Download The Destruction of Pompeii

The Destruction of Pompeii
The city of Pompeii was a major resort city during the times of Ancient Rome. However, in 79 AD, disaster
struck the city when it was buried under 20 feet of ash and debris from the eruption of the nearby volcano,
Mount Vesuvius.
History
Pompeii was originally settled around the 7th century BC by the Oscan peoples. The port city was in a prime
location for trade as well as farming. The rich volcanic soil from earlier eruptions of Vesuvius created prime
farmland for grapes and olive trees.
In the 5th century the city was conquered by the Samnites and was later taken over by the Romans. It became an
official Roman colony in 80 BC called the Colonia Veneria Cornelia Pompeii.
The City
The city of Pompeii was a popular vacation destination for the Romans. It is estimated that between 10,000 and
20,000 people lived in the city. Many wealthy Romans had summer homes in Pompeii and would live there
during the hot summer months.
Pompeii was a typical Roman city. On one side of the city was the forum. It was here that much of the business
of the city was carried out. There were also temples to Venus, Jupiter, and Apollo near the forum. An aqueduct
carried water into the city to be used in the public baths and fountains. The rich even had running water in their
homes.
The people of Pompeii enjoyed their entertainment. There was a large amphitheater that could seat around
20,000 people for gladiator games. There were also a number of theatres for plays, religious celebrations, and
musical concerts.
Earthquakes
The area around Pompeii experienced frequent earthquakes. In 62 AD there was a huge earthquake that
destroyed many of the buildings of Pompeii. The city was still rebuilding seventeen years later when disaster
struck.
The Volcano Erupts
On August 24, 79 AD Mount Vesuvius erupted. Scientists estimate that 1.5 million tons of ash and rock shot out
of the volcano every second. The ash cloud likely towered over 20 miles high above the mountain. Some people
managed to escape, but most didn't. It is estimated that 16,000 people died.
Did they know what was coming?
The days prior to the eruption were recorded by a Roman administrator named Pliny the Younger. Pliny wrote
that there had been several earth tremors in the days leading up to the eruption, but Roman science didn't know
that earthquakes could signal the start of a volcano erupting. Even when they first saw smoke rising from the
top of the mountain, they were merely curious. They had no idea what was coming until it was too late.
A Great Archeological Find
The city of Pompeii was buried and gone. People eventually forgot about it. It wasn't discovered again until the
1700s when archeologists began to uncover the city. They found something amazing. Much of the city was
preserved under the ashes. Buildings, paintings, houses, and workshops that would never have survived all these
years remained intact. As a result, much of what we know about everyday life in the Roman Empire comes
from Pompeii.
Interesting Facts about the City of Pompeii
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The eruption occurred one day after the religious festival to Vulcan, the Roman god of fire.
The amount of energy released by the eruption was roughly one hundred thousand times the thermal
energy released by the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima during World War II.
The nearby city of Herculaneum was also destroyed.
Archeologists found holes in the ashes that were once the bodies of people that were buried in the
eruption. By pouring plaster into these holes, scientists have been able to make detailed casts of many of
the citizens of Pompeii.
The recovered city of Pompeii is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Italy.
The city was located around 5 miles from Mount Vesuvius.
Questions
1. When it was originally settled, why was Pompeii a good
location for a city? Explain.
2. How did Pompeii change after it came under Roman
control?
3. How was Pompeii a typical Roman city?
4. (a) What signals were there that the volcano was going to
erupt?
(b) Why didn’t people follow the signals and escape?
5. (a) What did archeologists find when they discovered the
ancient city of Pompeii?
(b) Why was this such an important discovery? Explain.