The city of Pompeii was well known for being destroyed by a large eruption from Vesuvius, a volcano that is in the vicinity of the region. The fate of this Roman city was only rediscovered in the 18th century, when its archaeological remains were found, enabling historians to reconstruct the city's daily life.
Pompeii's historical origin
Pompeii, a city built at the foot of Vesuvius, was close to where the city of Naples, in a region in southern Italy known as Campania. There are studies that indicate that that region began to be inhabited at some point in the Bronze Age (between 3000 a. Ç. and 1200 a. Ç.). The original name of the city and its founder are unknown information.
What is known about Pompeii is that it was occupied by different peoples at different times in its history. Currently, historians know that the city was occupied by the osci (local people of Campania), by greeks, Etruscans and samnites (People who inhabited the Italian Peninsula).
You romans began to influence Pompeii around the 4th century BC. a., when the Romans defeated the
samnites during the Samnite Wars. The city was a kind of Roman protectorate, as it had a certain autonomy, but it was under the influence of the Romans. The end of this autonomy happened around 80 BC. C., when Sila ordered the siege of Pompeii as punishment for rebelling against Roman rule.With the city definitively conquered by the Romans, thousands of soldiers settled there and the period of greatest prosperity in Pompeii began.
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Life in Pompeii before the destruction
Via del Foro, paved street of Pompeii ruins. At the bottom of the image is Mount Vesuvius.
Before the eruption that destroyed Pompeii, the city was at its most prosperous. Its coastal position made it a busy trade, as the city's ports were used for entry and exit of various goods traded in the region. The population distribution of the city was of 12 thousand inhabitants in the urban core and over 24,000 in rural areas.
Goods produced in neighboring towns were exported from the ports of Pompeii, from where goods such as olive oil, olives and salt departed. Even with its commercial importance, in the eyes of the Romans, Pompeii was a city provincial (a pejorative way of labeling a certain place as “late”).
As with all Roman cities, the interior of the city of Pompeii was protected by walls. Internally, there was a rich trade that operated in the sale of different goods, such as food and clothing. There were in the city religious temples, public restrooms, toilets, arenas for games, with emphasis on gladiator fights, among other constructions.
The citizens of Pompeii worshiped the gods of traditional Roman religion. This was verified by historians because of the existence of temples to these gods and also because, inside the houses, there were small shrines built. Archaeologists also discovered frescoes (wall paintings) inside a building in Pompeii depicting a Dionysian cult (cult for Bacchus, god of wine).
The region in which Pompeii was located – Campania – was a place that frequently received members of the Roman aristocracy, who went to their summer houses built near the sea. There are records that the Roman emperor Nero visited the city during a gladiator competition in 66 AD. Ç.
The popular image about Pompeii and Roman culture cultivates the idea that the city and the Romans, in general, were lecherous and practiced countless acts of immorality. Historians say that this stereotype built on the city stems from the fact that the Roman religion has a highly moralized worldview.
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What happened to Pompeii?
The city of Pompeii was destroyed in 79 d. Ç. by a volcanic eruption of great proportions that, in addition to destroying, buried the city and killed its inhabitants. An account by a Roman named Pliny the Younger says that the destruction of the city happened in August of 79 d. C., but historians question and suggest that the event probably took place at the end of September.
Even before the volcanic eruption, the city had already faced a natural disaster: in 62 d. C., a earthquake destroyed the city partially. During the volcanic eruption, Pompeii was hit by a shower of stones (some giants) and, the next day, was hit by toxic gases that decimated part of the population that had survived. Other nearby towns were also victims of the eruption.
Pompeii today
Ruins of Pompeii, destroyed in AD 79. Ç. and rediscovered in the 18th century. The city is currently an important tourist center in Italy.
Pompeii's fate was forgotten for centuries, but was rediscovered from the 18th century, when excavations, ordered by Carlos III (Spanish king), discovered the remains of the city. At that time, southern Italy was dominated by the Spaniards.
The archaeological remains were identified as originating from Pompeii due to inscriptions found that gave this name to the city. The remains of Pompeii lay beneath a dense layer of volcanic material, which accumulated in the region over time. Because it was buried, a number of preservation artifacts were found to be in excellent condition.
Currently, the city is historical heritage of humanity, named by UNESCO in 1997. Today it is an important tourist center in Italy, receiving over 2 million visitors every year. There are, however, criticisms made by archaeologists and historians who point out that the Italian government does not preserves the site as necessary, which has contributed to the deterioration of installations.
*Image credits: Giannis Papanikos and Shutterstock
