This remarkable development had immediate results: outside, it led to an increase in the level of prestige of Pompeii compared with other Campanian towns; within, as a consequence of growing wealth, there was a general increase in the standard of living for many of the social classes.
As a result the "middle-class", that is to say the class of merchants and entrepreneurs who had built Pompeii's fortune and had reaped their reward, was able to establish itself in an increasingly prominent way.
Pompeii's flourishing economy led to a decisive population increase, widespread affluence and in addition the remarkable embellishment of the town. It is true to say that the middle-class derived great pleasure from competing with the nobility in the construction of splendid villas.
The nouveaux riches, in their desire to outdo the aristocratic class who traditionally held power, vied in displaying their own wealth through the opulence of their houses and the preciousness of their ornaments and jewellery. The urban building expansion took place for the most part along Via dell'Abbondanza, a symbolic centre of the new emerging class.
However, the life and splendour of Pompeii was destined to come to an end. The first inklings of the tragedy were felt in about 62 A. It was no mean feat to recover from this blow.
On the afternoon of 24 August 79, the commander of the Roman fleet, Pliny the Elder, was at home in Misenum at the northern end of the Bay of Naples. Pliny immediately called for a boat but, even before he had set out, a message arrived from the town at the foot of the mountain where residents were terrified of the looming cloud.
By the time Pliny had crossed the bay to the town of Stabiae, it was obvious that something terrible was afoot. That wealthy town was no stranger to disaster — it had been damaged by an earthquake just 17 years earlier — but as the ash began to fall, it was obvious that this was far, far worse.
Almost certainly thousands were killed, though the true figure will never be known. Dominic Sandbrook is a historian and presenter. In the late 16th century, an Italian architect stumbled upon the ruins of Pompeii while digging a canal, but little came of the discovery. It would be another years before excavating the buried city began in earnest.
But the initial priority was not to protect and stabilise the structures found under the thick layers of ash, but to lift treasures or valuable art objects.
Only when Italian archaeologist Giuseppe Fiorelli took charge in the s did the excavations become more systematic. It was Fiorelli who took plaster casts of the voids in the ash left by the bodies of the dead. The findings at Pompeii and Herculaneum inspired new forms of archaeology and influenced new waves of interest in ancient worlds across Europe.
This latest series of investigations has uncovered remarkable mosaics, wall paintings, and a colourfully decorated bar used for serving hot food. With a significant proportion of Pompeii still to be excavated, we may hope to see even more ancient works of art in the future. Here, Roman historian and archaeologist Dr Joanne Berry shares eight lesser-known facts about the city on the west coast of Italy near modern-day Naples…. The eruption of Vesuvius in AD 79 caused vast damage — fires were started, rooftops were swept away, columns collapsed.
Most of the inhabitants of the town escaped into the surrounding countryside although we have no idea how many of those died there. Livorno to Pisa by Bus. Port of Dubrovnik. Livorno Italy. Venice people mover. Dubrovnik Croatia. Naples to Capri. What to pack for Europe. Getting to Dubrovnik. Messina Sicily. Visiting Pompeii. Pompeii forum. Port of Piraeus. Getting to Florence. Venice vaporetto. Venice water bus. Getting to Zadar.
Venice cruise terminal. Mykonos beach. Tourist information Lucca Italy. A sundial had to be used to regulate the opening times for men and women. After bathing, patrons were able to enjoy the relaxation offered by perfumers and masseurs who constituted a small portion of the large staff at the baths.
A strict social hierarchy dictated the seating arrangements at the gladiator games. Venatio duels, fighting between men and lions, between wild and domesticated animals, or between lions and gazelles, often comprised the second half of these games. The games became so popular that part of the theater was converted and used as barracks for the gladiators. Here Jupiter, Juno, and Minerva are worshipped in support of Roman sovereignty. Vesuvius in the background. The street is somewhat mundane, a necessity in a city as busy as Pompeii.
Vesuvius, looming quietly outside the city walls, seems peaceful and removed, nothing more than scenery.
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