas and rock poured down the side of the mountain, destroying everything that laid in its path. Pompeii was done for.

The earlier work of the city, which included the city walls, gates, forum, and courtyards, was constructed in the 5th century during the Samnite period. The small city once a prosperous trading center can be viewed today as a Roman showcase and a microcosm of early Roman urban society of the 6th century B.C. Pompeii grew into a stable economic city, but it was surrounded by potential misfortunes. The Roman author Seneca reported the earthquake in the Campania region in 62 AD, which destroyed public buildings while many residential buildings partially collapsed (Özgenel 4). Seventeen years later, in 79 AD, the eruption of Mt Vesuvius ended the existence of Pompeii. Up to twelve feet of ash and debris consumed the city in twelve hours. Public buildings, theaters, baths, temples, basilicas, commercial establishments, city squares and residential areas in a once thriving urban community suddenly stood still in

Pompeii is located in Italy's southern Campania region near the coast of the Bay of Naples. In the year 79 C.E Mt. Vesuvius erupted in a ball of ash and pumice, both annihilating the city but leaving it impeccably preserved. The remains of the city provide a fascinating glimpse into life during the Pax Romana, or Roman Peace. The tons of ash that piled on the city preserved things so well that casts of the deceased were made using plaster, and one could see the exact position Pompeii's inhabitants were in when they died. Today the area is classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, pulling in approximately 2.5 million tourists

This giant volcano erupted and damaged most of the city Pompeii,Oplontis,and some of Stabie,and Nuceria. The ash carried all the way to the ocean. Most people fled but some stayed for some reason thinking it would be fine. But after the explosion there was toxic gas that killed anyone to breathe it. Then there was a rockslide and the people who stayed died.

To conclude, we wouldn’t have been able to know this information if Pompeii wasn’t well preserved. Daily life in Pompeii is similar to our lives because of households items, jobs and duties, and advanced technology. In 79 A.D. at Pompeii Mount Vesuvius erupted, spreading layers of ash all over. This caused the whole city to go extinct because poisonous gas from the volcano’s ash spread everywhere, freezing everything in

In The House Of Maius Castricius In Pompeii. " American Journal Of Archaeology 114.(1)1 (2010): 59-101. L'Année philologique.