The City of Pompeii

Decades, prior to the Mount Vesuvius’s eruption which buried the city of Pompeii, the everyday life in the city was characterized by parties as well as struggles. According to Jarus (2019), during the period of Ancient Rome before the tragedy struck, the city of Pompeii was a wealthy and major resort destination. Originally Oscan people settled in the city around the seventh century BC. As a port city, it is in a strategic location for trade and agriculture. The rich nature of the volcanic soil in the area as a subsequent of previous eruptions of the Vesuvius promoted farming for olive trees and grapes. Samnites seized the city and later fell under the reign of Romans, becoming a formal Roman colony in 80 BC.

The city was popular as a leading vacation destination, particularly for Romans. It was a flourishing resort location based on its location, which provided a rare view to the beautiful scenery of the mountains with elaborate villas and elegant houses that were along the paved streets of the city (Mason, 2013). Most of the rich Romans owned summer homes in the city, and they would live there during the warm summer period. One part of the city was comprised of a forum where all the businesses in the city were carried out. Also, this side of the city accommodated temples, and this allowed the business to thrive due to the increased flow of customers from the temple (Jarus, 2019). The city people loved entertainment, and there was a huge stadium that would accommodate more than twenty thousand people for wrestling games. Several theaters also existed for religious celebrations, plays, and musical shows.

The City of Pompeii experienced frequent earthquakes, and in 62 AD, a huge earthquake had destroyed most buildings across the city (Jarus, 2019). The people were still rebuilding the city, and they were aware that the area was volatile to natural disasters. However, the 79 AD disaster was unforeseen, seen the previous eruption was rather minimal in intensity (Mason, 2013). The city was barely prepared for guarding its people against natural disasters even after past tragedies.

On the 24th of August, 79AD, Mount Vesuvius erupted. It is estimated that about 1.5 million tons of ash and rocks erupted from the volcano after every second (Mason, 2013). The mist of ash rose to more than 20 miles about the mountain. Some people tried and managed to escape while most were unable, leading to the death of approximately 16,000 people (Jarus, 2019). The city was completely buried and destroyed, and people ultimately forgot about its existence. It was later discovered in the 18th century when archaeologists were starting uncovering it. Most of the city was conserved under the ashes, and things such as houses, paintings, and buildings were still intact. Thus, much of what is known about the life of Romans originates from Pompeii.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

References

Jarus, O. (2019). Inscription Reveals Final Years of Life in Pompeii Before the City Was Buried in Ash. Retrieved from: https://www.livescience.com/ancient-pompeii-inscription-life-before-tragedy.html

Mason, F. (2013). Pompeii: A history of the city and the eruption of Mount Vesuvius. Lexington, Kentucky: BookCaps Study Guides.