Strolling the Streets of Pompeii

Today’s blog is guest-written by Sarah Mainwaring, a senior majoring in business

Today we went to the ruins of Pompeii, the ancient Roman city that was covered in ash by the 79 CE eruption of Mt. Vesuvius. Since the city was buried in volcanic ash, it was hidden and therefore preserved for centuries.

The entrance to Pompeii with Mt. Vesuvius looming in the background
The entrance to Pompeii with Mt. Vesuvius looming in the background

The city wasn’t unearthed until the 1700s and then it’s historical value was revealed. The ruins provided historians with an accurate picture of what life was like in the Roman empire. It showed that the Romans were a sophisticated society with things like amphitheater’s, markets and extravagant villas. Pompeii is also home to a significant number of ancient skeleton replicas from those who perished in the volcanic eruption. The originals reside in the national museum of Naples so they can be properly preserved. These remains give us even more clues about the lives these ancient people lead. From what they ate, to their social status and physical biology.

We began our tour at the city’s colosseum, where ancient gladiators fought to the death for the entertainment of spectators. Our tour guide took us through the ruins and explained what the different rooms were used for, and who would have lived there 2,000 years ago. We learned what was original and what parts of the city have been patched up during the ongoing restoration.

In addition to our human tour guide, we had a local dog join our group and accompany us through the tour. The locals call him Lupos and he’s apparently been living in Pompeii since he was a puppy. He was quite popular among the group.

A dog wandering the streets of Pompeii, Italy.
Lupos, a modern resident of Pompeii, stayed with us throughout our tour

My favorite element of Pompeii was the artwork. Some of the walls had beautiful mosaics that have survived the eruption and the course of history. The thing I was most surprised by was the sheer size of the city, which covers almost 170 acres. Not only that but also the amount of detail and sophistication that went into the construction of the city. It was truly remarkable for a society as old as the Romans.

Mosaic floors.
Elaborate mosaic floors are still intact in some villas. This was one of our favorites.

 

A serpent depicted in a stone wall carving.

Graffiti in Pompeii… from a Roman graffiti artist
Phallic symbols and graffiti at Pompeii…not so different from the Italy we know today.