1. Part I: Core Study: Cities of
Vesuvius – Pompeii and Herculaneum
Principal Focus: Students investigate the range and nature of archaeological
and written sources available for the study of the cities of Pompeii and
Herculaneum through an exploration of issues relating to reconstruction,
ownership and custodianship of the past

2. Mt Vesuvius: Geographical Location
http://southport.jpl.nasa.gov/pio/srl1/sirc/srl1-vesuvius.gif http://campus.queens.edu/depts/history/Syllabi/Italy%20IEP/Italy%20Images/Italy%2
0Maps/Italy%20Map%201.jpg

3. The Physical Environment of Campania (pp.25-30)
Ancient Pompeii and
Herculaneum were located in the
fertile region of Campania in
Southern Italy; a crescent shaped
volcanic plain of approximately 13
595 km squared at the foot of the
Apennine Mountains. The
Romans referred to this area as
Campania Felix (productive
Campania) (Bradley, 2005, p.25).
Mount Vesuvius rises menacingly
above the modern port city of
Naples. It is obvious from this
picture that the city, like Pompeii
and Herculaneum would be at http://www.resortsinluxury.com/images/pictures/ViewofNaplesBay.jpg
serious risk if (and when) the
volcano erupts once more.

4. Natural Features & Resources
Pompeii & Herculaneum
• The sites of Pompeii and Herculaneum are located in western Italy in a region
called Campania, near the Bay of Naples
• With the coast to the west and the Apennine Mountains to the east, Campania is a
fertile plain, traversed by two major rivers, the Volturno River being the major, and
blessed with soil rich in phosphorus and potash
• In ancient times, the region's crop yield was six times higher than the average of the
rest of the peninsula
• Campania was so fertile that some areas had up to three grain crops per year
• The region also hosted some of Italy's chief olive groves, and the mountains
nourished thousands of sheep.

5. The Urban Landscape of Pompeii and
Herculaneum (pp.30-32)
Pompeii
Herculaneum

6. Pompeii Today
Temples, roadways,
city gates and the
forum of Pompeii...
All in the ever
present shadow of
Vesuvius

7. City Plan of Pompeii

8. Herculaneum
Today
Less excavation has been done at
Herculaneum... mainly due to the
different association with Vesuvius.
Herculaneum was nearly wiped off the
face of the earth, rather than being
slowly buried under ash and pumice.

9. City Plan of Herculaneum

10. Evidence Provided by the Sources
• In AD 79, Mt. Vesuvius erupted, killed many of the
inhabitants of Pompeii and Herculaneum and buried
the towns
• Sources providing evidence for this event include:
– The letters of Pliny the Younger, an eye-witness
to the eruption
– References in the ancient sources – Statius,
Martial, Suetonius and Dio Cassius
– Archaeological remains
– Human remains
– Modern work by Vulcanologist Haraldur
Sigurdsson

11. STAGE 1
• Using information from these sources, the following course of events has been
proposed
a) A cloud of ash and pumice erupted 20km into the air, described as the Plinian
phase, after Pliny’s description comparing the shape of the cloud to a Pine tree,
rising on a tall trunk then splitting into branches

12. STAGE 1
b) This ash and pumice fell onto the streets and buildings of Pompeii for 17 hours

13. STAGE 1
c) The deposit of ash and pumice was now more than 2.7 meters deep, heavy enough to
have caused the collapse of some buildings...sparks may have ignited fires

14. STAGE 1
d) Most Pompeians took the opportunity to flee at this stage. People at Herculaneum
would not have been directly affected as the wind carried the ash and pumice away
from their town

15. STAGE 2
a) A series of at least 5 pyroclastic surges of searing hot ash and poisonous gasses,
travelling at speeds up to 300kph; and flows of molten rock, rock, ash and pumice
heated to 400 degrees Celsius

16. STAGE 2
b) The first surge killed those remaining in Herculaneum but did not reach Pompeii.
The second surge and flow also dissipated before reaching Pompeii
c) The third and fourth surges and flows covered Pompeii, killing all of the people and
animals remaining in the area

17. STAGE 2
d) The fifth and sixth surges and flows completely buried Pompeii, Herculaneum,
Stabiae, Oplontis and perhaps other villages yet to be discovered

18. Impact on the Towns
• The eruption changed the geography of the region around Vesuvius
• Pompeii was covered by 4 metres of volcanic material, mainly hardened ash and
pumice
• Herculaneum lay beneath 25metres of debris which cooled into a solid mass of
volcanic material

19. Impact on the Towns
• The Sarnus River was turned from its course, the coastline was extended into the
Bay of Naples by about 500 metres and raised by about 25 metres, making it
difficult to locate the site of Herculaneum

20. Impact on the Towns
• The number of casualties is
not known
• Pompeii’s population of
between 10 000 and 20 000
may have been larger due to
summer visitors at the time of
the eruption
• It has been estimated that
about 90% of the population
escaped in the early stages
• Those who remained were
crushed under falling debris,
killed by hot ash, gas or
thermal shock
• Over time, casualty estimates
have been reduced from 2000
to 500

21. Impact on the Towns
• At Herculaneum few human remains were found within the excavations and at first
it appeared that most of the residents had escaped
• Later excavations found almost 300 skeletons in vaulted brick buildings along the
shoreline