The City of Pompeii in ancient Rome

The City of Pompeii in ancient Rome

In ancient Rome, the city of Pompeii was a popular vacation destination. But tragedy befell the city in 79 AD when Mount Vesuvius, a nearby volcano, erupted, burying it under 20 feet of ash and debris.

The City of Pompeii in ancient Rome

The City of Pompeii in ancient Rome

History of the city

The Oscan peoples first settled in Pompeii in the seventh century BC. The port city was situated in an ideal area for both agricultural and trade. Prime agricultural area for olive and wine trees was produced by the rich volcanic soil left behind from previous Vesuvius eruptions.

The Samnites seized the city in the fifth century, and the Romans eventually occupied it. In 80 BC, it was designated as the Colonia Veneria Cornelia Pompeii, an official Roman colony.

The City

For the Romans, Pompeii was a favorite place to go on holiday. The city’s population was believed to be between 10,000 and 20,000. Numerous affluent Romans owned vacation residences in Pompeii, where they would spend the sweltering summer months.

A typical Roman city was Pompeii. The forum was located on one side of the city. A large portion of the city’s business was conducted here. In close proximity to the forum were temples dedicated to Venus, Jupiter, and Apollo. Water for the public baths and fountains was brought into the city by an aqueduct. Even their dwellings had running water for the wealthy.

Pompeii’s citizens appreciated its amusement. For gladiator matches, there was a sizable amphitheater with space for about 20,000 spectators. In addition, there were numerous theaters for musical performances, plays, and religious ceremonies.

Earthquakes

The region encompassing Pompeii was subject to regular seismic events. A massive earthquake in 62 AD damaged a large number of Pompeii’s structures. When tragedy struck seventeen years later, the city was still rebuilding.

The Volcano Erupts

August 24, 79 AD, saw the eruption of Mount Vesuvius. An estimated 1.5 million tons of rock and ash were erupting from the volcano every second, according to scientists. Most likely, the ash cloud rose more than 20 miles above the peak. A few people were able to get away, but most weren’t. An estimated 16,000 people lost their lives.

Did they know what was coming?

Pliny the Younger, a Roman administrator, documented the days leading up to the eruption. Although Pliny reported that there had been multiple earthquakes in the days preceding the eruption, Roman science was unaware that earthquakes may be a clue that a volcano was about to explode. They were only intrigued when they first noticed smoke rising from the summit of the mountain. Until it was too late, they were unaware of what was approaching.

A Great Archeologists Finds

Pompeii was vanished and was buried. Eventually, people stopped talking about it. It wasn’t found again until archaeologists started excavating the city in the 1700s. They made an incredible discovery. Beneath the ashes, most of the city was still intact. Structures, artwork, homes, and workshops that would not have endured over the years were still present. Because of this, Pompeii provides us with a wealth of information on daily life in the Roman Empire.

Facts about the City of Pompeii

• The eruption occurred one day after the religious festival to Vulcan, the Roman god of fire.
• The amount of energy released by the eruption was roughly one hundred thousands times the thermal energy released by the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima.
• The nearby city of Herculaneum was also destroyed.
• Archeologists found holes in the ashes that were once the bodies of people that were buried in the eruption. By pouring plaster into these holes, scientists have been able to make detailed casts of many of the citizens of Pompeii.
• The recovered city of Pompeii is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Italy.
• The city was located around 5 miles from Mount Vesuvius.

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