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Pompeii

Pompeii was an ancient city of the Roman Empire, located near the Bay of Naples in the Campania region of Italy, a few miles southeast of Mt. Vesuvius. Situated at the mouth of the Sarnus (modern Sarno) River, Pompeii was a popular resort town for wealthy Romans and a busy trade center. In the year 79 CE, Mt. Vesuvius erupted, destroying Pompeii, Herculaneum, Stabiae, and many smaller communities. Today Pompeii is one of the most important archaeological sites in the world. Most cities have many layers of occupation and stages of development, but the burial of this entire city under 30 feet of ash and debris has perfectly preserved for all time an ordinary day in the lives of ordinary people of the Roman Empire.

History of the City

The site of Pompeii was likely first settled by Oscan-speaking descendants of Neolithic people in the 8th century BCE. The strategic river location eventually came under the influence of Greeks who had settled across the bay. Pompeii and Herculaneum remained the center of Greek occupation until the 5th century BCE, when Samnites descended from the north and seized control. Rome drove the Samnites from the region in the 4th century BCE and claimed Pompeii. The city was permitted to keep its own language and culture, but its inhabitants were not granted citizenship or given any privileges. This situation was maintained for centuries, until the citizens of Pompeii had a chance to join with other rebels in an attempt to win freedom from Roman oppression. Sulla, a brilliant Roman general, eventually defeated the Campanians and took Pompeii and Herculaneum in 89 BCE. The rebels were granted Roman citizenship despite their defeat, but many liberties were taken away. Rome strategically housed army veterans in the area to maintain order.

The rich natural resources available in the area and easy access to the sea enabled Pompeii to flourish. As Rome became increasingly prosperous, the standard of living in Pompeii increased proportionally. The entire region along the coast of the Bay of Naples became a popular vacation destination for wealthy Roman citizens.

Mt. Vesuvius remained dormant throughout these many centuries of occupation. There was no way for Pompeians to know that they were living at the base of a volcano that had buried a Bronze Age settlement under 20 feet of debris directly beneath them in 1780 BCE. In the year 62 CE, a severe earthquake resulted in catastrophic damage to both Pompeii and Herculaneum. Repairs were still being made 17 years later when the city was destroyed.

The Eruption of Vesuvius

Roman science in the 1st century was based more on mythology than geology. Mild earth tremors were common and were not alarming to the population. Fumaroles—vents of volcanic gas escaping through the crust to relieve pressure—were seen from a distance and reported to be giants roaming the land. The gods would defeat the giants and trap them under the mountain, which would cause the earth to shake. There was no correlation made between seismic activity and volcanic activity.

Major seismic activity began on August 20, 79 CE. A series of quakes increased in frequency over the following 4 days. Animals were restless, and springs near the mountain ran dry. In the middle of the day on August 24, Vesuvius suddenly erupted. A huge column of superheated gas, rock, and ash blasted straight up from the top of the mountain. As the cloud cooled, it spread and drifted with the wind. A vivid eyewitness description of the initial explosion exists in letters written by Pliny the Younger, who witnessed the phenomenon with his uncle from 15 miles away. As the cloud began to collapse, the sky darkened and pieces of pumice rained down on Pompeii. This “Plinean” phase of the eruption lasted about 18 hours. The initial fall of ash, rock, and pumice deposited more than 9 feet of debris on the town. A few unfortunate individuals were struck down by falling stones or collapsing roofs, but there were few deaths on the first day. It has been estimated that perhaps 80% of the population escaped the region by leaving immediately. The 2,000 or so people who decided to take shelter and wait for the event to pass were the unlucky ones.

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