The Complete Pompeii

by Berry,Joanne

• ISBN13: 9780500051504
• ISBN10: 050005150X
• Additional ISBN(s): 9780500290927
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2007-11-01
• Publisher: Thames & Hudson
• More Book Details

Summary

The dramatic story of Pompeii's destruction has been handed down to us by Roman writers, its paintings and mosaics have astonished visitors since their discovery in the eighteenth century, and its houses and public buildings to this day present a vivid picture of life, disaster, and death in a Roman town. Pompeii is not quite a time capsule, a frozen moment in history, but it is probably the closest we will ever get to one. This up-to-date new survey draws on evidence produced at the cutting edge of modern archaeological research, revealing how the evidence for life in this city was first uncovered, and how archaeologists over the centuries have unpeeled the layers that enable us to reconstruct Pompeii's history. With its lavish illustrations, covering monumental architecture and inscriptions, shops, graffiti, wall-paintings, and mosaics, plus its numerous box features ranging from theatrical entertainments to water supply, The Complete Pompeii is the ultimate resource and inspirational guide to this iconic ancient town. Among the many topics covered: '¢ how Pompeii was destroyed in the eruption of AD 79 '¢ what we know of the lives and deaths of its inhabitants '¢ what the houses tell us about the people who lived in them '¢ who was involved in politics '¢ what can be reconstructed about religious practices

Author Biography

Joanne Berry teaches ancient history and archaeology at Swansea University.

Table of Contents

Introduction: The Geographical and Cultural Context	p. 6
Disaster in the Shadow of Vesuvius	p. 16
The Volcano	p. 18
The Eruption of Vesuvius in A.D. 79	p. 20
Aftermath of the Eruption	p. 28
The Preservation of Pompeii and Herculaneum	p. 30
Other Sites Buried by Vesuvius in A.D. 79	p. 32
Discovering Pompeii's Buried Past	p. 34
The Earliest Excavations	p. 36
Karl Weber and the Villa of the Papyri	p. 42
Work Returns to Pompeii	p. 46
A Period of Political Turmoil	p. 50
The Unification of Italy and the Impact of Giuseppe Fiorelli	p. 52
Developments at the Turn of the 20th Century	p. 56
Amedeo Maiuri and the 'Nuovi Scavi'	p. 60
Post-War Developments and Changes	p. 62
Birth and Growth of a Roman Town	p. 64
The Traditional Account of Pompeii's Origins and Development	p. 66
Campania Before the Foundation of Pompeii: the Cultural Context	p. 70
The Foundation of Pompeii	p. 72
The Romans in the Bay of Naples	p. 78
The 1st Century B.C.	p. 84
The People of Pompeii	p. 86
The Population of Pompeii	p. 88
The Social Composition of the Town	p. 90
Death and Burial	p. 92
The Evidence of Graffiti and Other Writings	p. 102
Erotic Pompeii	p. 106
Women in Pompeii	p. 112
Life in the Public eye	p. 120
The Political Structure of Pompeii	p. 122
The Politics of Public Building	p. 124
Civic Buildings in the Forum	p. 126
Politics and Propaganda	p. 131
The Theatres of Herculaneum and Pompeii	p. 134
Gladiatorial Games	p. 140
The Amphitheatre	p. 146
Baths and Bathing	p. 150
Houses and Society	p. 154
The Ideal Roman House	p. 156
The Role of the House in Roman Society	p. 158
Mosaics	p. 162
Wall-Painting	p. 168
Household Artifacts	p. 178
Gardens	p. 180
Gods, Temples and Cults	p. 186
Pre-Roman Gods and Temples	p. 188
Public Religion and Temples in the Roman Period	p. 192
The Imperial Cult	p. 196
Public Participation in Religion	p. 198
Mystery Religions and 'Foreign' Cults	p. 200
Household Religion	p. 207
Economic Life in a Roman Town	p. 210
Rural Territory and Agriculture	p. 212
Agriculture Within the Town Walls	p. 216
Craft and Commerce at Pompeii	p. 219
Shops and Markets	p. 228
Bars and Inns	p. 230
The Last Years of Pompeii	p. 234
The Impact of the Earthquake of A.D. 63	p. 236
Life in Pompeii A.D. 63-79	p. 242
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